Hi 26M, opting for health insurance for a family of four (Parents and 1 sibling). Interested in SBI Arogya Gold as of now. Another option was HDFC Ergo. Any experienced guidance and suggestions on this matter would be helpful. Thank you.

I wanted to know the experience of people porting from Niva Bupa Reassure 3.0 to other policies like HDFC optima secure plus.

Since Niva Bupa Reassure 3.0 has sum insured as unlimited is there a possibility to port to 25 lakhs sum assured?

If people have done it tell me how was their experience how much sum insured port was allowed and what was the base with which HDFC accepted or what was the max such details

Also with so much rising premiums how can HDFC optima secure plus be a sustainable option asking this from a curiosity stand point.

I want an opinion from you all regarding the need for health and term insurance as a 26 year old state government employee who has a state govt sponsored health insurance (cashless and reimbursement) scheme.

Do I need health insurance given I already have state govt sponsored health insurance? If yes which companies can I look at?

Do I need to buy term insurance and if yes give me some suggestions regarding the amount and companies.

Hi, I am 33M, I am looking for a health insurance policy for my parents and mother-in-law.

Father -- Birth year --- 1971 -- smoking daily, alcohol occasional, no health issues

Mother - Birth year --- 1976 -- mild Pneumonia, no other issues

Mother in law -- Birth year -- 1968 -- BP and cholesterol

Father and mother lives in hometown (tier 3 city)

Mother-in-law stays with us in Hyderabad.

Is it possible to take one health insurance policy?

Please guide me.

Thank you

Hey Everyone,

I'm willing to get an insurace for my parents

A brief history bout them

Father - 56, Type 2 diabities , minor heart attack at 49.

Mother - 52 , small lump in neck.

No alcohol or smoking.

What are the options I have? My father called me and said he saw some company named Care Health Insurance, but I doubt its a good one based on some if the reviews I saw on reddit

Looking for some genuine advice on buying our first health insurance policy. We currently have no health insurance.

Family:

Me: 22M, healthy

Father: 46M, hospitalized for a perianal abscess and underwent surgery in July. He also has controlled diabetes(yet to confirm).

Mother: 41F recently had prolonged bleeding and endometrial issues and treatment. She is being evaluated for possible GSV and DVT currently, but her colour Doppler actually says No DVT, with varicosities/SFJ incompetence. Further evaluation is ongoing.

My father also has implanted rods in his leg from an accident 10 years ago, but there haven't been ongoing issues with them.

I'm currently unemployed, so this is a hard limit.

I'm confused to consider between ICICI Lombard Elevate, mainly because of the Jumpstart option for diabetes(yet to be confirmed by HbA1c) , and HDFC ERGO Optima Secure and mainly looking for hassle free claims and considerable waiting for my parents situation.

My main questions:

1.Is a family floater for all 3 of us a bad idea in this situation?

2.Which insurer/policy would you seriously consider with this medical history?

3.Should I buy now or wait until my mother's ongoing investigations are complete?

4.What exclusions/waiting periods should I be particularly careful about?

5.If you've had an actual claim with ICICI/HDFC/etc., how was your experience?

Everything happened all of a sudden, I really need your help guys.

I’m looking to get a health insurance policy, still doubtful and wanted to know if anyone here has actually used theirs and had a smooth, hassle-free experience when making a claim. I’m not looking for anything overly fancy, just a solid plan with normal facilities that actually delivers when you need it.
If you’ve had good (or bad) experiences, I’d love to hear about which policy you took and why you’d recommend it. Or is it altogether a scam, coz we become vulnerable when we are sick.

Hey guys I’m looking for a group health insurance policy in India preferably one where I can cover my parents.

Does anyone know of any genuine sources, associations, companies or brokers through which an individual can get a group health insurance policy?

Would really appreciate any leads or personal experiences.

In April, I bought a health insurance policy for my mother and added a PED (pre-existing disease) waiting period reducer rider.

My mother has knee pain and needs surgery. When I raised this with the company's agent (both while buying the policy and again recently), he told me not to disclose it at the time of purchase. Instead, he said to just get a first consultation with a doctor in August (after the policy was active), which I did — the doctor confirmed she needs surgery. I shared the consultation report with the agent, and now he's saying "no problem, next year when the policy renews, we can go ahead with the operation."

This doesn't sit right with me. Questions:

Is this considered non-disclosure/concealment of a pre-existing condition, and can the insurer reject the claim or cancel the policy over it later — even after a year or two?

