HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus vs. Care Supreme comes down to built-in coverage benefits versus lower premiums and customization. Optima Secure Plus offers stronger built-in coverage while Care Supreme gives more flexibility with add-ons.
Core Features
Room Rent and Sub-Limits: Both plans have no room rent restrictions, co-payment, or disease-wise sub-limits.
Restoration: Both offer unlimited restoration on partial exhaustion for any illness.
Waiting Period: Both have a standard waiting period for specific illnesses and pre-existing diseases.
Base Sum Insured: ₹10 lakh to ₹2 crore for Optima Secure Plus and ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore for Care Supreme.
Cumulative Bonus: HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus offers a 100% bonus at every renewal with no limit, while Care Supreme offers 50% up to 100%, extendable with add-ons.
Service and Pricing: Care Supreme has lower base premiums, while HDFC ERGO performs better on claims and complaints.
When you compare two health insurance plans side by side, they can often look quite similar at first. Both may offer strong coverage and useful features, making the decision harder than expected.
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus and Care Supreme are two plans often compared for this reason. While they may look similar on the surface, they differ in how they structure coverage, pricing, and benefits.
In this HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus vs Care Supreme comparison, we break down how each plan works, how their features differ, how much you would pay, and which one might suit your needs better.
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus vs. Care Supreme: Insurer Comparison
HDFC ERGO is a general insurer offering health, motor, travel, home, and other insurance policies. After HDFC Ltd merged with HDFC Bank in July 2023, HDFC ERGO became a subsidiary of HDFC Bank. It expanded its health insurance business after acquiring and merging with Apollo Munich Health Insurance in 2020.
Care Health is a standalone health insurer started in 2012 as Religare Health Insurance Company Limited. It was rebranded as Care Health in 2020 and focuses only on health, travel, and personal accident insurance products.
Key Features of HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus and Care Supreme
Features
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus
Care Supreme
Minimum Entry Age
18 years for adults and 91 days for children
18 years for adults and 91 days for children
Maximum Entry Age
60 years for adults and 25 years for children
No age capping for adults and 24 years for children
10 to 40% or higher depending on the severity of the condition
No loading charges applicable
Additional Features
Restoration: Both plans offer unlimited restoration of your cover for future hospitalizations, even for the same illness.
No Restrictions: Both plans have no co-payments, room rent caps, or disease-wise sub-limits, keeping your out-of-pocket claim expenses to a minimum.
Loyalty Bonus: Optima Secure Plus includes an Infinite Benefit that adds a 100% bonus annually with no upper limit. Care Supreme starts with a 50% bonus (capped at 100%), but you can pay for add-ons to boost this to 100% annually with caps up to 500% (Cumulative Super) or no limit (Cumulative Booster).
Consumables: Optima Secure Plus covers non-medical hospital expenses (like gloves and masks) by default. With Care Supreme, you can purchase the Claim Shield Plus add-on to get this coverage.
Waiting Period Add-Ons: Optima Secure Plus offers riders to reduce waiting periods for specific chronic issues like diabetes and hypertension. Whereas Care Supreme offers flexible add-ons like Instant Cover, Instant Cover Plus, and PED Modification to lower waiting periods for a wider list of pre-existing conditions.
Annual Health Check-Up: Optima Secure Plus includes a built-in reimbursement check-up from year two. Care Supreme, on the other hand, offers an add-on for cashless check-ups at network hospitals after 30 days.
Secure Benefit: Optima Secure Plus doubles your cover from day one (e.g., a ₹15 lakh policy instantly becomes ₹30 lakh) for the lifetime of your policy. Care Supreme does not offer this benefit.
Talk to an expert today and find the right insurance for you.
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus vs. Care Supreme Sample Premium Comparison
Profiles for a ₹15 Lakh Policy for 1 Year
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus
Care Supreme
Individual Plan (Age 25)
₹13,458
₹18,129
Family Floater (2 Adults [31,32])
₹21,128
₹25,748
Family Floater (2 Adults [35,34] 1 Child [5])
₹26,017
₹32,577
Family Floater (2 Adults [45,43] 2 Children [12, 8])
₹36,667
₹46,552
The premiums are illustrative and calculated for adults living in Delhi (110010). Your final premium will depend on your age, city, medical history, cover amount, discounts, and the add-ons you opt for.
