Health Insurance

Care Health Insurance Review

Avni Mittal

Written by Avni Mittal

Insurance Writer

Gaurav Bhat

Reviewed by Gaurav Bhat

IRDAI-Certified Expert at Ditto

SP0738578124

Certified
Care Health Insurance Review

Overview

Care Health Insurance (formerly Religare) is India’s second-largest standalone health insurer, offering feature-rich plans such as Care Supreme, Ultimate Care, and Care Supreme Enhance. Its Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) has improved steadily to 96.99% in FY 2025-26, while its network of 11,400+ hospitals provides broad cashless access across India.

Key Advantages

  • Strong Plan Features: Unlimited restoration, cumulative bonuses, and automatic recharge options.
  • Growing Business: Annual business increased from ₹3,991 crore in FY 2021-22 to ₹10,031 crore in FY 2025-26.
  • Customization: Multiple add-ons let buyers tailor coverage to their needs.

Common Concern

  • High Complaint Volume: Complaints averaged 42.66 per 10,000 claims in FY 2024-26, suggesting potential friction in service or claims processing.

The Verdict

According to Ditto, Care is a solid option for buyers seeking affordable, customizable policies, though those prioritizing fewer complaints may want to compare alternatives.

Care Health Insurance began operations in July 2012 (IRDAI Registration Number: 148) as Religare Health Insurance and has since grown into one of India’s largest standalone health insurers. Today, the company caters to individuals, families, and senior citizens, with a sizable presence across the country.

As a standalone insurer, Care’s primary focus is health insurance, which has helped it build a strong position in the segment over the years. But size and experience alone don’t tell you whether an insurer is worth choosing. So, in this review, we’ll take a closer look at Care Health as a company, how it performs for policyholders, and what you should know before buying.

Care Health Insurance Performance Metrics

Metrics (FY 2024-26)Care Health InsuranceIndustry Average
Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR)95.44%92.02%
Incurred Claims Ratio (ICR) (Average FY 2023-25)58.68%81.88%
Complaints Received per 10,000 Claims42.6629.35
Gross Written Premium (GWP)/ Annual Business - Total Health (In Crore)₹8,405₹4,504
Network Hospitals11,400+10,000+ (Recommended)

Source: IRDAI annual reports and Care Health’s public disclosures

Key Insights

    • CSR: Care Health’s CSR has improved considerably after dropping to 87.03% in FY 2021-22, rising steadily to 96.99% in FY 2025-26. This improving trend is a good sign, as it indicates stronger claim-settlement performance in recent years.
    • ICR: Care’s ICR has remained around or within the healthy range of 55% to 85% for more than the past 5 years. This suggests that the insurer is paying out a reasonable proportion of its premiums towards claims while maintaining financial sustainability.
    • Annual Business: Care’s annual business has grown consistently from ₹3,991 crore in FY 2021-22 to ₹10,031 crore in FY 2025-26. This strong growth indicates increasing scale, which can support the insurer’s long-term operational stability.
    • Complaint Volume: Complaints have risen sharply over the years, from 5.54 complaints per 10,000 claims in FY 2019-20 to 42 in FY 2025-26. This suggests that customers may face issues with claims or servicing.
    • Network Hospitals: Care currently offers access to 11,400+ network hospitals, giving policyholders a broad cashless hospital network across the country. This can make it easier for customers to access cashless treatment without relying heavily on reimbursement claims.

Note: If you'd like to explore the detailed figures reported by insurers and the IRDAI in their annual disclosures and public reports, visit Ditto Data Labs, our proprietary repository of health insurance data, meticulously compiled, verified, and maintained by the Ditto team over the years.

1) Care Supreme

Care Supreme is one of the flagship plans offering a sum insured of ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore. It is designed for people who want a comprehensive policy with solid base coverage and the flexibility to add extra coverage through add-ons.

Key Features

    • 60–180 days pre- and post-hospitalization, and full Sum Insured (SI) coverage for AYUSH, domiciliary, daycare, and modern treatments.
    • The inbuilt cumulative bonus offers a 50% increase per annum, up to 100% of the base sum insured, irrespective of claims made.
    • Add-ons such as Cumulative Bonus Super and Booster offer enhanced benefits: a 100% increase per annum up to 500% or unlimited accumulation, respectively.
    • 100% unlimited restoration on partial or complete exhaustion for the same and different illnesses without any cooling-off period.
    • Road ambulance cover is provided up to ₹10,000 for a sum insured below ₹15 lakh, and up to the sum insured for higher sum insured amounts.

