Top 6 Best Health Insurance Plans for Senior Citizens or Elderly Parents in India

Best Health Insurance Plans for Senior Citizens or Elderly Parents in India in 2019Top and Best Health Insurance Plans for Senior Citizens or Elderly Parents in India


Every one would focus on earning money at a young age. Once retired, everyone would think that life is relaxed now. Here starts all health issues for them. If you cannot plan well, hospitalization expenses can ruin your wealth which you would have accumulated for post retirement life. Here comes health insurance plan for Senior Citizens or for your elderly parents that would help to protect for high medical costs. Which are the best health insurance plans in India for senior citizens? Which are the top health insurance plans for elderly parents that comes with good features and low premium?

Also Read: Best Health Insurance Plans in India for family

What is Health Insurance Plan?


Health insurance plan is where the insurance company would charge premium and provide a cashless facility or reimburse you for hospitalization expenses if admitted beyond 24 hours. Other than hospitalization expenses, Health Insurance companies are providing benefits like pre-hospitalization expenses, post hospitalization expenses, discount on premiums, ambulance charges, critical illness coverage etc.,

Why there is a need for health insurance policy for Senior Citizens or Elderly parents?


When an individual is at young or middle age, there are very less chances of getting health problems. When a person crosses 50s or 60s of age, there are higher chances that they are diagnosed with various health problems like heart attack, diabetes, blood pressure, etc., They are higher chances that they need to frequently visit hospitals or need to get admitted in hospital for treatment. These days, hospitalization expenses are sky rocketing. Hence, one has to consider a good health insurance policy for senior citizens or for their elderly parents.

How to choose a good Health Insurance Plan for Senior Citizens?


There are some tips one should consider in choosing a good health insurance policy for senior citizens.

1) Premiums – Lower the policy premiums, better for the us.

2) Co-payment – Co-payment is where an individual need to pay amount from his pocket when the person insured is hospitalized. It could be zero or 10% or 20% or 50% of the total hospitalization expenses. Most of the Senior Citizens health insurance plan comes with high co-payment. Lower is better.

3) No claim bonus – Higher the no claim bonus, better the health insurance plan. NCB could be like reduction in premium or adding basic sum insured every year.

4) The waiting period for pre-existing medical conditions – Lower the waiting period, the better the plan is. Since Senior Citizens are in the age group over 60 years, there could be pre-existing diseases at that time.In such case taking policy that covers pre-existing disease within 2 years could be better.

5) The waiting period for specific diseases – Lower the waiting period, it is better.

6) Incurred Claim Settlement Ratio of Insurer – Ideal ICR should be between 50% to 80%. Lower means, insurance company is rejecting higher claims compared to the premiums received. Higher ICR of over 100% means, they are paying claims higher than 100% of the premium collected which is not good for future of the company.

7) Maximum Age Period – Insurance plans are good that protect for a maximum age period of say 65 years or 70 years or 80 years.

8) Hospital Network – Wider the hospital coverage network, better for us.

9) Critical Illness Riders – Additional coverage of critical illness, diseases means good policy.

However, we can’t find a health insurance plan which has all above features that suits your elderly parents. Hence, one can consider health insurance plans in India for them which covers maximum features indicated above and that comes with appropriate premiums.

6 Best Health Insurance Plans for Senior Citizens or Elderly Parents


Here are some of the good health insurance plans and its key features.

1) Star Health Insurance – Red Carpet Policy


Here are the features of Red Carpet Health Insurance from Star Health.

Any individual in the age group of 60-75 years is eligible to take this health insurance plan.

The minimum sum assured is Rs 1 Lakh and maximum sum assured is Rs 25 lakhs for individual plan. For family floater plan, the sum assured is between Rs 10 Lakhs to Rs 25 Lakhs.

Pre-medical tests are required to issue this medical policy.

This plan covers pre-existing diseases after 12 months of taking the policy i.e. from 2nd year onwards provided you renew the policy after 1 year. However, specific diseases are covered only after 24 months from the date of policy.

Lifelong renewability of the health insurance plan.

Pre hospitalization expenses covered for 30 days.

Post hospitalization expenses are paid in lumpsum upto the limit specified.

Coverage of ambulance charges as per specific limits.

Policy is available for 1, 2 and 3 year tenure.

Covers patient hospitalization expenses that include room rent,nursing and boarding charges, Surgeon, Anaesthetist, Medical Practitioner, Consultants, Specialist Fees,Cost of Medicines and Drugs upto the limits specified.

Covers cost of health check-up for every claim free year.

All day care procedures covered.

Offers 5% discount on premium if the policy is purchased online.

Income tax benefit u/s 80d is available in this plan.

If you submit specific medical reports like Stress Thallium Report, BP Report, Sugar Report and Blood Urea and Creating report, you would get a 10 % discount on premium. The tests should have been done within 45 days from the date of proposal.

