Health Insurance Portability: How to Transfer Your Policy Hassle-Free
Health Insurance is a long-term protection tool but is technically a one year contract. A product or insurer that suits a customer today might not fit their future needs and hence portability, i.e. shifting of policy from one insurer to the other, is allowed. There are many benefits of porting health insurance policy, but it’s a decision that should be taken after due consideration. Regulators have been trying to make the process simpler by making porting of health insurance policy online easy for the customers, but it is still a complex process. In this article, we will try to simplify the process of health insurance portability.
The Basics of Health Insurance Portability
In India, policyholders can switch health insurers without losing accumulated benefits thanks to health insurance portability. Health insurance portability was introduced by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in 2011 with the purpose of giving customers a choice to shift their insurers if they were not satisfied with its services, without having to compromise on their insurance benefits. Key benefits of porting a health insurance policy are that the customers can migrate to another insurer for better coverage without having to bear the burden of waiting periods and pre-existing conditions anew. The time that they have spent with their previous health insurer will be accounted for. The two conditions for portability are:
The customer should have held the previous policy without any break or lapsation. Even if a lapsed policy is renewed, it won’t be eligible for portability.
The customer has to qualify the underwriting criteria that their new health insures might set. Portability is thus a customer privilege and not a right.
Rules for portability of health insurance in 2025
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Eligibility for health insurance portability:
To avail the benefits of porting of health insurance policy, following eligibility criteria are required to be met:
A customer can port policies between different products of the same insurance company or between different insurance companies.
Health insurance portability between insurers is allowed both in individual and family policy health insurance policies.
A group health insurance policy, like offered by employers to their employees, can also be ported to an individual health insurance policy, but this is allowed only with the same insurer.
Portability is allowed only if the new policy has the same or higher sum assured.
When can I Port my health insurance policy?
Portability is to be done only at the time of renewal.
The policyholder has to apply for portability 45 days before the renewal date of the current policy.
The new insurer has to respond within 7 working days of the customer request being made.
What are Retention/Continuity Benefits under health insurance porting and do they cover the No Claim Bonus (NCB)?
One of the pre-condition of portability is that the new insurer should allow continuity in awaiting periods for pre-existing disease, for a duration at least equal to the previous policy. This means that whatever time the customer has spent in the previous policy must be deducted in the new waiting period.
For example, if a customer ports after two years, and the new insurer has a waiting period of 3 years for the product the customer is porting to, in that case the customer will have to serve only one year in waiting period. In this same example, suppose the customer has finished the waiting period of 3 years then the coverage has to be given without any waiting period whatsoever.
While porting, the No claim bonus (NCB), if applicable in the previous policy, is also ported. In case the same is not true, then the new insurer to whom the customer is porting has to give a reason for the same. Hence, it is very important for the customer to clarify about the applicability of NCB.
Health Insurance portability applies only to pure insurance covers and thus if the previous policy had value added services like health checkups, premium discounts on healthy lifestyle, gym membership etc. those will not be covered.
How to Port your Health Insurance Policy online
Most insurers have online process options available to ease the portability process. But if you want, you can go through an intermediary as well. If the New Insurer has a portability section on its website, complete the necessary forms there.
Download and Upload Required Documents: In this step, you will have to upload digital copies of your present policy, portability form, and any other documents as required.
Monitor Application Progress: The online portal allows you to track the status of your portability request. As per law, the insurer has to give you their underwriting decision, accepting or rejecting your application within 15 working days of receiving your request.
Update: Keep your new insurance company informed by reaching out to their customer service department regularly to check on the status of your new policy and any additional requirements.
Key benefits of Health Insurance Portability
Enhanced Coverage Options: With new technologies and regulations, the health insurance sector is continuously creating more innovative and customer friendly products. Health Insurance portability ensures that the policyholders have an option and can select better coverage, additional benefits, or services that were missing from their old policy.
Pushes Innovation: As there is a threat that in case their service levels or product innovation is lagging, the customer can go to a competitor, the health insurance industry is kept on it toes and has to constantly innovate and offer enhanced products and customer service.
Better Customer Service & competitive pricing: Moving to an insurer with better customer service should result in a better experience. Portability also enables policyholders to select carriers that offer comparable or superior coverage but at lower premiums.
Continuity of benefits: Retention of waiting period benefits for pre-existing conditions & specific disease is carried forward to the new policy with portability. This ensures that customers don’t have to choose between customer service and coverage. They can move as per their convenience.
Key risks of health insurance portability
Risk of Rejection: The new insurer’s decision regarding acceptance or rejection of the portability request remains entirely at their underwriting judgment. This rejection becomes part of any future insurance applications.
Premium Revisions: Depending on the policyholder’s age, medical history, as well as other risk factors, the new insurer may revise the scale of the premium.
Differences in Coverage: Even though the sum assured of the policy might be the same, the new policy may not include all the same benefits as the previous one, creating potential gaps in coverage. For example, the room rent limits in the two policies can be different in spite of the same sum assured.
Complex process: The process of portability goes through documentation and approval by insurers, resulting in uncertainty about the coverage for a certain time.
Reasons why your portability application might be rejected
Incomplete Documentation: A common reason for rejection is failure to provide all required documents or inaccuracies in the information provided. For example, pre-existing medical conditions. Portability could be rejected if the new insurer finds a greater risk based on pre-existing medical conditions.
Disregarding Timelines: A policy renewal without 45-day advance notice will lead to rejection.
Age Limits: Some insurers refuse to take on new policyholders over a certain age, which can weigh against portability for older applicants.
Claims Record: If the member has a record of multiple claims or large claims in the past, the new insurer might not be willing to grant portability due to this.
Four Steps To Smoothly porting your Health Insurance
Porting health insurance is much like purchasing a new policy. Therefore, the precautions remain identical.
Policy Evaluation: Conduct a comprehensive comparison between the terms and conditions, coverage options, and exclusions of the new policy.
Early application: The portability process must be initiated at least 45 days before the renewal date of your current policy.
Provide accurate documentation: Be sure to fill out and submit all necessary forms and documents in a timely manner.
Transparent and honest disclosures: Give complete and honest information on your medical history and conditions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Health insurance portability allows you to switch insurers without losing accumulated benefits like waiting period credits or no-claim bonuses.
Yes, you can port your policy across states, as most insurers provide nationwide coverage. Just ensure the new insurer has a network in your new location.
You can get better service, more suitable plans, and improved features without restarting waiting periods for pre-existing conditions.
Submit a portability request at least 45 days before renewal. Upload your existing policy details and health documents on the new insurer’s portal.
No new waiting period is imposed for existing conditions if the porting is done on time. However, new additions to coverage may have fresh waiting periods.
Pankaj Nawani is an accomplished insurance professional with over 20 years of industry experience. His journey has reinforced two key beliefs: that insurance is a powerful force for good and that India needs significantly more of it. Passionate about transforming the sector, Pankaj is on a mission to redefine insurance for India, focusing on innovation across products, sales, and servicing. He collaborates with visionary entrepreneurs, founders, and investors to bring this vision to life.