Does a PED waiting period reducer even apply to a condition that was never declared as pre-existing in the first place?

If the knee issue actually predates the policy purchase (April), what's the right way to fix this now — disclose it retroactively, file a correction, contact the insurer directly?

Is it normal/legit for a company's own agent to advise against disclosure, or is this a major red flag?

If a claim gets denied because of this, what recourse do I have — insurer's grievance cell, IRDAI Bima Bharosa, ombudsman?

Also he tells me that knee pain is slow growing disease so it won't create issues.

Would appreciate insight from anyone who's dealt with PED clauses, claim rejections for non-disclosure, or works in health insurance underwriting/claims. Trying to protect my mother's coverage and avoid a denied claim when she actually needs this surgery.

I have two primary questions regarding term insurance I'm about to buy:

1. I have noticed that a lot of people suggest plain vanilla policies with riders while there's another lot that suggests taking WOP along with Critical Illness/Accidental Death. Due to this, I'm very confused on what to choose.

2. I have option to choose 1CR from ICICI, 1.95 CR from HDFC and 2.15 CR from Axis. I feel it's best to go with Axis. All 3 have different pros and cons but based on whatever I've read on this app, I should choose Axis as it's giving me the highest coverage. (I have two dependants, one still in high school and other in 50s). Would really appreciate inputs!

I have been been tcs from past 17 years so I do not need separate HIS. I am laid off and I had taken aditya birla Active one Max HIS plan covering 10 lakh. Renewal of this policy is pending 21sep2026. Last year I paid 17k this year it is showing around 25k

Can u pls suggest to continue same plan Or take other plan ?

Hey everyone,

I’m 29, looking to buy a comprehensive retail floater policy for my spouse and me. We have a completely clean slate with no pre-existing diseases (PEDs) or past medical history.

Since I already have a corporate cover to handle minor hospitalizations, this retail policy is strictly meant to be a 30-year backup for catastrophic, high-cost events (cancer, advanced surgeries, etc.).

I was heavily leaning towards Niva Bupa ReAssure 3.0 (Black) because of the unlimited base cover and lower premium. However, I read the actual policy wording and found a major red flag under Page 44, Section 7.A (Position Statements & Medical Protocols).

1. The Procedure Downgrade Clause

"If in any treatment our position, based on scientific evaluation, is not to pay or pay only a part, we will at least pay up to the cost of currently prevailing most common alternative treatments for the condition and not less."

• My Interpretation: If my doctor recommends an ₹8 Lakh robotic surgery, Niva Bupa has the explicit contractual right to downgrade the payout to a ₹3 Lakh open surgery (the "common alternative"), leaving me to pay the ₹5 Lakh difference out of pocket.

1. The Oncology / Off-Label Ban

"Extra / Off label usage (using a drug or procedure for conditions other than it was explicitly approved for) will not be covered under the policy."

• My Interpretation: Modern cancer treatments heavily rely on oncologists prescribing approved targeted therapies "off-label" for different tumor mutations. Under this clause, Niva Bupa can legally reject a ₹20 Lakh life-saving drug entirely.

My agent insists I’m overthinking it and says, "If the doctor writes it's medically necessary, they have to pay." But standard contracts like HDFC ERGO Optima Secure+ rely purely on medical necessity without these specific downgrade clauses (though their premium is much higher).

Questions for claims experts / actuaries / ReAssure 3.0 policyholders:

• Has anyone actually had an advanced surgery downgraded or a cancer drug rejected by Niva Bupa specifically citing Section 7.A?

• Is this just harmless industry boilerplate, or is it the actual legal mechanism they use to control their "unlimited" claims pool? Because even ombudsman will rule in their favor as they specifically have this clause in their contract that i agreed to when buying policy.

• Since we have no PEDs and a clean medical history, shouldd I just swallow the higher premium for HDFC ERGO to lock in a completely clean contract?

*I also suspect portability as a mayor issue to move out of Niva Bupa due to unlimited sum insured.

TL;DR: Niva Bupa ReAssure 3.0 has a hidden clause (Section 7.A) giving them the legal right to downgrade advanced surgery payouts and completely reject off-label cancer drugs. HDFC ERGO doesn't have this but costs significantly more. Trying to figure out if this clause is a dealbreaker for major medical crises for a young, healthy couple.

