### Health Insurance Portability in India

Yes, you can port your health insurance plan in India. Portability allows you to switch from one insurer to another without losing key benefits like accumulated No-Claims Bonus (NCB), waiting periods for pre-existing diseases, or coverage continuity. This feature was introduced by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in 2011 and remains fully operational under the current guidelines as of 2025, with no major changes reported in recent updates.

#### What Does Portability Cover?

– **Benefits Retained**: Your new policy will honor the credit from your old one, such as:

– Reduced waiting periods for pre-existing conditions (e.g., if you’ve served 2 years on a 4-year wait, it carries over).

– NCB, which can increase your sum insured by 10-50% per claim-free year.

– Sum insured continuity, so you don’t start from scratch.

– **Limitations**: You can only port to a **similar policy type** (e.g., individual to individual, family floater to family floater). You cannot change the fundamental structure or add unrelated riders during porting. Group policies (like employer-sponsored) are not portable to individual plans.

#### Eligibility Criteria

– You must have an active health insurance policy (individual, family, or group convertible to individual).

– The policy should be expiring or due for renewal—no mid-term porting allowed.

– Applies to policies from general or standalone health insurers (life insurers’ health riders may have restrictions).

– No age-based exclusions under 2025 IRDAI rules, as entry age limits have been removed for most plans.

#### Step-by-Step Process to Port

1. **Choose a New Insurer**: Research and select a policy from another IRDAI-approved insurer that matches or improves your current coverage.

2. **Apply 45 Days Before Renewal**: Submit a portability request to the **new insurer** at least 45 days prior to your current policy’s expiry date. Include your current policy details and a completed IRDAI Portability Form (available on insurer websites or IRDAI portal).

3. **Data Transfer**: The new insurer will fetch your policy and claims history from the old insurer via the Insurance Information Bureau (IIB) portal (iib.gov.in). This is automated and web-based.

4. **Underwriting and Approval**: The new insurer reviews your details (within 15 days). They can only reject based on non-portable reasons (e.g., fraud history). Premiums may differ based on age, health, or sum insured.

5. **Renewal Confirmation**: Pay the premium for the new policy. Your old policy ends seamlessly, and coverage continues without interruption. The entire process must complete as per IRDAI timelines (old insurer responds within 7-15 days).

#### Key Rules and Timelines (IRDAI Guidelines)

| Aspect | Rule/Details |

|——–|————-|

| **Notice Period** | At least 45 days before renewal; late applications can be rejected. |

| **Response Time** | Old insurer: 7 days for data; New insurer: 15 days for decision. |

| **Rejection Grounds** | Limited to material changes in health or fraud; cannot deny for better premiums elsewhere. |

| **Premium Changes** | New insurer may quote higher/lower premiums based on risk, but benefits stay intact. |

| **Agent Commission** | No commission for agents on ported policies to encourage fair switches. |

#### Important Tips

– **Start Early**: Delays can lead to coverage gaps, which reset waiting periods.

– **Compare Options**: Use platforms like Policybazaar or IRDAI’s portal to evaluate plans.

– **2025 Updates**: Recent IRDAI guidelines emphasize inclusivity (e.g., no upper age limits for at least one product per insurer) but don’t alter portability rules. Always check for personalized quotes, as premiums depend on your profile.

– **If Denied**: You can approach the Insurance Ombudsman for free resolution.

For the latest forms or to initiate, visit the IRDAI policyholder portal (policyholder.gov.in) or contact your insurers directly. If you provide more details about your current policy, I can help refine this further!Why should you port your health insurance plan? Experts list 4 top reasons
There are several reasons why policyholders tend to port their insurance policy. These include a change in life stage or a bad experience with the current insurer.
Vimal Chander Joshi
Published19 Sep 2025, 08:24 PM IST

It is not uncommon to port a medical insurance policy from one insurer to another.
Health insurance: In view of skyrocketing medical costs, getting medical insurance cover is no longer a luxury but a necessity for most of us. Once you are tied to one insurer, you may get stifled for a variety of reasons. This could be because of high premiums, small coverage or restrictive clauses.

What can you do in such a case? Well, you could simply port your health insurance plan to another insurer. There are multiple reasons for which you could consider porting your insurance plan. Let us find more on this here.

Some common reasons for porting

I. Better coverage for the same premium: Sometimes, you want a better or higher coverage at the same insurance premium. In such a scenario, you may want to port your insurance plan.

“The main factor to consider is if the price and terms of the new insurer are significantly better. Over time, insurers can introduce products with new features or lower prices, and a good way to get access to these is through porting,” says Kapil Mehta, Co-founder, SecureNow.

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“One driver to switch is inevitable premium optimisation. With new products coming out onto the market and competitive pricing options, switching sometimes gives policyholders a much broader cover in exchange for sustainable pricing,” says Arun Ramamurthy, Co-founder, Staywell.Health.

II. Change in life stage: One more reason to port the health insurance plan is a change in the life stage, for instance, marriage and children. “Life stage changes, such as a wedding or having children, are another key trigger, as they often require a higher sum insured or broader benefits. The biggest advantage of porting is that you can carry forward your continuity benefits, including waiting periods already served and accrued No Claim Bonus,” says Siddharth Singhal, Head, Health Insurance, Policybazaar

III. Restrictive clauses: Another reason could be that the restrictive clauses of your current plan have made it too unsavoury. For instance, the number of hospitals is small, some common ailments are not covered, etc.

“Porting also makes sense if your current plan has restrictive clauses like room rent limits or co-payments, as switching allows you to access policies with more flexible terms,” adds Singhal of Policybazaar.

IV. Bad experiences with claims: Another common reason for porting the insurance plan is that you had a bad experience with your insurer, which, explains one expert, motivated you to look for an alternative one.

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“If someone had some claim experience that was less than satisfactory, whether it be delays, rejection of their claim, or service to deal with their claim experience, they may decide to port to an insurer with better transparency and claim settlement experience,” says Ramamurthy.
— Read on www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/why-should-you-port-your-health-insurance-plan-experts-list-4-top-reasons/amp-11758286075946.html