“Women’s health needs are inherently different and require a nuanced approach. Modern health plans now cover daycare procedures, chronic conditions, preventive wellness, and maternal care ecosystems,” said Vivek Chaturvedi, CMO and Head of Direct Sales, Go Digit General Insurance.
He added that comprehensive policies now provide 360-degree protection, moving beyond traditional hospitalisation coverage to support ongoing treatment journeys.
Data from Care Health Insurance stresses the trend.
Women proposers now make up 28–30% of individual health policies, with average sum insured ranging from ₹10–15 lakh.
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Yet, as Manish Dodeja, COO of Care Health Insurance, pointed out, “Despite rising participation, meaningful headroom remains to strengthen coverage adequacy. Women must move towards becoming primary policyholders with comprehensive health insurance to address rising medical costs.”
Industry surveys reveal persistent vulnerabilities.
TATA AIG’s recent findings show only 20% of women in India have adequate health coverage for critical treatments, while nearly 80% lack insurance exceeding ₹20 lakh, levels often necessary for chronic conditions like cancer or cardiac care.
Rajagopal Rudraraju, Head, Consumer Business Claims at TATA AIG, warned, “Low policy retention and coverage gaps mean many women remain underinsured despite rising participation.”
Star Health Insurance highlights a structural shift in behaviour.
Women now hold 21% of new retail health policies as primary policyholders, with preventive check-ups surging 127% year-on-year, and 143% among women aged 40+.
Anand Roy, MD & CEO, Star Health, said, “Health insurance is integrated into early-stage financial planning. Women are viewing long-term coverage as a foundation for security rather than a one-off purchase.”
Beyond health, insurance is emerging as a vital shield for women entrepreneurs.
Prantik Mitra, Director at Alliance Insurance Brokers, noted that women-led businesses face higher cyber, litigation, and operational risks. Policies such as Professional Indemnity, Directors & Officers, cyber insurance, and business interruption cover are critical to safeguarding personal wealth and ensuring business continuity.
Saurabh, Founder & CEO of CoverSure, summed up the shift.
“Insurance is finally catching up with women’s lives, from coverage for reproductive health and chronic conditions to maternity and personal accident plans recognizing homemakers as economically valuable. The best policy moves with her life, not just a single milestone,” he said.
Yet, gaps remain.
IRDAI’s data shows women comprise around 34% of life insurance policyholders, but only 29% in standalone health insurance distribution.
Experts say closing participation and adequacy gaps is vital as medical inflation rises and treatment journeys lengthen.
“While more women are buying health insurance independently, a significant coverage gap still remains in women-specific healthcare needs. Areas like infertility treatment, reproductive health, preventive screenings, and maternity often remain under-covered or come with restrictive limits, ” added Shilpa Arora, Co-founder and COO, Insurance Samadhan.
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