Is there a portability fee?

No, insurers cannot charge any additional charges exclusively for porting.

What is the difference between porting and migrating?

Porting means shifting your policy from one insurer to another. Migration means moving from one plan to another within the same insurer.

How long does the health insurance porting process take?

Porting usually takes around two to three weeks from the time you apply. Porting is a slow process because your old insurer, new insurer, and the central IRDAI systems all need time to share and review your data before issuing the new policy.

What should I do if my porting request is rejected?

The safest option is to renew your existing policy. You can try increasing your sum insured in the same plan, migrating to a better plan with the same insurer, or understanding the reason for rejection and then exploring porting to another insurer later.

Can I increase my sum insured while porting my health insurance policy?

Yes, you can ask the new insurer to increase your sum insured while porting, but whether they agree will depend on their underwriting rules. Any fresh sum insured above your old base plus bonus comes with new waiting periods.

Health Insurance Portability India: Rules and Process

Quick Review

Health insurance portability allows a policyholder to shift the entire policy (including all covered family members) to another insurer at renewal while retaining continuity benefits such as waiting periods, moratorium credit, and accrued no-claim benefits.

The portability request must be submitted to the new insurer not earlier than 60 days and at least 30 days before the renewal due date.

Portability, governed by IRDAI, is subject to fresh underwriting based on age, medical history, and claims, which the new insurer may accept, modify, or reject, and if approved, coverage continues seamlessly from the renewal date.

When you rely on insurance to protect yourself or your family, sticking with an unreliable insurer isn’t really an option. This is where health insurance portability becomes relevant. It allows you to switch to a different insurer while retaining the benefits you’ve already earned, instead of starting over.

In this guide, we break down how health insurance porting works, outline when it makes sense and when it doesn’t, and highlight critical points you must be aware of before making the decision.

Health Insurance Portability Rules

Below are the general IRDAI guidelines for porting health insurance, as of 2026:

Feature	IRDAI Guideline / Rule
Eligibility	Available for all individual and family floater indemnity-based health policies.
When Porting Can Be Done	Only at renewal, not during the policy period or grace period
Timing of Request	You must apply to port health insurance at least 30 days before your current policy renewal date (but not earlier than 60 days).
Credit for Waiting Periods	The new insurer must provide credit for the waiting periods already served with the previous insurer (for pre-existing diseases and specific diseases).
No-Claim Bonus (NCB)	Your accumulated NCB may be transferred and utilised towards waiving off the waiting period for the increased Sum Insured of the new policy.
Moratorium Period	The moratorium period already served under the existing policy is carried forward. Porting does not reset the 5-year moratorium, and the new insurer must continue it from where the previous insurer left off.
Processing Fee	Insurers are not allowed to charge any additional fee for the process of health insurance portability.
Sum Insured	You can request a higher Sum Insured when you port health insurance, but the increase is subject to the new insurer’s underwriting and will have fresh waiting periods for the extra amount.

For a full breakdown of timelines, eligibility, and rights, you can read our detailed article on health insurance portability rules by IRDAI.

Documents Required for Health Insurance Portability

Duly filled proposal form and health insurance portability form from the new insurer
Current policy document, latest renewal notice, and past 2–3 years’ policy copies for continuity proof
Endorsement letters (for added members, for new medical condition disclosure, sum insured enhancement, or other policy changes)
Records of any claims made (or a 'No Claim Declaration', if asked)
Medical reports, prescriptions and clear declarations of all medical history to the best of your knowledge
Valid ID and address proof such as Aadhaar and PAN

Note: Additional documents may be requested by the insurer depending on age, medical history, or underwriting requirements.

