Best Health Insurance Companies, Plans and Policies in India (2024)

Finding the best health Insurance policy from so many different health insurance companies can confuse many people. Here are some of the best health insurance policies in India
Best-health-insurance-comapanies-plans-and-policies
Best-health-insurance-comapanies-plans-and-policies

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Introduction

Health insurance policies reimburse the policyholder for medical costs incurred due to disease, accidents, or even injuries. In line with the contract's terms and conditions, the insurer pays the benefits to the insured in cases of medical emergencies. Health insurance companies partner with a network or a chain of hospitals to enable the insured to receive cashless care. Health insurance plans have expanded their range of services to meet demands such as:

  • Coverage for medical costs, including those incurred before and after hospitalisation.
  • After a predetermined waiting period, you are given coverage for any pre-existing conditions.
  • Coverage for costs associated with being hospitalised due to a medical condition.
  • The annual premium for health insurance is exempt from taxation under section 80D of the Income Tax Act of 1961 between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 75,000.

Our Top Picks

Best Individual Health Policy - HDFC ERGO Health Optima Insurance Plan - Click here to talk to an expert

This comprehensive health policy allows the insured to choose from a wide range of sum insured amounts as per the medical requirement. It covers pre-existing diseases, long-term hospitalisation and post-discharge recovery, doctor’s consultation costs, pharmacy bills, minor procedures, routine diagnostics, wellness therapies, and much more.

Best Women Health Insurance Plan - Care Health Care Insurance Plan - Click here to talk to an expert

This policy best suits women as it provides comprehensive insured coverage, special discounts, new-age benefits, and much more. It covers OPD costs and has optional coverage for maternity and newborn. One annual health check-up is also available a year.

Best Health Plan For Senior Citizens - Star Comprehensive Insurance Plan - Click here to talk to an expert

This policy is designed for citizens aged 60 years and above. The policy is available on individual and family floater basis for one, two and three years. There is no pre-medical screening required before applying this policy. Coverage is available for up to INR 25 lakh, and all daycare procedures are taken care of, pre-existing illnesses are covered, and much more. 

If you are unsure which Health Insurance is best for you, please talk to the experts at Ditto to find the perfect Health Insurance for you and your family  - talk to the Health Insurance Expert now!

Best Health Insurance Plans In India 

Name of the plan

Entry age

Incurred Claim Ratio 

Network Hospitals

HDFC ERGO Health Optima Insurance Plan

91 days to 65 years

62%

13000+

Care Health Care Insurance Plan

91 days onwards

55%

8250+

Star Comprehensive Insurance Plan

3 months to 65 years

63%

7900+

ICICI Lombard Complete Health Insurance Plan

6 years onwards

78%

6300+

Aditya Birla Activ Health Insurance Plan

91 days onwards

59%

6000+

Manipal Cigna ProHealth Protect Insurance Plan

91 days onwards

54%

6500+

Universal Sompo Complete Healthcare Insurance

1 day to 70 years

104%

4000+

Royal Sundaram Lifeline

91 days onwards

61%

5000+

Reliance HealthGain Health Insurance Plan

91 days to 65 years

94%

7300+

Future Health Suraksha

90 days to 70 years

87%

5100+

HDFC ERGO Health Optima Restore - Click here to talk to an expert

This health plan is available as a family floater or individually. It has features like 100% restoration of the sum insured, increment of the sum insured by 50% and double after two consecutive claim-free years, no sub-limits on room rent, and much more.

Pros

Cons

Wide coverage of the sum insured

Pregnancy and new-born complications are not covered

Instant and lump sum payment of the sum insured

90-180 days waiting period applicable

Lifetime renewability

 

Free look for15 days

 

Care Health Care Insurance Plan - Click here to talk to an expert 

This is another of India's best health insurance policies that offer a sum insured up to INR 6 crores. Some attached salient features include robotic surgeries, free annual health check-ups, sum insured restoration benefits, and a range of optional coverage benefits.

Pros

Cons

Covers Covid-19 hospitalisation expenses

No pre-policy health screening 

Maternity and newborn coverage only with premium

30 days of the initial waiting period

The claim settlement ratio >95%

 

Star Comprehensive Insurance Policy - Click here to talk to an expert 

This is one of India's best health Insurance policies, with extensive coverage benefits. The policy features include no sub-limits on room rent, air ambulance charges coverage, maternity and newborn baby coverage, OPD expenses coverage once in 3 years, and coverage for bariatric surgery.

Pros

Cons

No Pre-medical screening 

Pre-existing diseases are covered after one-year

Various discounts on premium membership

Diseases diagnosed before the first 30 days are not covered

Lifetime renewability

 

ICICI Lombard Complete Health Insurance 

This is a complete health insurance plan coming under four different variants. 100% of the insured sum is restored if it is used up in the same policy year on an earlier claim. There is also a free annual health check-up and a range of optional coverage benefits like hospital cash allowance, convalescence benefit, maternity and newborn cover, critical illness cover, etc.

