The years of fast food binging, limited workouts, and irregular sleep cycle is slowly catching up to us. The result - multiple health complications that require expensive and immediate medical attention. This means - a significant financial dent in the savings of individuals.
Fortunately enough, people are getting smarter. They are taking hints from past cases and opting for healthy lifestyle choices and habits. However, a healthy lifestyle isn’t sufficient. Falling sick or a visit to the hospital over a surprise medical complication can’t really be anticipated; hence, the increased purchase intent towards health insurance plans.
But, as the demand for insurance coverages increases, so does the number of players (and their insurance products) in the market. While at an initial go, almost all plans seem appealing, the truth is far from the surface. Since this is a serious financial decision that is going to affect your medical treatment access and quality, uncovering some unfavorable truth regarding your insurer or the plan wouldn’t be ideal.
Hence, for 2024, here’s our New Year Resolution - a list of the most trustworthy, result-yielding, and best health insurance plans for 2024, as has been researched by our industry experts.
What are the Best Health Insurance Plans You Should Opt for in 2024?
With most health insurance plans, the target is to bait policyholders, influence their purchase, and hold back certain important restrictions on features that are uncovered once the insured makes a claim. Under such circumstances, policyholders face inconvenience wherein they are either forced to continue with their policy or opt for a health insurance portability.
Thus, the best way forward would be to opt for a product that
- Has been in the market for some time,
- Is offered by a credible insurance provider,
- Offers a list of lucrative features
- Is affordable
- Has minimal or no restrictions for critical illness coverage
Based on these factors, here’s our choice of the best health insurance plans for 2024
1. HDFC Ergo Optima Restore
This plan from HDFC Ergo is one of the most popular health insurance coverages. While its features are definitely lucrative for policyholders, it is the insurer in question that adds to this product’s credibility.
HDFC Ergo’s high Claim Settlement Ratio, its extensive list of network hospitals, and its smooth claim settlement process have turned it into one of the most credible insurers with a wide clientele base.
Their Optima Restore plan has been made available for those ranging between 18 and 65 years.
| ADVANTAGES OF OPTIMA RESTORE | DISADVANTAGES OF OPTIMA RESTORE |
|---|---|
| No-Claim Bonus of a minimum of 50% that is maxed out at 100% No Copayment options No capping on the room rent and room type No disease-wise sub-limits Coverage for pre and post-hospitalization expenses for 60 and 180 days, respectively. Complete coverage restoration, which is specifically useful in the case of multiple hospitalizations across a year. Daycare treatment coverage Free annual health check-ups Complete domiciliary coverage Reasonable premiums Great claim settlement team |
3 years waiting period on pre-existing ailments. No coverage for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) treatments. No maternity coverage offered. |
2. Niva Bupa (Max Bupa) - ReAssure
Niva Bupa is less classy and well-known than HDFC Ergo. However, the ReAssure plan from the stable of Niva Bupa is an affordable option for potential policyholders (below the age of 65) seeking comprehensive coverage.
| ADVANTAGES OF NIVABUPA REASSURE | DISADVANTAGES OF NIVABUPA REASSURE |
|---|---|
| Unlimited restoration No copayment required (unless you voluntarily agreed to do this, in which case, you really need to read our blog to understand why you shouldn’t have done that) No restrictions on room rent and room type No disease-wise sub-limits Pre and post-hospitalization expense coverage for 60 and 180 days, respectively. Daycare treatment coverage No-Claim Bonus (50% to 100%) Free annual health check-ups Complete domiciliary treatment coverage AYUSH treatment coverage |
3 years waiting period on pre-existing diseases. A comparatively low CSR (as compared to Optima Restore) |
3. Care - Care Plus
Care is a relatively new player in the market when compared to HDFC. However, in this short span of time, the insurer has managed to gain ground among the population expressing an interest in buying health insurance policies. Credit goes to their high CSR, ICR, and an extensive number of partner hospitals.
While the Care stable offers a huge queue of plans that are lucrative in their features and cater to customized health-based requirements. Among these plans, the best is Care Plus, which comes with additional benefits.
[Please Note that this plan comes in 2 names: Care Plus Youth (for policyholders less than 35 years old) and Care Plus Complete (for policyholders over the age of 35)]
| ADVANTAGES OF CARE-CARE PLUS | DISADVANTAGES OF CARE-CARE PLUS |
|---|---|
| No copayment required No loading charges Minimal room rent and type restriction (can avail up to a single private AC room) Pre and post-hospitalization expense coverage for 60 and 90 days, respectively. Daycare treatment coverage Domiciliary coverage Extensive No-Claim Bonus of 50% up to 200%. No reduction in No-Claim Bonus if the claimed amount is less than 25% of the coverage. (This is a Rider benefit - the Care Shield.) Inflation Shield Unlimited Restoration No disease-wise sub-limits Free annual health check-ups Additional coverage for - Dental treatments, outpatient consultations, and personal accident insurance. Maternity benefit available for Care Plus Youth Doctor consultation coverage of up to INR 2,500. |
3 years waiting period on pre-existing diseases. AYUSH treatment coverage (only when the treatment is done in an AYUSH facility) |
4. Star Comprehensive
One of the golden players in the market, Star insurance has remained a star among policyholders for the last decade or so. However, as more and more players emerged in the market, their features became comparatively pricey. The Star Comprehensive Plan, their flagship product, still remains a favorite for those seeking an OG in the insurance sector.