Incurred claims settlement ratio (ICR) is 61.76% for FY2017-18.

Here is the premium chart of Red Carpet Health Insurance Plan

Drawbacks in this plan

Waiting period of 2 years for specific pre-existing disease coverage.

There is co-payment applicable in this. For every sum assured of Rs 1 Lakh to Rs 10 Lakhs and for pre-existing diseases, co-payment is 50%. For all other claims, co-payment is 30%.

Red Carpet Health Insurance from Star Health is considered as one of the best health insurance plan for Senior Citizens considering unique features and low premiums.

You can download Star Health Insurance Red Carpet brochure here. 

2) Apollo Munich Optima Senior


Some of the major features of this policy are:

One can consider this health insurance plan for individuals aged 61 and above.

There is no maximum age of entry.

This policy is available in the cover options of Rs 2 Lakh, Rs 3 Lakhs and Rs 5 Lakhs

Lifelong renewability of the health insurance plan.

Cashless facility for over 4,000 network hospitals.

For every claim free year, you can get a 5 % discount on premiums. If both husband and wife take this plan, they would get a 5 % discount on premium. If you opt for 2 years policy, you would get a 7.5 % discount.

You can port this plan to another insurance provider if you are not happy with them.

Pre-hospitalization expenses are covered upto 30 days.

Post-hospitalization expenses are covered upto 60 days.

140 day care procedures covered in this plan.

Ambulance charges are payable upto Rs 2,000 in case of hospitalization.

Incurred claims settlement ratio (ICR) is 62.47% for FY2017-18.

Here is the premium chart payable in this health insurance plan.

Apollo Munich Optima Senior health insurance plan premium chart

Drawbacks in this plan

Co-Payment of 15% is applicable  in case of twin sharing or lower room type. In case of a single room or higher room type, 30% co-payment is applicable.

Preexisting disease coverage is after 3 years of taking the policy.

You can download Apollo Munich Optima Senior brochure here.

3) Bajaj Allianz Silver Health Insurance Plan


Here are some of the major features.

This policy offers cashless benefit or reimbursement for hospitalization expenses due to illness or accident.

Sum assured is in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 Lakhs.

The age of entry is between 45 years to 70 years.

Lifelong renewability of the health insurance plan.

One can take this plan on an individual basis or join along with spouse. If you consider a family plan of 2 or more, you would get a 5 % discount on premium.

Pre and post hospitalization expenses upto 3% of sum assured is payable.

Pre-existing diseases coverage from 2nd year of the policy.

130 day care procedures covered.

Cumulative bonus of 10% of sum assured every claim free year with a maximum of 50% of sum assured.

You can port this plan to another insurance provider if you are not happy during the year.

Incurred claims settlement ratio (ICR) is 66.72% for FY2017-18.

Here is the premium chart payable in this health insurance plan.

Bajaj Allianz Silver Health Insurance plan for senior citizens - Premium chart

Drawbacks in this plan

Co-Payment of 20% is applicable if treatment done in non network hospital.

Premedical test is mandatory before issuing the policy.

You can download Bajaj Allianz Silver Health Insurance Plan brochure here.

4) New India Assurance Senior Citizen Health Claim Policy


Here are some key features.

Any senior citizen in the age group of 60 years to 80 years are eligible to take this policy.

Life long renewability upto the age of 90 years.

This policy offers cashless benefit or reimbursement for hospitalization expenses due to illness or accident.

Pre-Hospitalization expenses upto 30 days are covered in this plan.

Post-Hospitalization expenses upto 60 days are covered in this plan.

Covers ambulance charges.

Preexisting diseases covered after 18 months from the policy date provided the policy is renewed after 1 year.

Sum insured is Rs 1 Lakh and Rs 1.5 Lakhs.

10% family discount in case spouse is also covered.

Reimbursement of health check-up cost for 1 time in the block of 4 years.

Incurred claims settlement ratio (ICR) is 85.67% for FY2017-18.

Here is the premium applicable in this health insurance policy.

New India Assurance - Senior Citizens Mediclaim policy - premium chart

You can download New India Assurance Senior Citizen Mediclaim Policy document here.

Drawbacks in this plan

Premedical check up is mandatory to issue this policy.

5) Oriental Insurance – Health of Privileged Elders (HOPE) – Senior Citizens policy


This product is designed for Senior citizens above 60 years of age

This policy offers cashless benefit or reimbursement for hospitalization expenses due to illness or accident.

This policy covers specific diseases only.

Minimum sum assured is Rs 1 Lakh and maximum sum assured is Rs 5 Lakhs.

Pre-Hospitalization expenses up to 30 days are covered in this plan.

Post-Hospitalization expenses up to 60 days are covered in this plan.