Pros

Cons

Covers Covid 19 hospitalisation expenses

Donor benefits, pre-existing disease coverage, pre-policy check-up, etc. are available on premium

15 days free-look period

 

No co-payment

 

Aditya Birla Activ Health Insurance Plan

This premium health insurance policy by Aditya Birla offers high sum insured levels. The salient features of the plan include ambulance coverage, without any sub-limits, in a networked hospital, reinstated upon exhaustion of the sum insured on earlier claims, a recovery benefit of INR 10,000, no room rent capping, and much more.

Pros

Cons

Free health check-up 

Only up to 20% co-payment available as per conditions.

A Low-cost policy with wide coverage

Benefits such as e-consultation, hospital cash, etc. available at an additional premium

Strong cashless network of hospitals

 

Manipal Cigna ProHealth Protect Insurance Plan

This health insurance policy offers affordable coverage with a high sum insured and complete coverage benefits. The plan includes more than 500 daycare treatments, worldwide emergency cover for medical emergencies, health maintenance benefits of up to INR 500, a 200% increase in the sum insured, and a range of optional and add-on covers.

Pros

Cons

Lifelong renewability

Initial waiting period ranges between 120-180 days

Additional discounts and benefits

The claim is paid only after 0/7/15 days

Universal Sompo Complete Health Care Plan

This plan is available in three different variants for an individual and his family. The main features include dental treatments, vaccination expenses for an animal bite, outpatient medical costs, and optional additional benefits.

Pros

Cons

Offers worldwide coverage

The initial waiting period ranges between 120-180 days

High claim settlement ratio of 99.71%

The claim is paid only after 0/7/15 days

Lifelong renewability

 

No medical test required

 

Royal Sundaram Lifeline

This policy offers various built-in coverage benefits, value-added features, and optional coverage benefits. The main features include 100% restoration of the sum insured, worldwide emergency coverage, coverage against 11 critical illnesses and the cost of OPD.

Pros

Cons

Any room can be opted by the insured

Lesser flexibility while choosing the sum insured & scheme

Lifelong renewal

36 months waiting period if there are any pre-existing conditions

Wide maternity coverage 

 

Reliance Health Gain

This best health Insurance policy in India provides a good scope of coverage, attractive premium discounts, 100% restoration of the sum insured and much more. The sum insured increases by 33.33% if an individual has a claim-free year. In specified critical illnesses, the policy is renewed free of cost.

Pros

Cons

No room rent limitations

36 months waiting period if there are any pre-existing conditions

Wide network hospitals

 

No entry age restriction

 

Lifelong renewability

 

Future Generali Future Health Suraksha

The plan allows a range of coverage benefits and features. Some of them include additional daily allowance if senior citizens are hospitalised, an increment of the sum insured increases by 25% in case of accidental hospitalisation, and recharge benefits under some plan variants.

Pros

Cons

High claim settlement ratio of 94.21%

36 months waiting period if there are any pre-existing conditions

No pre-policy health checkup

 

Wide-reaching network of hospitals

 

Types Of Health Insurance Plans In India

Individual Health Insurance Plan

A policyholder is a single person who receives all of the advantages of coverage provided by them. Individual health insurance policies typically pay the insured's medical costs by the specified sum insured and the premium amount. Hospitalisation costs for inpatients, those incurred before and after hospitalisation, daycare costs, and hospitalisation costs incurred domestically are a few perks these programmes provide.

Family Floater Health Insurance Plan

Based on a floater sum insured, a family floater health insurance plan offers coverage for every family member. Family floater plans make it simpler for individuals to handle their health insurance and loved ones. When you need to include your parents in the policy, a family floater health insurance policy is more affordable than a senior citizen health insurance policy.

Senior Citizens Health Insurance Plan

Senior citizens' health insurance plans are designed to cover their demands for coverage between the ages of 60 and 75. Some of the coverage advantages of senior citizen health insurance plans include daycare costs, cashless hospitalisation, domiciliary hospitalisation charges, coverage for pre-existing disorders, and coverage for particular diseases.

Critical Illness Insurance Plan

Plans for critical illness insurance cover a variety of life-threatening conditions, including heart attack, stroke, paralysis, cancer, renal failure, etc. When a critical disease is initially diagnosed, these plans offer a lump payment that the insured person may use both inside and outside India. Given the high cost of critical illness treatments, it is advised to be protected by such insurance.

Women-Specific Health Insurance Plan

These have been created specifically to meet the needs of women in various age groups regarding insurance. Plans like these shield women against medical costs associated with pregnancy, retirement, newborn care, child schooling, etc. After a certain age, they also cover women for particular diseases to which they are predisposed.

