You can be insured with diabetes or high blood pressure. Which waits apply, which plans cover them sooner, and what loading or co-pay to expect.
Health insurance with diabetes or high BP
Yes, you can get health insurance with diabetes or high blood pressure. Declare it honestly, and know which waits and costs will apply.
They are pre-existing diseases
If you have been diagnosed or treated in the 36 months before buying, diabetes and BP are pre-existing diseases. Claims linked to them wait for the PED waiting period. Of the 319 plan wordings we have audited, 214 wait 36 months, 50 wait 24 months and 35 wait 12 months. A few older wordings still say 48. The same applies to thyroid disorders, arthritis and other long-term conditions.
Illnesses that have nothing to do with your condition are covered after the usual 30-day wait.
A plan built for it
HDFC ERGO Energy covers type 1 and type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes (IFG and IGT) and hypertension with no pre-existing wait. Other pre-existing conditions wait 24 months. It also pays for an HbA1C test, up to ₹750 a time, twice a year.
Day-31 options
- Care Supreme's optional Instant Cover: diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and asthma covered from day 31.
- Galaxy Marvel Neo's Insta Care: the same four conditions from day 31. It can only be chosen when you first buy.
Both cost extra. If you do not have these conditions yet, note that Oriental Youth Eco Care puts hypertension and diabetes on a 90-day wait.
Loading and co-pay
At purchase, the insurer may add a premium loading, a co-pay, or a specific condition. Some wordings cap the loading; Narayana Arya caps it at 50%. A loading set at purchase applies to the condition you declared, not to claims you make later.
Dialysis and long-term treatment
Dialysis is usually paid as a day care procedure, so you do not need a 24-hour stay. Check for a per-sitting cap: Care Freedom, for example, caps dialysis per sitting. Also note that domiciliary (home) treatment usually excludes diabetes and hypertension.
Tips
- Declare the condition and your medicines. Hiding it risks the claim that matters most.
- Keep recent reports (HbA1C, BP readings) ready for the proposal.
- Compare the total cost: premium plus loading, and any co-pay on claims.
Frequently asked questions
Does health insurance cover diabetes?
Yes, after the pre-existing disease waiting period if you already have it, usually 12 to 36 months. Some plans and add-ons cover it sooner, such as HDFC ERGO Energy with no PED wait for diabetes and BP.
Can I get health insurance with high blood pressure?
Yes. Declare it. You may face a waiting period, a premium loading or a co-pay. Care Supreme's Instant Cover add-on covers hypertension from day 31.
Is dialysis covered by health insurance?
Usually yes, as a day care procedure, subject to any per-sitting cap and the pre-existing wait if kidney disease existed before you bought the policy.