r/InsuranceAdviceIndia

I'm a 32 year old male. Taking medicine for Diabetes and Hypercholesterolemia for past 1 year.

I'm planning to get a health insurance. To reduce premium I'm planning to not disclose that I have these diseases. If I disclose it, it will significantly increase my premium. Moreover I only had these diseases for past 1 year only and it is well controlled. Doctor is tappering my doses and most probably will stop those medicines in near future. What should I do?

Kindly give me advice. TIA

31 M living in Bengaluru with spouse. Have delayed getting health insurance for the longest time. Now I can’t make up my mind. After speaking to a lot of “advisors”, I have zeroed in on HDFC Optima Secure Plus and Niva Bupa Reassure 2 Titanium Plus - both at 10L cover. I can’t seem to find a meaningful flaw in either, making it hard to pick.

A few things I’m specifically seeking advice on -

1. I’m considering a deductible of 50k to reduce premiums. Does it work the same way in both plans?
2. Since I’m buying at 31 with no PEDs, waiting period is less of a concern for me. Does that affect how I evaluate both plans?
3. Most important perhaps - any real difference in cashless claims experience between HDFC Ergo and Niva Bupa in practice, especially in Bengaluru? I keep seeing complaints about TPAs being slow regardless of insurer.

P. s. I already have 10 lac cover from my employer

Hi everyone, I’m **M30 from Chennai**, working in corporate, and I need some genuine advice regarding **health insurance for my mother**.

About **11 months ago**, I purchased a **₹10 lakh policy from Star Health** for my mother (**56F**). Thankfully, she has been healthy so far. Recently, during a check-up, we found that she has an **endometrium thickness of 12 mm**. Since this condition likely existed before taking the policy, I understand it may be treated as a **pre-existing condition** and may not be claimable right now.

As a backup, I recently added my mother to my corporate insurance policy as well, mainly because claims there seem much smoother and cashless approvals are easier. I specifically enrolled her for this endometrium-related surgery, since it may not be claimable under my Star Health policy due to it being considered a pre-existing condition.

Now the confusing part:

While enquiring at the hospital, they told me that they generally don’t prefer **Star Health** because claim approvals are **not very reliable nowadays**. One staff member even said that for a surgery costing around **₹2 lakh**, sometimes only **₹80k gets approved** under Star Health. They also mentioned that some doctors hesitate to proceed when the insurance is Star Health due to approval issues.

They suggested insurers like **Aditya Birla** and **HDFC ERGO** instead (upon my request).

Later, I spoke with my insurance agent (who is experienced and has been handling policies for years). He said:

* I can **port the policy next year** while retaining continuity/seniority benefits.

* These kinds of **partial approvals can happen with any insurer** depending on hospital limits, package rates, and policy terms.

* The hospital I checked with is a **smaller hospital**, so I should also verify with **bigger reputed hospitals** before concluding that Star Health is bad overall.

## **Important Point**

**The hospital where I enquired is actually a smaller hospital where my consulting doctor practices.**

So now I’m confused.

People who have actually done claims for parents:

* Is this kind of issue **common across all insurance companies**?

* Is **Star Health** really problematic nowadays?

* Are **HDFC ERGO / Aditya Birla** genuinely better for claim settlement?

* Should I continue Star Health and rely on reputed hospitals instead?

* Which insurer has given you the **smoothest experience for parents/senior citizens**?

I genuinely don’t mind paying a **higher premium** if it means **fewer hassles during emergencies** in the future. My mother is healthy now, and I want to make the **right long-term decision** before any major health issue comes up.

Would really appreciate honest experiences and suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

I was thinking of buying a health insurance for my parents. They are around 47 and my dad smokes and drinks frequently. Is there any insurance I can get for them?