Best Health Insurance Plans in India

Today, we all follow a sedentary lifestyle, which makes us more vulnerable to health issues. To cope up with the continuous increase in the medical facilities, having health insurance is a necessity. However, while purchasing health insurance, the foremost thing that strikes the mind is- which is the best pocket-friendly health insurance plan in India?

After analyzing several parameters such as sum insured, pre & post-hospitalization expenses, etc. below is the list of best 10 health insurance plans in the Indian market that won't disappoint its customers.

1. Care Health Plan (formerly known as Religare Health Insurance)
2. Star Health Family Health Optima
3. Max Bupa Health Companion Individual
4. HDFC ERGO My: health Suraksha
5. Corona Kavach Policy
6. Star Health Senior Citizen Red Carpet
7. HDFC ERGO Optima Restore
8. Aditya Birla Activ Assure Diamond
9. Royal Sundaram Lifeline Supreme
10. Manipal Cigna Prohealth Plus

How To Choose Best Health Insurance Plan - Watch Video

Factual Representation In Tabular Form

Here is the tabular representation of the best 10 health insurance plans in the market.

**Last Updated on 19-11-2020

Brief Description Of The 10 Best Health Insurance Plans

A brief description of all the 10 best health insurance plans for the year 2020 has been presented below for your reference. The clarity of facts will help you make quick decisions to safeguard your savings at the time of medical emergencies.

1. Care Health Insurance Plan

Care Health Insurance Plan offered by Care Health insurance company is one of the best health insurance plans available in the market. It provides comprehensive coverage and offers both (individual and family floater) plans. Few of the benefits and features of the plan have been mentioned below:

Benefits and Features:

• In-patient Care: The in-patient care is provided to the insured in case of hospitalization for at least 24 continuous hours. The in-patient care covers all the medical expenses incurred during hospitalization. It includes a medical practitioner's consultancy fees, nursing charges, ICU charges, anesthesia cost, operation theatre costs, and more.
• Daycare Treatment: Coverage for daycare procedures is available under the plan.
• No Claim Bonus: The insured gets a bonus for every claim-free year.
• AYUSH Treatment Cover: The expenses incurred in an alternative mode of treatments like Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, Siddha, and Siddha also gets coverage under the plan.
• Second Opinion Option: The plan provides coverage for the second opinion from a medical expert in case the policyholder is diagnosed with a critical illness.
• Ambulance Cover: The ambulance expense cover (up to Rs.3000) is also included under the plan.
• Daily Cash Facility: The insured is provided with daily cash to meet the conveyance expenses to the hospital, attendant's cost, and other daily expenses. A lump-sum amount is paid to the insured daily. It is provided for a maximum of 5 days.
• Annual Health Check-ups: The plan offers annual health check-ups for yourself and all your family members without any age constraints.
• Tax Benefit: The insured gets tax benefits as (s)he can save tax on the premiums paid under the health insurance plan.

Major Exclusions:

2. Star Health Family Health Optima Plan

Family Health Optima Plan is a super saver plan. It provides coverage to the entire family under a single sum insured. It comes loaded with extra benefits. Let's take a look at it.

Benefits and Features:

• Room Rent Facility: The plan provides room rent facility with a sub-limit of maximum up to Rs.5,000. There is an option of a single standard AC room for policyholders having sum insured Rs. 5 Lakhs and above.
• Organ Donor Expenses: All the organ donor treatment expenses are covered under this plan. The plan provides coverage up to 10% of the sum insured or a maximum of Rs. 1 Lakh.
• Air Ambulance Cover: Air ambulance cover is a special benefit under the plan. It is provided to policyholders with a sum insured of Rs. 5 Lakhs and above. Air ambulance cover is provided up to 10% of the sum insured.
• Ambulance Cover: In case of emergency, the ambulance expense is covered under the plan.
• New Born Baby Cover: For the newly born baby cover, the most important thing is that the mother should be covered under the plan for a continuous 12 months duration. The newborn baby gets cover from the 16th day till the time the policy expires. It is subject to a limit of 10% of the sum insured or Rs.50,000, whichever is less.
• Bonus: In the case of the claim-free year, the policyholder gets a bonus of up to 25% of the sum insured for the first claim-free year. An additional 10% bonus is provided for subsequent years coming forth.
• Alternative Treatment: AYUSH treatment is considered under alternative treatment. The maximum coverage under this can go up to Rs. 20,000.
• Second Medical opinion: As a special feature of the plan, the second medical opinion expenses are covered by the health insurance company in case the insured is diagnosed with a critical illness.