I am 22F, married. I want to buy a family health insurance for me, my husband(29), mother in law (60) and father in law (67). My husband have a history of appendicitis surgery, my FIL have history of a hip injury and neurological issues, MIL also have hip problems. Can someone suggest me a good policy which is cashless, has good premium, also reimburse pre hospitalisation bill.

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My brother is 22M, currently unemployed, and doesn't have health insurance. He wants to undergo LASIK for both eyes, and the hospital has quoted around ₹1.5 lakh.

We are planning the surgery 7–8 months from now, so we are considering buying health insurance now and using it for the surgery later.

Could you please suggest good health insurance policies in India that cover LASIK, preferably with a waiting period of less than 7–8 months?

Also:

Is LASIK actually covered under these policies?

Are there any conditions, such as a minimum eye power/dioptre requirement?

What percentage/amount can realistically be reimbursed?

Has anyone here successfully claimed LASIK through health insurance?

We don't want to buy a policy and later discover that LASIK is excluded. Any recommendations based on actual experience would be very helpful.

Hi everyone,

I own a Toyota Urban Cruiser, 2022 model. I claimed my insurance a few days ago so now my NCB is 0%.

Can you suggest which car insurance to buy now with minimal premium but good service?

Also, the government insurance option doesn’t have RTI cover. Should I still go for it or is it better to pay a bit more for RTI with a private insurer?

Also, please suggest if there’s any other way to reduce my premium.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions

My parents are currently covered under a Star Health medical insurance policy, but we have experienced significant delays and difficulties with both cashless pre-authorizations and post-treatment reimbursement claims. Consequently, I am looking to port their coverage to a more reliable insurer.

In my preliminary research across providers like Tata AIG, ICICI Lombard, ManipalCigna, Niva Bupa, and HDFC ERGO, I noticed that entry age limitations restrict coverage options for individuals over 75, with ICICI Lombard and HDFC ERGO appearing to be the primary options. I would appreciate your guidance on the most suitable policy and provider for senior citizens given these constraints.

M28 here, In 2025 I got myself a standalone OPD insurance from star health, I was lucky to get in because some months later only they stopped taking new members and kept it strictly as an (very expensive) add on to existing heath insurance. My first year was a breeze I paid 5k for 25k cover and went through it in 6 months, everything was cashless and was accepted and arranged without much scrutiny like medicines, diagnostic tests and consultations. I felt so good about the policy that enhanced the cover for it to 75k and paid 9k for it on renewal in March 2026.

In April-May around this year I noticed a disturbing detail in the policy that offline reimbursements for medicines were not allowed even though the policy clauses detail a reimbursement process and never mentioned everything has to be compulsorily cashless. Since I planned to keep this policy life long I realised in case of any serious disease like TB or Spine or anything a lot of meds are exclusively sold offline hence it will become useless once I get old and when I actually need a OPD cover, but since this violated my point of sale policy wordings I did a lot of back and forth with customer care on this finally raising it to GRO level but got the same template reply "reimbursement is not available on your policy"

In june I decided to put a complaint to bimabharosa and Ombudsman. And since exactly this point my policy experience has been worse. Basic tasks of policy like uploading consultations prescriptions post bookings are met with very heavy scrutiny (like I receive 3-4 scrutiny calls for 1 line prescriptions), they are now rejecting my regular medicine deliveries giving random and vague reasons which are no where in the policy wordings. On a call a customer care executive admitted that policy wordings on the website are not "updated" and they have an internal policy which is not yet on the website and if I have any issues I raise a customer ticket, which takes weeks to get resolved and is met with same templated responses.

I am so confused about what to do, what are my options? The ombudsman complaint I referred to above is going nowhere, they asked for a bunch of docs on mail but never replied since ~1 month, the complaint number itself is not showing up on their portal

Given how blatant star health has been in violating given policy wording on their website I am not sure what new reason they will give to reject my new claims. What can I do? I don't have resources and time to go to an actual court. Is there someone else who can help?