| ADVANTAGES OF STAR COMPREHENSIVE | DISADVANTAGES OF STAR COMPREHENSIVE |
|---|---|
| Maternity benefits offered Room type and rent restriction up to a maximum of single AC private room. No disease-wise sub-limits Pre and post-hospitalization coverage of expenses for 60 and 90 days, respectively. Complete restoration benefit Daycare treatment coverage No-Claim Bonus from 50% to 100% Free yearly health check-ups Complete domiciliary treatment coverage |
Copayments are still a possibility. If you avail of this policy after turning 61, you are to pay 10% of the billed amount. |
A Quick Comparison of the Top Health Insurance Policies for 2024
| HDFC Ergo | Niva Bupa | Care | Star | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPTIMA RESTORE | ReAssure | Care Plus | Star Comprehensive | |
| Copayment | Not Required | Not Required | Not Required | 10% (Only if you avail of this policy after turning 61) |
| Disease-Wise Sub-Limits | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Room Rent/Type Restrictions | No Capping | No Capping | Coverage till Single AC Private room | Coverage till Single AC Private room |
| Restoration Benefits | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| No-Claim Bonus | 50 - 100% | 50 - 100% | 50 - 200% | 50 - 100% |
| Pre and Post-Hospitalization Expenses | 60 and 180 days | 60 and 180 days | 60 and 90 days | 60 and 90 days |
| Free Health Check-Ups | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| AYUSH | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ Only when the treatment is done in an AYUSH facility and up to 10% of the sum insured |
✅ Up to INR 15,000 |
| DayCare | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Domiciliary | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Network Hospitals | HDFC has a network of 10,000 hospitals | Niva Bupa boasts of a network of 8,000 hospitals | Care has more than 8,350 network hospitals | Star Insurance takes pride in its network of over 11,000 hospitals |
| CSR (INSURERS) | 97% | 90.68% | 95.2% | 83.64% |
In the run for which health insurance is best in India, we now have 4 players. Each comes with some common features, perks, and benefits. However, there are some differentiating factors that will influence your choice of the best health insurance plans for individuals.
The best way forward would be to -
- Head over to our site and opt for the Health Insurance Comparison tool there to tally the aforementioned best health insurance plans in India
- Consult our Insurance Experts and clarify your doubts regarding the best health insurance plan that would cater to your customized financial and health requirements. They will also be able to guide you through the exclusions across policies so that you can have access to the best possible plan.
However, these two aren’t the only reasons why Ditto has become a prominent name across the Health insurance sector in India.
What are the Benefits of Availing of a Health Insurance Plan from Ditto?
At Ditto, our intention is never to sell insurance products but to spread insurance literacy and awareness. Here, take a look at why Ditto is a household name in health insurance.
- No spam calls to pressure you into buying an insurance plan from us (and that’s why people opt for us when choosing health insurance plans, smart huh?)
- No sales personnel, but insurance experts as your advisors whose goal is not to sell a product, but to help you understand a health insurance policy better and help you choose the plan that best suits your requirements. Irrespective of the insurers we have tied up with, our advisors are clear about the downsides of each plan!
- Free consultations with our experts in the industry.
- 30 minutes of expert consultation because good quality consultation requires time. No hurried-up pre-decided scripted calls just for sales, but actually expert calls. We listen to your expectations from your plan, and details on pre-existing ailments, and financial stability, and then suggest health insurance plans (discuss both pros and cons) that you may or may not purchase from us
In case you find us credible and intriguing enough, remember, to book a call with our expert advisors.
Conclusion
Type in “best personal health insurance plans” on Google Search, and you end up with multiple endorsed pages of plans. This makes your task of choosing the best plan all the more difficult. So, the best way to go ahead with this wouldn’t be a “see and follow” from your family and friends or DIY research.
It would be best if you opted for an unbiased expert consultation where you will be made aware of the best health insurance providers in India and their stable-best products. You will also need access to a tool that will help you compare the plans. Make sure to ask your insurer about the exclusions in your product.
Happy hunting!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do you choose a good Health Insurance plan?
You can check any insurance plan against our health checklist. It is important to get into the details of all exclusions to understand if the policy will be effective when you need to use it. Some factors to consider when choosing a health insurance plan in India include the coverage amount, premiums, co-payments, exclusions, and network hospitals.
How do you decide the ideal coverage for your health insurance plan?
The ideal coverage is a factor of your expected healthcare needs, location & policy type. In most situations, a 10-15 Lakh cover with restore options is good enough.
How do I compare different health insurance plans?
To compare health insurance plans, you may want to look at the coverage amount, premiums, co-payments, exclusions, and network hospitals for each plan. You may also want to consider the reputation and financial stability of the insurance company.