Process for Health Insurance Portability

A policyholder who wishes to port health insurance must apply to the new (acquiring) insurer along with all covered family members, if applicable.
The request should be submitted at least 30 days before the policy renewal date, but not earlier than 60 days prior to renewal. However, insurers may also consider requests made up to 15 days before the renewal date, provided the acquiring insurer ensures there is no break in coverage during the process of porting health insurance.
The acquiring insurer provides the policyholder with a portability form, authorizing the transfer of policy and claim-related information from the existing insurer. The policyholder must complete this portability form along with the proposal form and submit both documents to the acquiring insurer to initiate health insurance portability.
Once the portability form is received, the acquiring insurer requests policy details and past claim information from the current insurer through the Insurance Information Bureau of India (IIB) portal. The existing insurer is required to share the requested data within 72 hours of receiving the request.
On receiving data, the new insurer must underwrite and communicate acceptance/rejection within 15 days. If a decision is not communicated, the proposal must be accepted automatically.
If your porting health insurance request is approved, the new policy will count your coverage as continuous from the date you first bought your health insurance, so all benefits you’ve earned (like waiting period credits or no-claim bonuses) are retained. The new policy is issued with a start date matching the end date of your current policy, ensuring uninterrupted coverage. Hence, it’s advisable to keep complete records of past policies and claim histories, whether or not you port your policy.

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Health Insurance Portability for Different Policy Types

From Policy Type	To Policy Type	Allowed?	Remarks
Individual Plan	Family Floater	Yes	Waiting period credit applies to all covered members and fresh waiting period applies to new members
Family Floater	Individual Plan	Yes	Member-wise continuity benefit is carried forward
Corporate (Group) Plan	Individual Plan	Conditional	Allowed only when first moving to retail individual policy with the same insurer, subject to insurer’s discretion. Porting to another insurer may be allowed thereafter.
General Insurance Company	Standalone Health Insurer	Yes	Fully allowed under IRDAI portability rules and vice-versa
Health Insurance Policy	Life Insurance Policy	No	Different product categories; portability not permitted
Critical Illness Plan	Regular Mediclaim	No	CI plans are benefit-based, not indemnity-based

When Should You Opt for Health Insurance Portability?

Poor Claims Servicing & Cashless Hospital Network

Health insurance portability is needed when core services fail, such as frequent claim rejections, delayed approvals, poor servicing, or complex processes. A weak cashless hospital network that limits hospital choice or forces reimbursements also reduces value, making it sensible to switch to an insurer with better claims handling.

Inadequate Coverage or Unfavourable Policy Terms

If your existing policy has a low sum insured, restrictive sub-limits, excessive co-payments, or outdated benefits, health insurance portability can help you upgrade to a more comprehensive plan. This allows you to secure broader coverage and fewer restrictions without losing continuity benefits.

Inadequate Coverage or High Premium

If your existing policy offers low sum insured, restrictive sub-limits, or charges a high premium for limited benefits, health insurance portability can help. By opting for health insurance portability, you can upgrade to a plan with broader coverage, fewer restrictions, and better value for money without losing accumulated benefits.

Changes in Health Needs or Family Size

Health insurance portability is especially useful when your coverage needs evolve due to marriage, childbirth, or age-related health concerns. Through health insurance portability, you can shift to a family floater or a plan that better addresses critical illnesses, higher medical costs, and long-term health requirements.

When Should You Not Port Health Insurance

1) Satisfied with Current Insurer’s Claims and Service

If claims and service have been smooth, porting offers limited value. Avoid switching insurers solely for marginal feature upgrades, cheaper premiums, or minor discounts, as insurers generally treat long-term premium-paying customers more favorably during claims.

In such cases, policy migration within the same insurer can be a better way to enhance benefits while retaining continuity.

2) Close to or Past the 5-Year Moratorium Period

If you are in your 4th or 5th policy year, porting does not reset the moratorium, but the new insurer will still underwrite afresh. Holding a policy for a long time builds loyalty and a strong track record, reducing the risk of claim rejection.

Any gaps or inaccuracies in past disclosures can still cause scrutiny. So if your history is clean and service is satisfactory, continuing with the same insurer often minimizes unnecessary risk.

3) Diagnosed with a Critical Illness

If you have been diagnosed with serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease, or kidney failure, porting health insurance is risky. New insurers often reject high-risk profiles or impose strict exclusions during underwriting.

4) Senior Citizen with Limited Options

For individuals typically above 65 years of age, health insurance portability may involve stricter underwriting, higher premiums, co-payments, and fewer plan choices, making continuity with the existing insurer more practical.

