Almost every policy has waits. A few plans shorten them by design, and add-ons can cut the pre-existing disease wait. Real options from filed wordings.
Health insurance with no waiting period: what are your options?
Most health policies make you wait before some claims are paid. You cannot wish the waits away, but you can shorten them. Here is how they work and the real ways to cut them.
The three waits
- Initial wait: usually 30 days from the first policy, for any illness. Accidents are covered from day 1.
- Listed illnesses: usually 24 months for conditions like cataract, hernia, joint replacement and kidney stones.
- Pre-existing diseases: conditions you had before buying. 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 months.
For kidney stones, the listed-illness wait is 24 months in plans like Star Comprehensive and Care Supreme, and 12 months in Star Young Star.
Plans with short waits by design
- Star Young Star: 12 months for pre-existing diseases and 12 months for listed illnesses.
- ManipalCigna Sarvah Param: no initial, listed-illness or pre-existing wait on the base plan. If you choose the optional Pratiksha cover for a lower premium, the usual waits apply (30 days, 24 months and up to 36 months). Underwriting can still add a personal wait.
Add-ons that cut the pre-existing wait
- Star Comprehensive: Buy Back of PED Waiting Period cuts 36 months to 12. It can only be chosen when you first buy.
- HDFC ERGO Optima Secure: 36 months, or 12 or 24 months with the optional cover.
- Galaxy Marvel Neo: 36 months, or 24 or 12 with an optional cover chosen at the start. Another option cuts the listed-illness wait from 24 to 12 months.
Day-31 cover for diabetes, BP and asthma
Care Supreme's optional Instant Cover covers diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and asthma from day 31. Galaxy Marvel Neo's Insta Care does the same for these four conditions. Both cost extra premium.
Employer cover
Many company group policies waive these waits for employees. Check your own group policy or ask HR, because the terms differ from one employer to the next. Remember that group cover ends when you leave the job.
Porting keeps the wait you have served
If you port to a new insurer, the time you have already served counts towards its waits, up to your old sum insured. Apply before your renewal date: SBI Health Edge asks for at least 30 days before, and Oriental Youth Eco Care asks for 45.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any health insurance with no waiting period?
A few. ManipalCigna Sarvah Param has no initial, listed-illness or pre-existing wait on its base plan, unless you choose the optional Pratiksha cover for a lower premium. Most plans have all three waits.
Can pre-existing diseases be covered from day one?
Rarely on a retail plan. Add-ons can shorten the wait to 12 months, and Care Supreme's Instant Cover covers diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and asthma from day 31. Many employer group policies waive the wait.
What is the waiting period for kidney stones?
Usually 24 months as a listed illness, as in Star Comprehensive and Care Supreme. Star Young Star waits 12 months.
Does porting reset the waiting period?
No. The time you have served carries over to the new insurer, up to your old sum insured.