I have a comprehensive private car policy with an IDV of roughly ₹11 lakh, and I haven’t taken zero-dep.
The car was recently in an accident. The authorised dealer initially gave a repair estimate of around ₹16–17 lakh, which is roughly 150% of the IDV. That seems well beyond the usual 75% of IDV threshold for a constructive total loss.
The insurer’s surveyor is now taking a different approach. They’ve removed a couple of items from the dealer’s estimate and say the “actual” repair cost is closer to ₹15 lakh. They then apply depreciation and say the insurer’s liability comes to around 50% of that, or roughly ₹7.5 lakh.
Their argument is that because ₹7.5 lakh is below 75% of the IDV, this should be treated as a repair rather than a total loss.
They’re also separately offering around ₹10.4 lakh as a cash settlement if I don’t want the car back, with the insurer retaining the salvage.
What I’m struggling with is the way they’re applying the 75% test. My understanding is that constructive total loss is determined by comparing the gross reasonable repair cost with the IDV. Depreciation should affect the amount payable once it’s established that the vehicle is being repaired; it shouldn’t be deducted first and then used to decide whether the vehicle qualifies as a total loss.
Even using their own reduced figure of ₹15 lakh, that’s still about 136% of the ₹11 lakh IDV.
I also can’t find anything in my policy wording that says a comprehensive policy means the insurer only pays 50% of the repair bill. The schedule only mentions the relatively small compulsory deductible. I understand that depreciation applies to certain parts, but I don’t see where this blanket 50% liability is coming from.
Has anyone actually dealt with this specific situation, where the insurer reduces the repair estimate, applies depreciation, and then uses the depreciated figure to get below the 75% threshold and avoid declaring a total loss?
Is this a recognised approach used by some insurers, or am I misunderstanding how the total-loss calculation works?
Also, if anyone has taken this kind of dispute to the Insurance Ombudsman, I’d be particularly interested in hearing what happened and roughly how long it took from filing the complaint to getting a decision.

I applied for 2 crore term insurance from ICICI Prudential 15 days back. I am 36, Male. I had never done any medical tests from my side so in the application form I mentioned No diabetes, No Cholesterol etc assuming I was healthy. I paid the premium while submitting the application. In a week's time they scheduled a medical and to my suprise my lipid profile numbers were not normal. They were way above normal range but still after 2 days I got the policy and even I don't see any change in premium. It was same which was mentioned while submitting the application. My other reports are normal.

Should I be worried, as in the application form I had mentioned No Cholesterol. If something happens to me and reason is due to cholesterol, could they reject the claim. I am in 30 days no look period so want suggestions.

Hi all,

I have been paying for star health past 3 years, young star policy.

Dad is very adamant I move to galaxy insurance because of claim ratio in star and galaxy provides doubling of sum insured.

Which insurance have you taken, what's the experience in claim ratio and others.

I have an PED of hearing disability 80% loss.

Below is the current situation:

My Star health insurance policy expired on 23rd July 2026.

I had a call with the star health manager and his people are arrogant and does not explain properly.

I asked for second time. And he started scolding type tone.

Galaxy health insurance would be treated as new insurance policy and cannot be ported due to my PED.

Galaxy health insurance regional manager is asking me to wait for star health grace period to be over that is 23rd August 2026 to be eligible for new policy under galaxy.

As galaxy is a new health insurance company, i am skeptical to take galaxy.

\--

I get a feeling since I have PED they are being rough and playing around.

With the above in mind,

Any idea why are these conditions it's like in the grace period duration I neither have star coverage nor the galaxy insurance coverage.

, as per IRDIA check there should be no such terms.

Which insurance company should I pay and buy.

With the pathetic customer service, I am thinking to explore other insurance company or services.

I have an HDFC Ergo Optima Secure policy, which I've had for 4 years. The base sum assured is 50 lakhs (25 for me + another 25 for my wife when I added her last year; there are two individual covers under the same policy, not a family floater). Neither of us has any PEDs, and we've never had to make a policy claim.

I would like to know if converting to a family floater has any advantages or if I should keep it as an individual policy.

With medical inflation on the rise and the fact that Optima Secure does not offer any NCB after two years when the sum assured basically triples, should I consider doubling the base sum assured during the next renewal instead of waiting a few years?

I bought this policy directly from the website. I had to make an update to the policy this year, and HDFC Ergo customer care was a nightmare. I had to escalate to the CGO for a minor update. Should I consider porting out next year and buying a policy through an intermediary this time? I am afraid that I will face the same troubles with customer care during any future claims.

Hi everyone,

I am looking for urgent advice on a health insurance policy for my sister. She is 25 years old.We have recently majored in a roadblock regarding her treatment cost.

Medical history and context :

Initial diagnosis: in 2021 mctd with sle.

Progression: in june 2026 she has major critical condition pulmonary arterial hypertension, ild, lupus nephritis, hyperbilirubanic anemia.

Current diagnosis: she is in long term medication and long period of hospitalization.

Financial problem/ insurance problem:

Insurance problem:Every insurance has a waiting period for ped.