5) Multiple Pre-Existing Diseases or Complex Medical History

If you have multiple PEDs or a complicated health history, porting health insurance may lead to loadings, permanent exclusions, or proposal rejection by the new insurer.

6) Upcoming Hospitalization or Planned Treatment

If you are expecting hospitalization or have a scheduled medical procedure, attempting to port my health insurance can backfire. The new insurer may decline the portability request or exclude coverage for the planned treatment.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Porting Health Insurance

Assuming Approval Is Guaranteed

Porting is not guaranteed and requires the new insurer’s approval. The new insurer does fresh underwriting based on your age, medical history, disclosures, and past claims afresh, and may apply exclusions, charge a higher premium, or reject the proposal.

Not Disclosing Your Medical History Fully

Insurers check disclosures more strictly during porting. Missing even small past illnesses or consultations can lead to claim problems later. Always disclose your medical history completely and honestly.

Ignoring Policy Terms Behind Similar Plan Names

Plans with similar names can have very different coverage rules, exclusions, room rent limits, and co-pay clauses. Do not compare policies only by sum insured, read the fine print carefully.

Believing the Higher Sum Insured Gets Full Benefits

Only your existing cover carries waiting period benefits. Any increase in sum insured is treated as new coverage and may come with fresh waiting periods or exclusions.

Poor Timing or Unnecessary Porting

Applying late, submitting incomplete documents, or porting frequently can cause delays or loss of continuity. If your current policy works well, especially for senior citizens, staying put may be the safer choice.

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Conclusion

Health insurance porting works best when you plan it carefully and execute it step by step. Start by selecting the right new plan, submit all required documents at once, and keep your existing policy active until the new policy is issued with the same start date.

Apply for health insurance porting within the correct pre-renewal window so the new insurer has enough time to collect data, complete underwriting, and arrange medical tests if needed, without creating a coverage gap. Before making payment, review the policy schedule carefully to confirm that all continuity benefits are correctly carried forward from day one.

In practice, we find that nearly 7–8 out of 10 policyholders seeking a review are better served by continuing with their existing insurer when the policy is comprehensive and has been renewed consistently for 3–4 years or more, rather than porting unnecessarily.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of health insurance portability?

Health insurance portability lets you switch to a new insurer without losing continuity benefits like waiting period credits, no-claim bonuses, or moratorium years. It allows access to better coverage, improved plan features, a wider cashless hospital network, or more competitive premiums, while ensuring uninterrupted protection.

How are waiting periods handled when porting health insurance?

When you port, completed waiting periods for illnesses, including pre-existing diseases (usually 2–3 years) and specific illnesses (typically 2 years), are carried forward. However, any waiting period for increased sum insured may start afresh, so full benefits for the enhanced sum insured could take time to apply.

Can I port health insurance with existing claims?

Yes. You can still port my health insurance even if you’ve made claims in the past. All previous claims and policy history are transferred to the new insurer through the IIB portal, and continuity benefits like waiting period credits and no-claim bonuses are retained.

What are the common reasons for health insurance portability rejection?

An insurer may decline porting health insurance due to misstatements or incomplete disclosures in the health declaration, high-risk profiles (e.g., multiple pre-existing diseases or critical illnesses), planned hospitalization or ongoing treatment at the time of portability request or non-compliance with the submission window or documentation.

Will My Premium Be Higher After Porting Health Insurance?

Not necessarily. Your premium after porting health insurance depends on multiple factors, including the new insurer’s pricing and underwriting approach, your age and current health condition, the sum insured and coverage you choose, and any additional benefits or add-ons included in the new policy. While some policyholders may see a reduction in premium due to better pricing or plan design, others may pay more if they opt for enhanced coverage or are assessed as higher risk.

How is health insurance porting different from migration, how long does it take, and what if the request is rejected?

Porting lets you switch to a different insurer while retaining continuity benefits, whereas migration upgrades or changes your policy within the same insurer. The porting process typically takes 2–4 weeks, depending on document verification, underwriting, and medical checks if required. If the porting request is rejected, your current policy remains active, and you can either continue with it or address the reasons for rejection before attempting porting again.

Last updated on: 30 Jan, 2026

Health Insurance Portability: Rules, Process & When to Port