Note: While Care Supreme starts with a lower base premium, adding key add-ons such as air ambulance, annual health check-up, wellness benefit, CB Booster, and Claim Shield Plus to match Optima Secure Plus benefits can push the total premium higher than Optima Secure Plus, where these features are already built in.
Optima Secure Plus is currently not available for senior citizens aged 60+. You can instead explore Optima Secure.
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus vs. Care Supreme: Performance Metrics
Care’s complaint volume is on the higher end, but it should not be viewed in isolation. Since Care is a standalone health insurer with high business volume, its complaints can be higher than those of general insurers like HDFC ERGO. Since Care performs well across key metrics, its higher complaint volume should not be seen as a major concern.
Pros and Limitations of HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus
Pros:
2x cover from day one through Secure Benefit.
100% loyalty bonus with no upper limit.
Consumables are covered in the base policy.
Limitations:
Adults above 60 cannot buy the plan.
Base premiums are comparatively higher than Care Supreme.
Pros and Limitations of Care Supreme
Pros:
No maximum entry age for adults.
No loading charge helps people with Pre-existing Diseases (PED).
Comparatively lower base premiums.
Multiple add-ons for customization, especially to reduce the PED waiting period.
Limitations:
Some features need add-ons that are already built into Optima Secure Plus.
Care Health’s complaint numbers are higher than the industry average.
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus or Care Supreme: Which Plan Is Better?
For Families
Choose Optima Secure Plus if the eldest in your policy is under 60 and you want a strong base with benefits like 2x cover from day 1 and an unlimited loyalty bonus.
Choose Care Supreme if you prefer a cost-effective base premium and want to customize your policy with add-ons.
For Senior Citizens
Care Supreme is a better option for buyers above 60, as Optima Secure Plus has an age limit. It also offers add-ons that can reduce waiting periods for certain conditions. However, check exact eligibility and exclusions before buying.
Want a quick breakdown? Watch our video on HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus vs. Care Supreme to see how the two plans compare.
Why Choose Ditto for Health Insurance?
At Ditto, we’ve assisted over 12,00,000 customers with choosing the right insurance policy. Why customers like Pallavi love us:
100% Free Consultation
No Spam. No Sales Pressure.
Rated 4.9/5 on Google Reviews by 30,000+ Happy Customers
Backed by Zerodha
Dedicated Claim Support Team
Compare Plans and Premiums with a Trusted Insurance Advisor
So, if you are not sure which plan fits your needs, talk to Ditto's IRDAI-certified experts for free, unbiased guidance.Book your call orchat on WhatsApp with us now!
Conclusion
Both plans have strong options, but they suit different buyers.
HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus is a good choice if you want a plan that includes most benefits by default. Care Supreme, on the other hand, starts with a lower premium and lets you customize your coverage with add-ons based on your needs.
Before choosing, compare the final premium after adding the features you need with HDFC’s upfront cost to see which option offers better long-term value. Both plans are featured in Ditto’s list of the best health insurance plans in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Care Supreme a good health insurance plan for a first-time buyer in India?
Care Supreme can be a good option for a first-time buyer if you want a comprehensive health insurance plan with no room-rent restrictions, no co-payment, no sub-limit, and unlimited restoration. The base premium is also lower than Optima Secure Plus in some profiles. However, features like consumables coverage need an add-on. So always compare the total premium after adding the benefits you need rather than looking only at the base premium.
How reliable is HDFC ERGO when it comes to settling large hospitalization claims?
HDFC ERGO has a claim settlement ratio of 97.61% for FY 2024-2026, which is above the industry average of 92.02%. However, claim outcomes depend on the policy terms, disclosures, and documentation. Disclose your complete medical history, like any past surgeries or illnesses, so that there are no issues during claim settlement.
Does the Secure Benefit in HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus double my cover from day one, even in the first policy year?
Yes. The Secure Benefit in Optima Secure Plus gives you 2x your base Sum Insured (SI) from day one. For example, if your base sum insured is ₹15 lakh, the policy can provide an additional ₹15 lakh through this benefit, making the total available cover 30 lakh, subject to policy terms. However, don’t choose a lower base SI simply because the Secure Benefit doubles it. Restoration, bonus, and annual health check-up limits are linked to your base SI. At Ditto, we recommend a minimum SI of ₹15 lakh to keep pace with rising medical costs.