Top-Up Health Insurance Plan And Super Top-up Health Insurance Plan  

This enables consumers to enhance the quantity covered on their base policy to make up for any deficit in case medical expenses exceed the plan's coverage. When a single hospitalisation occurs during the base health insurance policy term, and the amount of the claim exceeds the deductible and the total insured, the top-up health insurance policy kicks in. Super top-up plans pay for medical costs incurred over the deductible and the maximum sum insured of the base health insurance plan during the policy term. Additionally, they pay for costs that neither your standard coverage nor top-up policy will cover.

Key Factors To Consider Before Buying Health Insurance Plans

  1. Benefits of the Coverage - Complete coverage pays for all medical costs and even lowers out-of-pocket costs. So, choosing an all-inclusive package is always the preferable option.
  2. Sum Insured - The ideal policies to search for include both minimum and maximum levels of coverage because this allows you to select the optimal sum insured to cover anticipated medical costs.
  3. Network of Hospitals - The best health insurance programme offers a sizable hospital network and guarantees cashless services. Finding a network hospital in your neighbourhood and making use of the cashless claims can thus be made easier.
  4. Premium - The policy's premium must be reasonable compared to other insurance packages. To determine the premium rate, consider the coverage advantages and the cost of the premium.
  5. Pre-Existing Period - If you or a member of your family has a preexisting condition, it is advisable to select a plan with a shorter waiting period so that you can start receiving coverage for these conditions as soon as possible.
  6. Add-On - Many health insurance policies allow you to enhance coverage by adding extra riders at your discretion. To tailor your coverage to your needs, seek policies that allow you to add additional riders.

Why Buy The Best Health Insurance Policy?

The cost of healthcare is rising so quickly in the modern era that purchasing a health insurance policy that can cover your medical costs is crucial. The health insurance policies shield you and your loved ones from high hospital charges while enabling you to live a happy and secure life. When it comes time to get health insurance coverage, you'll be unsure which option to choose.

Therefore, we at TNIE are here to help you select a health insurance plan that satisfies your insurance needs. Choose a health insurance plan for yourself and your family that covers your medical expenses, such as daycare charges, critical illness treatment, coronavirus treatment, etc., according to your preferences to obtain the finest health coverage.

Factors Affecting Your Health Insurance Plans Premium

1. Age – Age is a significant aspect that affects the premium because, generally talking, older persons have a higher risk of getting sick.

2. Past Medical History - Your insurance premium may increase if you have a pre-existing medical condition.

3. Policy Duration – Another element that influences the premium is the length of the policy. Buy by the plan's term length because it will have a lower premium.

4. Injurious Substances - As they are more worried if the insured has cancer conditions, insurers frequently increase the premium rates for their policies if the insured smokes, chews, or snuffs.

5. Nature of Profession - Since accidents and cardiovascular diseases are more likely to happen in high-risk occupations like construction or working in hazardous surroundings with radiation and chemicals, greater premiums may be necessary.

The Process To Buy An Online Health Insurance Plan

Buying a health insurance policy is easy and quick in 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Enter all the personal details that are asked to correctly see the best health insurance plans as per your requirements.

Step 2: Compare the policy quotes online to find the best fit as per budget and need.

Step 3: Make an online payment and get the policy documents.

Health Insurance Plan Eligibility Criteria

  1. You should be an Indian resident aged between 18 and 65. It can go up to 70 years of age in some situations. There is also child coverage available between 91 days to 18 years.
  2. If you buy a health insurance plan after 45 years of age, you may have to undergo a few medical tests or submit a pre-existing condition declaration.

Documents Required To Buy Health Insurance Plan In India

1. Age Proof – Pan Card, Passport, Voter ID Card, Aadhaar Card, Driving License, Birth certificate, ten or 12th Marksheet

2. Identity Proof – Passport, Voter ID Card, Aadhaar Card, Driving License

3. Address Proof – Passport, Aadhaar Card, Ration card, Driving licence, Rent agreement, Utility bills 

4. Proposal form duly filled in and signed

5. Medical reports 

6. Passport-size photographs 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which is better: LIC or health insurance?

While health insurance covers the costs of medical care, life insurance can lessen the financial strain on your family in the event of your untimely passing.

2.  What are the six main types of insurance?

1. Individual Health Insurance Plans

2. Family Floater Health Insurance Plans

3. Senior Citizens Health Insurance Plans 

4. Critical Illness Insurance Plans

5. Women-Specific Health Insurance Plans

6. Top-Up Health Insurance Plan And Super Top-up Health Insurance Plans

Conclusion

As a dependable insurance aggregator for millions of people, health insurance allows an insured to get reimbursements for his medical and surgical costs. Many people, families, and employers have found it easier to meet their medical bills using India's various health insurance policies. Our goal in writing this post was to reduce your workload and assist you in conducting adequate research and selecting the finest health insurance plan.

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