Major Exclusions:

3. Max Bupa Health Companion Plan

Max Bupa Health Insurance Company offers a health companion plan. There are 3 variants available under the plan based on sum insured options and facilities. Below are some of the other features and benefits of the plan.

Benefits and Features:

• Domiciliary Hospitalization: Domiciliary hospitalization facility is provided under the plan and it continues for three consecutive days. All the expenses incurred during the domiciliary hospitalization is paid by the insurance company.
• Emergency Ambulance: The plan provides coverage for the expenses of the emergency ambulance.
• In-patient Care: Inpatient care is provided to the insured in case of hospitalization for 24 continuous hours. All the expenses incurred in this process are covered by the plan.
• Living Organ Donor Transplant: Organ donor treatment cost is borne by the health insurance company if the person is insured under the plan.
• Waiting Period: Under the plan, a waiting period of 4 years is applied in the case of pre-existing disease. Other than this, an initial waiting period of 30 days and a specific waiting period for a list of diseases is also applied.

Major Exclusions:

4. HDFC ERGO My: Health Suraksha

HDFC ERGO Insurance Company has always brought to you the best of the health plans and one of those is my: Health Suraksha. The plan covers you in all possible ways and can easily fit your budget. Let's check out more details of the plan.

Benefits and Features:

• Extended Cumulative bonus: The plan provides the option to extend the cumulative bonus cover.
• Newborn Baby Cover: The plan provides coverage to the newly born baby since the birth subjected to a condition that the parents are insured under the plan.
• Organ donor: All the expenses incurred in the treatment of the organ donor during organ transplant is borne by the health insurance company under the plan.
• Emergency ambulance: An emergency ambulance cover is provided under the plan.
• Renewal Benefits: Under renewal benefits, a cumulative bonus of 10%/ 25% of the basic sum insured is applied under the policy.

Major Exclusions:

5. Corona Kavach Policy

Corona Kavach policy offers coverage against COVID-19 expenses. The policyholders can file a claim if they are hospitalized for COVID-19 after testing positive at a government-authorized diagnostic center. The minimum hospitalization of 24 hours is required to avail of the coverage.

Benefits and Features:

• Offers Wide Coverage: Corona Kavach Policy offers coverage to the individuals and their families.
• Coverage for COVID-19 Hospitalization: The plan covers COVID-19 hospital expenses up to the sum insured of the policy. From the expenses of room rent to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), all are covered under this plan.
• Covers Ayush Treatment: The plan offers coverage for the treatments under Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Yoga, and Homeopathy.
• Flexible tenure: The policy offers three tenure options- 3.5 months, 6.5 months, and 9.5 months.
• Waiting period: The policy comes with a standard waiting period of 15 days.

Exclusions:

6. Star Health Senior Citizen Red Carpet Plan

Star Health Insurance Company provides one of the best health plans for senior citizens named Senior Citizen Red Carpet Plan. The plan has proved to be of great help to elderly people with the choice of good sum insured options. The benefits and features of the plan have been explained below.

