Overview
Care Ultimate is the newest comprehensive health insurance plan from Care Health Insurance, offering sum insured options from ₹5 lakhs to ₹1 crore. It features unique benefits like the Infinity Bonus and the Loyalty Boost. The plan also includes premium payback, instant cover add-ons, and multi-year payment options to escape inflationary price hikes. With no co-payment and no room rent limits, it is designed to offer extensive, flexible coverage with attractive rewards for claim-free policyholders.
Experts Review
Written by Nikhil Nair
Senior Writer
Care Ultimate stands out as a premium health insurance plan packed with innovative features that reward long-term loyalty and healthy living. Its Infinity Bonus allows the sum insured to grow by 100% annually without any cap on maximum accumulation, a rare benefit that significantly enhances coverage over time. The Loyalty Boost doubles the base sum insured after seven claim-free years, providing substantial financial security. Additionally, the Premium Payback feature returns the first year’s premium after every block of five consecutive claim-free years, incentivizing policyholders to maintain good health.
The plan offers unlimited automatic recharge of the sum insured, ensuring continuous coverage for multiple hospitalizations in a policy year. It also includes flexible tenure options up to five years, a grace period cover, and instant cover add-ons for pre-existing diseases, reducing waiting times to just 30 days. The absence of room rent conditions, disease-wise limits, and co-payment clauses means fewer out-of-pocket expenses.
On the downside, the sum insured increments, infinity bonus, grace period coverage, and premium payback benefits are optional add-ons, potentially increasing the premium. The waiting period for pre-existing diseases is 36 months, which is standard but could be restrictive for some. Premiums tend to be higher, about 15-25% more than comparable plans without such extensive loyalty benefits. Although the premiums may look very attractive initially, resultant of the discounts offered. In the long run, premiums are expensive by the mentioned amount
Pros
Offers a wide range of features.
Premiums are relatively well priced.
Insurer has a solid track record with great claim and service metrics.
Offers Waiting Period benefit for Newborn, which makes this policy stand out.
Cons
Your insurer doesn’t provide free health check-ups, which is a notable gap.
Maternity benefits not offered, which could be a drawback for some.
Care
Key Insights
Founded
2012
Care was established 13 years ago and has built strong credibility over time, backed by its long-standing presence in the market.
Claims Experience
90% claims settled in 30 Days
Care settles 90% of all claims it receives. This is reasonable performance, though there is room for improvement compared to top insurers.
Network Hospitals
11,400+
Care has a strong network with over 11,400 hospitals, ensuring wide accessibility and convenience for policyholders.
Complaints
36 complaints per 10,000 claims registered
Care has a relatively high volume of complaints, which may point to ongoing issues in customer service or claim handling.
Features
All
Great
Good
Waiting Period benefit for Newborn
STANDOUT
If the newborn baby is added within 90 days of birth, then the waiting period already served by the existing Primary insured person under the policy shall be considered as served for the newborn child as well.
Co-payment
The insurer will bear the entire cost of treatment (up to the sum insured). You won’t have to pay a single penny. Meaning this policy has no co-payment.
Room Rent
Shared room, single room, deluxe room or any room that’s available. The insurer won’t nitpick on your choice of room since the policy has no restrictions on room rent.
Disease sub-limit
No funny business here. If your insurer hasn’t explicitly stated they won’t cover a certain illness, you can claim the full amount up to the sum insured, irrespective of the disease you’re dealing with. Meaning this policy doesn't impose the dreaded disease wise sub-limits.
Pre existing diseases waiting
If you’re already dealing with diabetes, cardiovascular problems or any such illnesses, the insurer will cover all costs arising out of these pre-existing problems after you wait for 3 years.
Customisable
For any illness: Pre existing disease waiting period is modified/reduced from 3 years to 1 and 2 years.
Customisable
For Diabetes, Hypertension, Cholesterol, Asthma, Obesity, Hypothyroidism and Coronary Artery Disease (PTCA prior 1 year): Pre existing disease waiting period is reduced from 3 years to 30 days.
Add-ons
E-consultation
Mandatory
Each insured member can get unlimited e-consultations from General Physicians.
