Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Which is Better?
The choice between Manipal Cigna and Care health insurance generally depends on what you value more. Manipal Cigna stands out for its decent portfolio of plans with many customization options, including OPD, maternity, and global coverage. This makes it an excellent and attractive option on paper.
On the other hand, Care is known for offering highly customizable plans that cover wellness, gym memberships, OPD, and chronic illnesses. It also provides a higher claim settlement ratio and an extensive network of hospitals with stronger reliability. This makes it ideal for those who prioritize brand trust and operational efficiency.
Introduction
Choosing the right insurer can be confusing, especially when most health insurance plans look similar on paper. Yet, they differ drastically in terms of coverage, claims, and service quality.
In this guide, we will compare two standalone health insurers, Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance, which are both popular choices for long-term health protection.
Drawing from our first-hand experience with policyholders, we have analyzed their strengths, weaknesses, and other metrics to help you make an informed decision.
Not sure which insurer fits your needs best? Get in touch with Ditto’s expert advisors for a personalized recommendation. Book a free call now.
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: An Overview
About Manipal Cigna Health Insurance
Manipal Cigna is a mid-scale SAHI (Standalone health insurer) with over 200 years of experience in the health insurance industry. It is known for combining global healthcare expertise with deep Indian roots and is aggressively expanding in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- Founded: 2014
- Ownership: A joint venture between Manipal Education and Medical Group (51%) and Cigna Corporation (49%)
- Type: Standalone health insurer
- Branches: Pan-India footprint across 600+ cities and 100+ branches
Quick Note: Manipal Cigna recently won ‘Product of the Year 2025’ for its Sarvah plan.
Why it Matters to You: Manipal Cigna offers comprehensive healthcare plans that provide easy, lifelong access to quality care.
About Care Health Insurance
Care Health Insurance is a subsidiary of Religare Enterprises, which is now owned and operated by the Burman family. Initially known for their FMCG company Dabur, the Burmans acquired Religare Enterprises in February 2025 after a prolonged legal battle.
- Founded: 2012
- Type: Standalone health insurer
- Branches: 260+ branches across India
Why it Matters to You: The premiums for Care’s health insurance plans are the most competitive in the industry because they do not have any loading charges. The plans are especially beneficial for those with pre-existing conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Diabetes, etc.
Now, let’s compare the key performance metrics of both insurers in detail:
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Key Differences (Comparison Table)
Note: The above data has been taken from Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance’s annual reports, public disclosures, and the IRDAI-published statistics handbook.
Now, let’s analyze the metrics further to help you decide which insurer is the right choice for your needs.
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Claim Settlement Ratio
The Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) is the number of claims settled divided by the total number of claims received. This metric matters because it indicates insurers' smooth claims-handling processes.
Although Manipal Cigna (90.80%) falls within the recommended range of 90-100, it still lags behind Care’s CSR (93.13%).
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Incurred Claim Ratio
Incurred claim ratio(ICR) is the percentage of total claims paid by an insurer compared to the total premiums collected in a financial year.
Ideally, the recommended ICR range is 50-80%, and both Manipal Cigna (68.20%) and Care Health Insurance (58.86%) fall within this range.
Care's ICR is slightly lower than Manipal Cigna's, but the numbers aren't alarming as most SAHIs generally have lower ICRs.
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Complaint Volume
Manipal Cigna has a commendably low complaint volume of 23.50 per 10,000 claims, whereas Care has 42 complaints per 10,000 claims. A higher complaint ratio is generally associated with service issues, delays, or dissatisfaction with claims processing.
Note: Standalone health insurers like Care, Niva Bupa, and Star Health often report higher complaint ratios than diversified general insurers (e.g., ICICI Lombard, HDFC ERGO, or Bajaj Allianz), since their complaints are primarily health-related.
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Gross Written Premium
GWP is the total amount of premiums an insurance company records during a specific period before deducting reinsurance costs, commissions, or expenses.
In Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance, it is evident that Care has a higher market share (5x more), with an annual business of ₹6,775 crores. Manipal Cigna, on the other hand, has a business of only ₹1,215 crores.