2) Ultimate Care

Ultimate Care is Care Health Insurance's latest offering. It is for people who want a comprehensive health insurance plan with strong hospitalization coverage and long-term value. It offers sum insured options ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore, with an unlimited SI option as well.

Key Features

    • 60 days of pre-hospitalization and 90 days of post-hospitalization expenses.
    • Covers AYUSH, domiciliary treatment, daycare procedures, organ donor expenses, and ambulance costs.
    • Premium Payback (mandatory add-on) refunds the first year’s base premium after every 5 consecutive claim-free years.
    • The Infinity Bonus add-on increases the base sum insured by 100% on continuous renewal, without any upper limit, and claims do not reduce it.
    • Unlimited Automatic Recharge restores the full sum insured any number of times within the same policy year.

3) Care Supreme Enhance

Care Supreme Enhance is Care Health’s super top-up plan, offering sum insured options from ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore. It starts paying once the chosen aggregate deductible of ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh is exhausted once during the policy year.

Key Features

    • 60 days of pre-hospitalization and 90 days of post-hospitalization coverage, along with cover for AYUSH, domiciliary treatment, daycare procedures, and organ donor expenses.
    • A 10% cumulative bonus is added for every claim-free year, up to 100% of the sum insured, and claims do not reduce this bonus.
    • Unlimited Automatic Recharge restores the full sum insured any number of times within the same policy year.
    • Optional add-ons, such as Air Ambulance and Unlimited Care, are available for those who want advanced coverage. 

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Premium Comparison for Care Health Insurance

ProfilesCare SupremeUltimate Care
(Individual Plan): Age 25₹15,814₹13,293
(Family Floater, 2A): Ages (31, 32)₹21,528₹20,778
(Family Floater, 2A, 1C): Ages (36, 35, and 5)₹32,745₹28,107
(Family Floater, 2A): Ages (62, 63)₹85,544₹66,271

Note: A stands for adults and C denotes children. These are indicative base premiums for a Delhi resident (pin code: 110001). Your premium can also change based on age, city, medical history, plan variant, and chosen add-ons.

Care Health Insurance: Contact Details and Address

Customer Support Details

Registered Office

Care Health Insurance Limited, 5th Floor, 19, Chawla House, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019

Correspondence Address

Care Health Insurance Limited, Vipul Tech Square, Tower C, 3rd Floor, Golf Course Road, Sector – 43, Gurugram – 122009 (Haryana)

Is Care Health Insurance Good?

Yes, Care Health Insurance can be a good option for many buyers, particularly if you want feature-rich plans, a wide hospital network, and the flexibility to customize your policy.

Some of the key reasons to consider Care Health Insurance are:

    • Feature-Rich Plans: Products like Care Supreme and Ultimate Care offer benefits such as restoration and cumulative bonuses.
    • Large Hospital Network: Its extensive cashless network makes hospital access relatively convenient across India.
    • Customizable Coverage: Several add-ons let you enhance the base policy based on your needs.
    • Suitable for Different Buyer Profiles: It can work well for young professionals, families, and first-time health insurance buyers.

However, Care does have a few concerns. Its complaint volume of 42.66 complaints per 10,000 claims is relatively high, and some customers have reported delays or difficulties during claims.

Overall, Care Health Insurance is worth considering, especially if its plan features suit your needs. Before buying, review the policy’s waiting periods, exclusions, co-payment clauses, and other terms carefully.

Top 10 Health Insurance Companies in India

InsurerDitto Score (Out of 5)Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) (FY 2024-26)Complaints per 10,000 Claims (FY 2024-26)Annual Business (in Crore) (FY 2024-26)
HDFC ERGO4.9997.61%8.87₹6,596.53
Bajaj General4.9995.63%3.85₹7,900.76
Aditya Birla4.4996.25%18.67₹4,920.43
Care Health4.2395.45%42.67₹8,404.67
Niva Bupa4.2392.92%37.13₹6,985.24
SBI General3.7995.94%14.04₹4,974.56
Go Digit3.6999.01%19.08₹1,666.04
Generali Central (Formerly Future Generali)3.6693.50%11.68₹1,597.08
ICICI Lombard3.6586.81%15.05₹7,955.27
TATA AIG3.4388.94%11.47₹3,776.36

Care Insurance ranks 4th among the top health insurance companies in India due to its excellent claim settlement ratio, high business volume, and long track record. Our rating methodology considers multiple factors, such as CSR, GWP, product portfolio, and business size, to provide a well-rounded view.