Premium Payback
Mandatory
Get the premiums refunded if no Claims are made for the preceding 5 consecutive Policy Years. The 1st Policy year premiums will be refunded in block of every 5 years excluding the GST and add-on premiums.
Grace period coverage
Mandatory
The policy will remain active during the grace period, ensuring continuous protection during this period.
Tenure Multiplier
Mandatory
Combine Multi-Tenure Sum Insured to be used anytime if you pay for multiple years in a single go.
Reduction in PED
Recommended
For any illness: Pre existing disease waiting period is modified/reduced from 3 years to 1 and 2 years.
Instant Cover
Recommended
For Diabetes, Hypertension, Cholesterol, Asthma, Obesity, Hypothyroidism and Coronary Artery Disease (PTCA prior 1 year): Pre existing disease waiting period is reduced from 3 years to 30 days.
Claim Shield
Recommended
Covers non-medical as per list I, II, III & IV
Infinity Bonus
Recommended
Additional bonus of 100% up to infinity, irrespective of any claim in the previous year.
OPD
Recommended
Total 8 doctor consultations with 4 from General Physicians capped at ₹500 and 4 from Specified Specialists capped at ₹500.
Wellness Benefits
Recommended
Up to a 30% discount on renewal premiums for maintaining a healthy lifestyle
BeFit Plus
Recommended
Get unlimited visit access to empaneled Fitness centres/Gyms.
Care OPD
Recommended
Total 10 doctor consultations from General Physicians and Specified Specialists capped at ₹500 per consultation.
Annual Health Checkup
Annual health check-up for specified tests, with a maximum limit up to the sum insured on a cashless or reimbursement basis.
Unlimited Care
Unlimited coverage (without any upper cap) for one claim during the Policy lifetime.
Permanent Exclusions
Conditions or treatments that the policy clearly says it will not cover.
Impairment of an Insured Person's intellectual faculties by abuse of stimulants or depressants unless prescribed by a medical practitioner.
Hormone replacement therapy
Mental retardness
Expenses related to any kind of RMO charges, Service charge, Surcharge, night charges levied by the hospital under whatever head.
Remicade, Avastin or similar injectable treatment which is undergone other than as a part of In-Patient Care Hospitalisation or Day Care Hospitalisation is excluded.
Disclaimer: For illustration purposes only - exact terms are in the policy wording.
Specific Illness
The following illnesses are not covered under the policy for 2 years.
Arthritis (if non-infective), including:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Gout
Rheumatism
Waiting Period
30 days Initial waiting period
2 years Specific illness waiting period
3 years Pre-existing disease waiting periodCustomisable
Ditto's Take
◦ Excellent ◦
Waiting periods on this policy are excellent. This policy also further allows to reduce the PED waiting period to 1 and 2 years for all diseases and to 30 days for certain diseases.
What's missing in the policy
Your insurer doesn’t provide free health check-ups.
Maternity benefits not offered.
Customer Reviews
A
Aarav Patel
Infinity Bonus is an incredible feature! Sum insured growing 100% annually with no cap is unheard of.
R
Rohan Gupta
Premium Payback of 1st year premium after 5 claim-free years is a unique and attractive benefit.
A
Aisha Khan
Instant cover add-ons for PEDs reducing waiting times is a game changer.
S
Suresh Kumar
Waiting period for PEDs is 36 months without the add-on, which is standard but long.
Still confused?
Talk to our expert
advisor for
instant clarity
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Care Ultimate have waiting periods?
- 30-Day Waiting Period: Hospitalizations won’t be covered for the first 30 days of the policy unless it’s an accident.
- Specific Illness Waiting Period: There’s a 2-year waiting period for a list of diseases which is a mandate before you can start claiming.
- Pre-Existing Disease Waiting Period: There's a 3-year waiting period for any pre-existing disease you may have while buying the policy.
Does Care Ultimate have room rent restrictions?
Does Care Ultimate offer a restoration benefit?
TALK TO OUR ADVISORS
Get real help from advisors who listen, guide and go the extra mile for you.