Health Insurance in India — How to Choose a Plan That Actually Covers You

## Why most Indians are underinsured The average Indian has either no health insurance or employer coverage that: 1. Provides only ₹2–5 lakh cover (a single hospitalization can cost more) 2. Ends if they lose/change jobs 3. Has gaps (exclusions, sub-limits) they don't know about Hospitalisation in a tier-1 city private hospital: - Knee replacement: ₹3–6 lakh - Heart bypass (CABG): ₹5–10 lakh - Cancer treatment: ₹10–50 lakh+ - NICU for premature infant: ₹5–15 lakh ₹5 lakh coverage barely covers a single serious episode. ## The recommended structure **Individual/family floater:** ₹10–15 lakh base plan **Super top-up:** ₹20–50 lakh with ₹10 lakh deductible Total cover: ₹30–65 lakh. Annual premium: ₹15,000–35,000 for a family. Far cheaper than a ₹50 lakh base plan. ## What to check in a policy 1. **Room rent sub-limit**: Avoid plans with room rent capped at 1% of sum insured — this limits all related charges disproportionately. Go for "no room rent sub-limit" or "single private room" 2. **No co-payment**: Avoid plans requiring you to pay 20–30% of each claim 3. **Cashless hospital network**: Check if your preferred hospitals are in the insurer's network 4. **Restoration benefit**: Plan restores sum insured during the year if exhausted 5. **No-claim bonus**: Sum insured increases 10–50% for each claim-free year