In 2021, when India’s population stood at 1.39 billion, nearly 514 million people across India were covered under health insurance schemes. Out of these, 342.91 million (24.67%) were covered under government sponsored schemes, 118.7 million (8.53%) under employee health insurance (excluding the state owned) and just 53.14 million (3.82%) were covered under individual health insurance. [1]
However, the situation has been improving in recent years due to various initiatives by the government and insurance companies.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in awareness and demand for health insurance in India. Many people who were previously uninsured have realized the importance of having health insurance during a health crisis, leading to an increase in the number of policyholders.
As of now, there are 32 health insurance companies operating in India comprised of government sector insurers, private insurers, and standalone health insurers.
To increase the penetration of health insurance in India, the government and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) have taken several measures to make health insurance more accessible and understandable to customers.
Read about IRDAI’s mission of Insurance for all by 2047.