Benefits and Features:

• In-Patient hospitalization: All the expenses incurred under in-patient hospitalization are covered by the insurance company subjected to co-payments applied to it as per the details mentioned in the brochure.
• No Pre-insurance Medical Screening: Health checkup is not mandatory before buying the policy.
• Hospitalization Cover: Hospitalization cover includes expenses of room, boarding, and nursing, etc.
• ICU Charges: In the case of intensive care unit hospitalization, the insured is provided with coverage of :
  • Up to 2% of the SI - For sum insured between Rs.1 lakhs and Rs. 10 lakhs.
  • Actual ICU expenses are covered - For sum insured between Rs.15 lakhs to Rs. 25 lakhs.
• Health checkup: Under this plan, the annual health checkup expense cover has sub-limits based on the sum insured opted by the policyholder.
• Co-payment: Copayments are applied in the case of treatment.
  • For pre-existing disease treatment: 50% of every admissible claim.
  • For non-pre-existing disease treatment: 30% of every admissible claim.

Major Exclusions:

Choosing a suitable health insurance plan is not a cakewalk, but the above list will offer you some insight and ease your task in a better manner.

7. HDFC ERGO Optima Restore Plan

Optima Restore Plan is offered by HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company. The plan cares for its policyholders & rewards them for staying fit and healthy. There is also an option of auto restoration of the sum insured in case it is completely utilized during the policy year. There is also a free health checkup facility once in a 2-year policy period on the sum insured of Rs. 5 lakhs and once every policy year on the sum insured of Rs.10 Lakhs and above. Let's take a look at its other features and benefits.

Benefits and Features:

• Day Care Procedures: All daycare procedures are covered under this health insurance policy.
• Organ Donor Cover: The expenses incurred in the treatment of organ donors at the time of organ transplant is covered up to the sum insured limit.
• Ambulance cover: The insured is provided with an amount of Rs.2,000 per hospitalization as an ambulance expense cover.
• E-Opinion: In case the person covered under the policy is diagnosed with a critical illness, the insurance company provides coverage for the second opinion from a medical expert.
• Daily Cash For Opting shared Accommodation: A maximum of Rs.6,000 is provided as daily cash in case the insured has opted for shared accommodation.
• Domiciliary Treatment: Coverage for domiciliary treatment expenses is provided under the plan up to the sum insured.
• In-Patient Hospitalization: Under the in-patient hospitalization cover, the expenses are covered up to the sum insured.
• Critical Advantage Rider: This coverage option is especially for those who have the basic insured sum of Rs.10 lakhs and above.
• Pre-Existing Disease Waiting Period: A waiting period of 3 years has been set for coverage of pre-existing disease treatment.

Major Exclusions:

8. Aditya Birla Activ Assure Diamond Plan

The Activ Assure Diamond Plan is offered by Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company. The plan provides comprehensive coverage to the policyholder and comes with a higher sum insured option. Several appreciable benefits are provided under the plan. Let us explore more about them.

Benefits and Features:

• In-patient hospitalization: In-patient hospitalization coverage is provided in case the policyholder is hospitalized for more than 24 hours continuously. All the expenses relating to room rent, doctor consultancy fee, operation theatre, medicines, drugs, etc are covered under the plan.
• Daycare Procedures: Certain treatments take less than 24 hours due to technological advancements. Such 586 procedures are covered under the plan in case of hospitalization for less than 24 hours.
• Domiciliary Hospitalization: Domiciliary hospitalization is provided in case the insured is not able to travel to the nearest network hospital/ health center or there is no availability of a bed in the hospital.
• Sum Insured Reinstatement: In case the policyholder has exhausted all of his/her sum insured along with the bonus, the insured sum is reloaded from the company's side.
• Organ Donor Expenses: All the expenses incurred in the treatment of the organ donor is provided by the health insurance company under this plan.
• Daily Allowance: The policyholder gets daily cash of Rs. 500 subject to terms and conditions of the policy.
• Health Coach Facility: The plan provides its policyholders with a health coach facility. The health coach keeps track of the nutrition and diet the insured intakes and can help him/her stay fit.
• HealthReturns: The Activ Assure Diamond plan also rewards its policyholders for keeping fit in the form of HealthReturns. It can be used to pay bills of fever medicine or surgery (in case the surgery is not covered due to the waiting period).
• Second E-Opinion Option: The insured gets coverage for the second opinion in case of critical illness.
• Room Upgrade: The insured can get admitted to the hospital and there is no restriction on the type of room. The room upgrade option is for policyholders who have opted for sum insured of Rs. 5 Lakhs and above.
• Tax Benefit: The premiums paid under the plan are tax exempted according to section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Major Exclusions:

9. Royal Sundaram Lifeline Supreme Plan

Lifeline Supreme, offered by the Royal Sundaram health insurance company is one of the best plans that provides the best coverage to you and your family. The plan offers several add-on facilities under its umbrella of protection. A few of the benefits and features have been mentioned below.