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Ditto’s Take on Care Health Insurance

Care Health Insurance is Ditto’s partner insurer, and its flagship plan, Care Supreme, is one of our best health insurance plans in India. Even though its complaint rate is higher, our experience with the insurer has been decent in terms of claims and post-sales support.

If you are looking for affordable policies with multiple customization options via add-ons, Care is an excellent choice. But if you want to explore other insurers with lower complaint volumes, consider HDFC Ergo or Aditya Birla.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Care Health Insurance the same as Religare?

Yes, Care Health Insurance was called Religare Health Insurance until Religare Enterprises Limited renamed it, effective August 19, 2020, according to the company's own regulatory filing. The rebrand did not change the underlying policies, IRDAI registration, or claims process, so cover bought under the old Religare name is still valid today. Religare Enterprises Limited remains the parent company, alongside co-promoter Kedaara Capital. If your policy paperwork still says Religare Health, the name change doesn't affect your coverage.

Care Health Insurance vs Star Health Insurance, which is better?

Care Health Insurance is the better pick at an insurer level. Care has a significantly higher 3-year average Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) of 95.44% versus Star Health’s 88.62%, indicating better claim-settlement reliability. It also records fewer complaints at 42.66 per 10,000 claims, compared to Star’s 54.03. Both have healthy ICRs, although Star leads in business size and its 14,000+ hospital network versus Care’s 11,400+. Overall, Care’s stronger CSR and relatively lower complaint volume make it the more dependable insurer of the two.

Is Care health insurance better than HDFC ERGO?

HDFC ERGO currently outperforms Care Health on most core metrics, with a claim settlement ratio of 97.61% versus Care's 95.45%, and a lower complaint rate of 8.87 per 10,000 claims versus Care's 42.66. That said, Care's annual business of about ₹8,405 crore is higher than HDFC ERGO's ₹6,597 crore, showing strong scale and premium collection. Care also offers more customization through add-ons like the Infinity Bonus on Ultimate Care. At Ditto, we'd lean toward HDFC ERGO if a low complaint history matters most to you, but Care remains a solid, competitively priced alternative.

Is Care Supreme a good plan?

Yes, Care Supreme is one of Care Health's flagship plans and features in Ditto's list of the best health insurance plans in India. It offers sum insured options from ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore, an inbuilt cumulative bonus of 50% per year up to 100% of the base cover, and 100% unlimited restoration with no cooling-off period. Coverage for AYUSH, daycare, and modern treatments comes standard, with 60 to 180 days of pre- and post-hospitalization cover. At Ditto, we generally recommend Care Supreme for buyers who want strong base coverage with room to add optional benefits later.

What is the difference between Care Supreme and Ultimate Care?

Care Supreme is Care Health's flagship plan, with sum insured options from ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore and an inbuilt cumulative bonus of 50% per year, up to 100% of the base cover. Ultimate Care is the newer plan, offering the same sum insured range plus an unlimited option, and its Infinity Bonus add-on can grow the base cover by 100% per year with no upper limit. Ultimate Care also includes Premium Payback, which refunds your first year's premium after 5 consecutive claim-free years.

Is Care Health Insurance good for senior citizen parents?

Yes, care health insurance offers senior-focused plans such as Ultimate Care Senior, designed with add-ons that can reduce the pre-existing disease waiting period, a common concern for parents in their late 50s and 60s. A wide network of more than 11,400 hospitals also matters more for older buyers who need care closer to home. Features like unlimited automatic recharge help since seniors tend to file claims more often than younger policyholders. At Ditto, we recommend comparing room rent limits and co-pay clauses closely for senior plans, since these directly affect what your parents pay out of pocket.

Why do Care Health Insurance claims get rejected?

Most rejected claims come down to non-disclosure of pre-existing conditions, filing during the waiting period, or missing documentation- issues common across the industry and not unique to Care Health. Care's complaint volume sits at 42.66 per 10,000 claims, above the industry average of 29.35. At Ditto, our claims team has found Care receptive to escalations when documentation clearly supports the customer, so a careful initial application matters.

What is Care Health Insurance's claim settlement ratio?

Care Health Insurance settled 95.44% of claims in FY 2024-26, compared to an industry average of 92.02%, based on IRDAI's public disclosures. Its CSR has climbed steadily since dropping to 87.03% in FY 2021-22, reaching a strong 96.99% in FY 2025-26. Higher CSR generally signals that an insurer pays out claims consistently rather than rejecting them, though you should read it alongside complaint volume and ICR for a full picture. At Ditto, we track this figure every year through Ditto Data Labs, and we treat Care's improving CSR trend as one of its strongest points.

Care Health Customer Reviews

4.6

86 reviews

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