Lifelong renewal of the policy.

5% discount on premium for every claim free year up to maximum of 20%.

Reimbursement of health check-up cost for 1 time in the block of 4 years.

Incurred claims settlement ratio (ICR) is 85.39% for FY2017-18.

You can download Oriental Insurance HOPE Policy document here.

Drawbacks in this plan

Preexisting diseases covered after 24 months from the policy date provided the policy is renewed continuously every year.

Co-Payment of 20% is applicable.

Also Read: Should you opt for Term Plans that offer return of Premium?

6) National Insurance – Varishtha Mediclaim Policy for Senior Citizens


This policy offers cashless benefit or reimbursement for hospitalization expenses due to illness or accident.

This product is designed for Senior citizens above 60 years of age.

This policy has section-1 that has sum insured of Rs 1 Lakh. Section-II has sum insured of Rs 2 Lakhs. There are 8 critical illnesses covered under section-II policy.

Any senior citizen in the age group of 60 years to 80 years are eligible to take this policy.

Covers ambulance charges.

The sum insured is increased by 5% every claim free year upto a maximum of 50% of the sum insured.

Reimbursement of health check-up cost for 1 time in the block of 3 years.

Lifelong renewal of the policy.

Preexisting diseases covered after 12 months from the policy date provided the policy is renewed after a year.

Incurred claims settlement ratio (ICR) is 114% for FY2017-18 which is on higher side.

You can download National Insurance Varishtha Mediclaim Policy for Senior Citizens brochure here.

Drawbacks in this plan

The sum insured of Rs 1 Lakh for section-1 is very low.

Which of these health insurance plans is best for senior citizens or for your parents?


With the growing uncertainty regarding the diseases and illnesses in the human body, the health insurance for senior citizens has become an inevitable part of the society. There are a number of companies who offer such schemes, but the clauses differ in each scheme. So, it is very important to go through all the clauses of the scheme as per the individual requirement.

If we compare the policies according to the sum assured, most companies give the assurance up to Rs 5  lakes with the only Star Health Red Carpet  and Bajaj Allianz Silver Health schemes as an exception that offers up to Rs. 25  lacs / Rs 10 Lakhs respectively.

All the policies have a mandatory 30 day waiting period for new issuances. For the pre existing diseases, Star Health and Bajajj Allianz offer the lowest of 12 months waiting period but it might not prove as fruitful as it seems because there is a lifelong 50% & 20% co pay respectively for pre existing diseases.

Conclusion: Use your judgement. Consider what sum assured would be suitable to your elderly parents or Senior Citizen. Check which features can benefit with lowest co-payment. Then you can consider such health insurance plan.

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Suresh

Best Health Insurance Plans for Senior Citizens or Elderly Parents

Suresh KP

21 comments

  1. Dear Suresh KP,
    My father 63 & mother 60 (daibetic) are currently insured under HDFC ERGO Health Suraksha 5L + 50K CB(no co pay opted). Currently into 3rd year of policy. Premium of 34.5K. planning to get an Top up of 20L (deductible 5L) from HDFC ERGO for premium of 14.3K.
    Is it advisable to do so or switch to other health insurance co wherein senior citizen policy is offered.
    Request you to kindly clear the doubt

    1. Hello Mayuresh, If you go with new policy the premiums could be high. Top up generally come with low premiums. One can prefer top up instead of going for new policies. Also have you checked what would be 20L SI premium for your parents with other insurers. I would advice you to review this once with other insurance providers before you opt for top-up. This way you are sure you are paying reasonable premiums

  2. Excellent work. I appreciate your efforts in collecting data from different insurance. Please also include Star Health Senior Citizen Comprehensive Plan.

  3. Hi , it is a great work you are doing , congratulations
    I have three questions

    1) myself 57 & my wife is at 50 , which insurance you suggest ( we have medical insurance of star for her as well as myself ( myself 4 lakhs due to angioplasty) ( my wife for 15 lakhs )
    I want to take life insurance of rs 2 crore for myself and 2 crore for my wife which is the best one and how much will be the premium we need to pay , I am retired and she is housewife

    2) I have only one daughter who doesn’t not have anything in India as she is studying at abroad her age is 23
    Which are the investment I should start for her ? Like mutual funds SIP etc

    3) what life and medical insurance I should start for her as she will comeback during August 2020 as her opt visa will expire by that time

  4. It’s a Great Article Sir but I am not able to take decision. Kindly suggest me 1 cheap and Best option for my father. No health issue at moment. he takes tobacco.

    1. Hi, Suresh Gi
      Congrts and warm regards
      This data’s are really informative and helpful great effort.
      Please suggest me a Mediclaim plan for my parents, Father at 78 diabetic and Mother at 68 Having( BP) from a middle class family.

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