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Health insurance · Pre-existing diseases
An existing condition need not stop you getting cover.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid conditions and many others can be covered. The rules are clearer than they used to be; what matters is disclosing honestly and knowing your waiting period.
Reviewed
In short
- Disclose every condition on the proposal form, even one that seems minor.
- A disclosed pre-existing disease is covered after a waiting period of no more than 36 months of continuous cover.
- After 60 continuous months, a policy cannot be contested for non-disclosure except for established fraud.
- Roughly one in nine people who answer the health question when enquiring with Beema1 report an existing condition (Beema1 records, October 2026).
What counts as pre-existing
Broadly, a condition, illness or injury that was diagnosed, or for which medical advice or treatment was recommended or received, within the 36 months before the policy starts. The policy wording carries the exact definition.
The waiting period, and shortening it
Under the 2024 regulations the waiting period for a disclosed pre-existing disease cannot exceed 36 months of continuous cover. Some products offer shorter periods, and some let you reduce it with an add-on at a higher premium.
Moving to another insurer through portability carries the waiting time already served across, subject to the new insurer’s underwriting.
Why disclosure matters more than anything
An insurer may question a claim where a condition was not disclosed. The moratorium limits that: after 60 continuous months of cover, a policy or claim cannot be contested for non-disclosure or misrepresentation except for established fraud.
Health cover check
A starting range to discuss₹15 lakh to ₹25 lakh
A super top-up can add the upper part of this range for less than a larger base policy.
Parents over sixty are usually better on a policy of their own.
Talk to us about health coverA starting range for a conversation, not a recommendation, worked out from where you would be treated, who is covered and their ages. About half of the families buying health cover through Beema1 choose between ₹10 lakh and ₹25 lakh. The right cover depends on your health, budget and the insurer’s terms.
What to check
These decide whether cover is real when you claim. Read them before the premium.
Your waiting period, in writing
The policy schedule or wording should state it. Ask before you pay.
Loadings and exclusions
An insurer may accept you with a premium loading, an exclusion or a longer wait for one condition. Read the acceptance terms.
Specified treatment waiting periods
Separate from the pre-existing wait: some treatments carry their own waiting period, set out in the wording.
Continuity at renewal
Renew on time. A break in cover can restart waiting periods.
Questions people ask
General guidance. Your policy wording decides the specifics.
Will my diabetes be covered from the first day?
Usually not. A disclosed pre-existing disease is covered after the waiting period — at most 36 months under the 2024 regulations — unless the product offers a shorter period.
What if I forgot to mention a condition?
Tell the insurer in writing as soon as possible. A correction made now is far easier than a dispute at claim time.
Does moving my policy restart the waiting period?
Not for time already served: through portability, eligible credits carry across, subject to the new insurer’s underwriting and the cover you held.
Can an insurer refuse me because of a condition?
An insurer may decline, load the premium or exclude the condition after underwriting. A decline by one insurer is not a decline by all.
Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. Benefits depend on the policy terms and the insurer’s decision; read the policy wording before buying.