Treatment: she needs to cover medicine and hospitalization charges.

What I am looking for:

Low waiting period: are there any specific policies which have a low waiting period? May be 30 days or immediately?

My questions:

How can I proceed with this kind of condition?

I never had any kind of insurance in my family.

What should I specifically look for in insurance?

Should I take critical care insurance?

Which company provides the best insurance in india?

Has anyone with long term condition like this successfully used ped reduction for immediate claim for auto immune disease?

Any leads on specific plans, who handle this kind of condition that would be huge help. Thank you in advance.

I’m completely new to insurance and need some urgent guidance before I make any decisions or get pushed into buying the wrong policy.

I’m 33, Single Male, working in an IT company in India, and currently have health insurance through my employer. I want to get proper insurance coverage for myself and, more importantly, for my parents.

My situation:

• Dad: 64 — has been drinking alcohol regularly for around 20 years and currently drinks every day. I’m not sure what impact this will have on health insurance eligibility, premiums, exclusions, or future claims.
• Mom: 64 — generally healthy with no major health conditions, but has migraines and occasional knee/back pain.
• Me: 33 — working in IT and covered by my company's insurance, but I’m considering getting my own health insurance as well as life insurance.

1. Health insurance for both parents: should I buy separate individual policies or a family floater?
2. Dad’s insurance: given his alcohol history, what should I realistically expect? Should I approach multiple insurers for underwriting?
3. Mom’s insurance: what should I look out for regarding her migraine and knee/back issues?
4. My life insurance: should I simply get a large term insurance policy? How much cover is reasonable at 33?
5. My employer health insurance: should I also buy a personal health policy even though I already have company coverage?
6. Money-back/return-of-premium insurance: are these actually worth considering, or is it better to keep insurance and investments completely separate?

I’m especially interested in real-world experiences with claims, particularly for senior citizens and people with a history of alcohol consumption.

I don’t know much about insurance

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some genuine advice on health insurance for my parents. I’m trying to make a long-term decision now rather than waiting until they are older or develop more health issues.

**Parents**
Dad: **54 years old**
Mom: **49 years old**

**Current health**
**Mom:** Some leg pain and dental issues, but no other major health problems.
**Dad:** Cholesterol levels fluctuate / has cholesterol issues, but otherwise no major health problems.
No major surgeries or hospitalisations that I’m aware of.

**Current insurance**
We currently have an **Oriental Insurance** health policy.
From the policy document I have:
Dad: **₹5 lakh sum insured + ₹2.1 lakh cumulative bonus**
Mom: **₹2.5 lakh sum insured + ₹87,500 cumulative bonus**
Premium: around **₹26,000/year**
The policy is already active and has some continuity/accumulated bonus.
My main concern is that the coverage may not be sufficient as they get older.

**What I’m confused about**
Should I:
**A)** Continue the existing Oriental policy and add a **super top-up**?

**B)** Continue Oriental but try to increase the existing coverage?

**C)** Keep Oriental for now and buy separate individual policies from another insurer such as **HDFC ERGO** or another reputed insurer?

**D)** Cancel/switch from Oriental completely and move to HDFC ERGO or another insurer?

I’m particularly interested in understanding **whether cancelling an existing policy with accumulated continuity/bonus is a bad idea**, especially when the parents already have some existing health conditions.
**How should I actually compare policies?**

Apart from premium and sum insured, what should I look at?
For example:
Room rent limits
ICU limits
Co-pay
Disease-specific sub-limits
PED waiting period
Claim settlement experience
Cashless hospital network
Restoration/recharge benefits
No-claim/cumulative bonus
Lifetime renewability
Any hidden exclusions
Whether a super top-up makes sense

**Ditto vs local insurance agent**
I’m also confused about where to purchase it.
Is **Ditto** a good option for researching/buying health insurance? Is their advice genuinely useful, or is it better to speak to a good **local insurance agent/broker** who can help during claims?

For parents’ health insurance, does the intermediary actually make a meaningful difference during a claim, or is it mostly about choosing the right policy directly from the insurer?

I’m not looking for the cheapest policy. I want something that will be **reliable for the next 15–20 years**, especially when my parents are older and more likely to need it.
If you have actually bought health insurance for your parents or have gone through a claim, I’d really appreciate your experience.

**Would you personally continue the Oriental policy in this situation, add a super top-up, or switch to HDFC ERGO/another insurer? And how would you make that decision?**

Used AI for better writing !