Health Insurance Portability in India

Hundreds of health insurance plans are there in the market. Different insurance plans come with
different coverage features and is, therefore, priced differently. You might find better alternatives to
your existing plan with innumerable benefits and features.

If you are unhappy with your insurer and you want to change your current insurer, what can you do
then? Can you switch to the better plan? Yes, you can.

Health insurance portability was introduced by the IRDA in 2011. The IRDA permits portability of health
insurance. It allows you to port your health policy from one insurer to another without having to lose
the existing policy benefits like the waiting period for covering "Pre-existing Diseases". When you want
to port your health policy, you need to apply at least 45 days before the expiry of the existing health
insurance policy and not before 60 days of the expiry of the policy.

Reasons for porting your health insurance policy

• Experienced a slow and hassled claim settlement process with the existing insurer
• Limited coverage features
• Sudden steep increase in premiums as compared to other insurers
• Better alternatives with value added services and additional features at competitive rates
• Various limits and you want a more inclusive coverage

Process of porting policy

 Apply for portability by filling up the portability form 45 days before the renewal for your
current policy to the new insurer
 Your new insurance company will contact your previous insurer to seek your medical history and
claims history. All this is done within 7 working days from the receipt of the portability form
along with your application form.
 Your previous insurer will furnish your requisite data within 7 working days from the receipt of
request to new insurer.
  Your new insurer will then communicate the decision within 15 days from the receipt of
complete data from your previous insurer. If it fails to make any decision, it will be bound to
accept the application.

Documents required

• A portability form along with the proposal form for the new policy
• Copy of insurance renewal notice or previous year’s policy schedule.
• Self-declaration by policyholder in case of no claims made on the previous insurer.
• If there was a claim, discharge summary, investigation report and follow up report copies have
to be submitted as proof.
• For past medical history, treatment and report copies needed.

Conditions for porting your policy

 You can port the policy only at the time of renewal i.e., the new insurance period will be with
the new insurance company.
 Apart from the waiting period credit, all other terms of the new policy including the premium
are at the discretion of the new insurance company.
 At least 45 days before your renewal is due you have to
o Write to your old insurance company requesting a shift
o Specify company to which you want to shift the policy
o Renew your policy without a break (there is a 30 days grace period if porting is under
process)

Before applying for portability you need to carefully analyze the policy documents of various health
insurers and make sure that you are aware of the different kinds of features provided by various
insurers.