It has only 8,500 hospitals, which is below the recommended range of 10,000+. Care, on the other hand, falls within the ideal range with 11,400+ hospitals.
Bottom Line: These numbers imply that Care health insurance is a large player in the market and reflects higher customer trust and reach.
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Best Plans
The following tables showcase the key features of top plans offered by Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance:
Manipal Health Insurance Plans
Sarvah
ProHealth Prime
Lifetime Health
Prime Senior
Read this article to get comprehensive insights into each Manipal Cigna health insurance plan.
Care Health Insurance Plans
- Care Supreme
- Care Ultimate
- Care Supreme Enhance (Super Top-up)
- Care Freedom
Click on the plan names to check out what each plan offers and read expert reviews by our IRDAI-certified advisors. In addition, go through this guide to get comprehensive insights into each Care health insurance plan.
Ditto’s Verdict: While Manipal Cigna calls itself the “best health insurance company in India” on its official website, hurdles remain. The company’s financials have shown losses in recent years, and reports also suggest LIC may acquire a 40–50% stake, which could bring operational changes and impact customer service in the near future.
Care, on the other hand, has been maintaining its profitability consistently over the past few years. This implies that the insurer has a stable financial footing and a proven track record of consistent performance. Hence, customers can expect more reliable services and feel more confident in the company.
Compare other plans from Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance here.
Who Should Choose Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance?
Choose Manipal Cigna if:
You are seeking comprehensive, customizable protection, especially regarding maternity, OPD, and international coverage. Its flagship plan, Sarvah, has been quite popular recently.
Choose Care health insurance if:
You want comprehensive and affordable coverage with innovative, customizable benefits to reduce pre-existing condition waiting periods, out-of-pocket costs for consumables, and gym session costs. Its valuable add-ons and competitive pricing make it a popular choice for families.
Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Which is Better? Ditto’s Take
Care Health Insurance is a partner insurer for Ditto, which gives us greater insight into their claims processes and post-sales support. While the overall volume of complaints may be higher, our direct experience with the insurer has been largely positive and reliable.
That said, although Manipal Cigna is not currently a partner insurer, we see it as a promising and emerging player in the market. If the company continues to scale responsibly while maintaining strong performance metrics, it could become a potential partner for us and a future recommendation. We also find no issues with their current product lineup.
Learn more about how we evaluate health insurance plans here.
Why Choose Ditto for Your Health Insurance?
At Ditto, we’ve assisted over 7,00,000 customers with choosing the right insurance policy. Why customers like Gaurav love us:
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Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance: Final Thoughts
If you go purely by the numbers, Care Health Insurance stands out. They have better claim ratios and gross written premiums, as well as a stronger market reputation.
Given that one of Manipal Cigna’s plans has been awarded the ‘product of the year 2025, it is also worth considering.
However, our advice is clear: don’t just go by price or popularity. Choose the insurer that specifically matches your life stage, budget, and coverage expectations. No plan is perfect, but the right one is for you out there.
Not sure which insurer among fits your needs best? Get in touch with Ditto’s expert advisors for a personalized recommendation. Book a free call now.
FAQs
Which is better for family floater policies – Manipal Cigna vs Care Health Insurance?
Both Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance offer solid family floater policies, but the choice depends on your family’s specific healthcare needs.
Does Manipal Cigna offer better maternity benefits than Care Health Insurance?
Manipal Cigna offers maternity benefits with many of its plans like Sarvah and ProHealth prime.
Which insurer uses third-party administrators (TPAs)?
Manipal Cigna uses TPAs for claims settlement for both its retail, individual, and group policies. Care health insurance, on the other hand, uses TPAs primarily only for group policies, while retail claims are serviced via in-house claim teams.
What is the solvency ratio of Manipal Cigna and Care Health Insurance?
As of March 31, 2025, Manipal Cigna’s solvency ratio stands at 1.76x and Care Health Insurance’s at 1.68x. Both insurers comfortably exceed IRDAI’s minimum solvency requirement of 1.5x, indicating their strong financial position.
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