Benefits and Features:

• Daycare Treatment: The plan covers daycare procedures for medical conditions like chemotherapy, hemodialysis, etc.
• Ambulance cover: The insured gets an ambulance cover up to Rs. 5,000.
• NCB: No claim bonus is provided to the insured in case of the claim-free year. A bonus of 20% of the base sum insured and maximum up to 100% of the base sum insured is provided.
• Re-load Of Sum Insured: If the policyholder completely exhausts the sum insured along with the accumulated bonus, the base sum insured is reloaded automatically from the side of the health insurance company.
• Vaccination in Case Of Animal Bite: Coverage for vaccination in case of animal bite is provided to the insured under the plan.
• Second Opinion: The plan provides the facility of second opinion expense coverage for 11 critical illnesses mentioned in the brochure of the plan.
• Worldwide Emergency: The plan also provides coverage for a worldwide emergency.
• Maternity benefit: Maternity benefits are available under the plan subject to the condition that the pregnant mother is covered under the plan.
• Newborn Baby Cover: A newly born baby gets coverage since birth.
• Vaccination Cover for New Born baby: A newly born baby gets vaccination coverage for the first year after birth and the maximum sub-limit is Rs.10,000.
• Pre-Existing Disease Waiting Period: All pre-existing diseases should be communicated to the health insurance company at the time of buying the policy and there is a waiting period of 4 years (maximum) to get coverage for the same.

Major Exclusions:

10. ManipalCigna Prohealth Plus Plan

ManipalCigna Prohealth Plus is a health plan launched by the ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company. It is a self-sufficient health insurance plan, which provides comprehensive coverage. It covers both types of policyholders- who are residing within the country and outside the country in case of an emergency. The benefits of the plan that attract the policy buyers have been mentioned below:

Benefits and Features:

• Worldwide Emergency Cover: Any disease sustained or contracted outside India gets coverage under the plan depending upon the severity of illness. In case the insured needs emergency treatment, the insurance company provides coverage for expenses incurred for in-patient hospitalization.
• Restoration Of Sum Insured: The plan provides the policyholder with 100% restoration of the insured sum once a policy year.
• Maternity Expenses: Maternity expenses cover is provided if the mother is insured under the plan.
• First Year Vaccination Cover: The newly born baby gets coverage for vaccination expenses. It is provided for 1 year from the date of birth of the baby. A list of vaccinations is mentioned in the brochure of the plan.
• Free Health Checkup: Every member insured under the plan can take the benefit of free health checkup once every policy year, subject to a condition that s/he is 18 years and above in age.
• Expert Opinion: An expense cover for expert opinion is provided to the insured in case (s)he is diagnosed with a critical illness.
• Mandatory Co-payment: Remove mandatory co-pay if the insured is 65 years and above in age.
• Income Tax Exemption: Under section 80D of Income Tax Act, 1961, the premiums paid under the plan are tax exempted.
• Waiting period: A waiting period of 4 years (maximum) is applied to the treatment of pre-existing diseases.

Major Exclusions:

Reviewed By: Naval Goel

Naval Goel is the CEO & founder of PolicyX.com. Naval has an expertise in the insurance sector and has professional experience of more than a decade in the Industry and has worked in companies like AIG, New York doing valuation of insurance subsidiaries. He is also an Associate Member of the Indian Institute of Insurance, Pune. He has been authorized by IRDAI to act as a Principal Officer of PolicyX.com Insurance Web Aggregator.