Should you buy Health Insurance Plans offered by Banks?
Many banks in India are offering health insurance plans as additional benefits to account holders. These health insurance policies offered by banks come with low cost and several other benefits. In this article, I would highlight the positive factors, limiting or negative factors and whether you should consider such health insurance plans offered by banks or not.
Why Banks are offering Health Insurance plans?
As part of additional benefits to account holders, banks are offering group health insurance plans. These are not just for account holders, but they are offered to account holder's spouse, their children too. Some of the banks have gone one step ahead and started offering to account holder's parents also. Since there are several benefits and features, many of us are getting attracted towards it. However, banks are not issuing these health insurance policies directly. They are acting like intermediary and insurance companies are offering these plans to customers of the bank.
Also Read: Best Term insurance plans in India
What are the positive factors of health insurance plans offered by banks?
1) Low premiums: These insurance policies issued by banks come with low premiums. E.g. Punjab National Bank offers 3 Lakhs health insurance for account holder + spouse + 2 children for just ₹ 4,500 per annum. However, if you consider any other private insurance company offering health insurance, it costs you minimum of ₹ 7,000+ per annum.
2) Policy renewal upto maximum age: These plans provide maximum renewal age between 60 to 80 years, depending on the bank where you are considering health insurance. E.g. Andhra Bank, Bank of India, Punjab National bank offer maximum renewal of 80 years.
3) No medical tests: Health insurance plans offered by banks do not require to undergo medical tests. This is useful especially when you have aged parents.
4) Eligibility is you should be account holder: If you are the account holder of the bank, you are eligible to take such health insurance plan. You need to apply to your bank for a health insurance plan directly.
5) Some banks offer adding parents too: Some of the banks are offering health insurance plans where you can add your parents too. Getting health insurance for senior citizens or aged parents is difficult. Even if we get, it comes with high premiums. This special feature is offered by some of the health insurance plans offered by banks like Andhra Bank, Indian Bank etc.
What are the limiting or negative factors of health insurance plans offered by banks?
1) Banks are only intermediaries: Since insurance is offered by insurance companies where banks have tie-up, banks are just acting like an agent or intermediaries. There is no real benefit to the bank by offering such plans. You cannot question bank for any problem in your health insurance policy.
2) Insurance company can change anytime: Banks have tie-up with insurance companies to offer health insurance plans for banks. However, banks can change insurance company at any time without notice to you. Hence, you may not have any choice just to accept the insurance company chosen by banks irrespective whether you like it or not.
3) Service levels may be pathetic: I heard from some of the readers that service levels of health insurance offered by banks are pathetic. Since banks do not take ownership of insurance as they are only acting as intermediary, customers need to depend on the insurance company and cannot do much about service levels.
4) Same premium irrespective of age: Some of the banks are offering health insurance plans where they charge same premium irrespective of age. This would be discouraging for young aged people who want to buy health insurance through banks.
Also Read: Best Mediclaim policy in India
Are there any good health insurance plans offered by banks?
There are several best health insurance plans offered by banks. However, it depends on your requirement. It could be for you or for your family or for your parents, etc. Here is the list of few good health insurance plans offered by banks.
- Bank of India – Swasthya Bima Policy
- Andhra Bank – Arogyadhaan Scheme
- Canara Bank – Canmediclaim
- Punjab National Bank – Royal medical claim
- Indian Bank – IB Arogyaraksha
Conclusion: Health insurance policies offered by banks come with low cost, good benefits, no medical tests etc. However, consider both positive factors as well as negative factors before buying such plans.
Readers, have you purchased health insurance plans from banks? What are your experiences?
If you enjoyed this article, share it with your friends and colleagues on Facebook and Twitter.
Suresh
Health Insurance Plans offered by banks
- 20 Highest Return Mutual Funds Over the Last 20 Years - October 14, 2026
- 5 Best Value Mutual Funds for 2026 Based on Rolling Returns - October 11, 2026
- 10 Mutual Funds with Best Risk-Adjusted Returns to Invest in 2026 - October 10, 2026
5 comments
Add a comment ↓1. can i have two separate health policies from two different bank as cap on sum insured is 5lacs.
2. are health policies ( through banks) are portable ie port- in ( from earlier insurance co ) and port -out ( to new company)
3. if both polices are for SI 5lacs with cap on room rent @ 5000/- and if actual room rent paid is Rs 7500. ones company will pass claim @ 5000 only, can the balance of Rs 2500 be claimed from other company.
pl advise
A K AGRAWAL
Hello Suresh,
I'm a holding HDFC credit card and recently I got a call from customer care about HDFC ERGO health care plan. Could you please review that if you have time.
Thank you
Kishore
Sure Kishore. But pls do me a favor by putting it on suggest a topic so that I would not miss.
Thanks for the article. It is kind of similar to Health insurance provided by employers. When you quit the job, the policy will expire. The employers can change the insurance at any time. If some new insurance providers offers for cheap then they will switch. The employers will negotiate with insurance providers to remove some of the facilities (like cashless facility, etc.) and provide the package for cheap.
Similarly, I am guessing, if you close the bank account, the policy will expire. If your account is blocked for any reason (like not used, not maintained the minimum balance, etc.), the policy may expire. (Need to confirm with the bank though)
Sri, You are 100% right. If you close the account, your insurance would get closed.