How many times can Care Supreme's automatic recharge restore my sum insured in a single policy year?
Care Supreme has an unlimited restoration feature. This means that, after an admissible claim, 100% of your sum insured will be added to your remaining cover and can be used again during the same policy year. You can recharge it an unlimited number of times during the policy year. You can trigger the restoration benefit after partial exhaustion and use it for any illness.
Can I reduce the three-year pre-existing disease waiting period on Care Supreme using the Instant Cover rider?
Yes. The Instant Cover rider can reduce the waiting period to 30 days for hypertension, asthma, cholesterol, and diabetes (type 2), subject to underwriting. You can discontinue this add-on after 3 years, and you can only add it at inception or during porting. Care Supreme also offers other riders, including Instant Cover Plus (which covers COPD, obesity, and CAD with PTCA done over a year ago) and PED Modification (which covers a broader set of pre-existing conditions). However, you can choose only one out of the three riders.
Does HDFC ERGO's ABCD Chronic Care add-on cover diabetes and hypertension from day one?
No. The ABCD Chronic Care rider covers pre-existing cholesterol, asthma, diabetes type 2 (oral medications), and hypertension after 30 days (down from 3 years), not from day 1. You can add it at inception or renewal when increasing the cover amount, and you should continue it for the lifetime of the policy. There will be no separate loading charges for the Pre-Existing Diseases (PED) selected under this rider. You can choose up to three conditions from the listed PEDs. However, the issuance of the add-on depends on the underwriting.
Do I pay GST on HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus or Care Supreme premiums in 2026?
As of 2026, Individual health insurance premiums are GST-exempt (0% from the previous 18%). So you do not pay GST on HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus or Care Supreme premiums. The change applies to all individual health insurance policies, including family floater and senior citizen insurance plans. However, group health insurance such as employer-provided policies or bank-offered plans still has 18% GST.
What discounts are available with HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus and Care Supreme?
Care Supreme offers a 5% digital discount for first-time online buyers, 7.5% on second-year premiums, and 10% on third-year premiums for 2- and 3-year tenures. Optima Secure Plus offers 3 main premium discounts. If you opt for multipay, you get 6% off for a 2-year policy and 8% off for a 3- to 5-year policy. A Favourable Claims Experience Discount can reduce premiums up to 21% for first-time buyers and 18% on renewals if you remain claim-free. Buyers aged 35 or below can get a permanent 5% Lifetime Discount. Discounts vary by platform, so please confirm eligibility before purchase.
Does Care Supreme offer a discount for staying healthy?
Yes. Care Supreme offers a Wellness Benefit add-on that can provide up to 30% off renewal premiums for walking 10,000 steps daily for a certain number of days. The add-on has a relatively low premium, but the discount depends on meeting the prescribed activity targets. Optima Secure Plus currently has no such offering.
Do HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus and Care Supreme offer OPD coverage?
Yes, but both plans offer OPD benefits through add-ons. Care Supreme's Care OPD add-on covers up to 4 general physician (GP) and 4 listed specialist consultations (₹500 per consultation) on a reimbursement basis after 30 days. Optima Secure Plus offers the Optima Wellbeing rider with unlimited in-clinic GP consultations, teleconsultations, and added benefits like discounted diagnostics and medicines, available after a 30-day waiting period on a cashless basis.
What is the Care Health Insurance claim settlement ratio?
The Care Health Insurance claim settlement ratio is around 95.45% based on the average performance of FY 2024-2026. This is above the industry average of 92.02%. However, the claim settlement ratio is only one indicator of an insurer’s claims performance. Claim outcomes also depend on the policy terms, accurate disclosure of medical history, and submission of the required documents.
How can I contact HDFC ERGO customer care for policy-related queries?
The primary HDFC ERGO health insurance customer care number is 022-6158-2020 for claim and policy-related queries. Customers who prefer digital assistance can connect via WhatsApp at 8169500500. You can also request a callback through the official HDFC ERGO customer care website. For queries related to other services, you can call 80008290829.
Where can I find the HDFC ERGO Optima Secure Plus premium chart?
You can refer to the official HDFC ERGO Optima Secure prospectus (page 213) to view indicative premium tables across different age groups, city tiers, and sum insured options. However, these are illustrative premiums only. Your actual premium will depend on several factors, including your age, city of residence, medical history, chosen sum insured, and any add-ons you select.
