Health insurance portability in India: what to check before switching
A cheaper health policy is not automatically a better one. Portability decisions should preserve valuable continuity while comparing exclusions, co-payments, hospital access and real protection.
Direct answer
Direct answer
You can port an eligible health-insurance policy to another insurer, and IRDAI says portability can transfer eligible credits such as sum insured, no-claim bonus, specific waiting periods, pre-existing-disease waiting periods and the moratorium period. But portability is not a reason to cancel your old policy before the new insurer has accepted you. Compare coverage, exclusions, underwriting, hospital access and continuity benefits — not premium alone.
Key takeaways
- • IRDAI says portability is available at renewal for eligible individual, family floater and group health policies.
- • Eligible continuity credits can include sum insured, no-claim bonus, waiting periods and the moratorium period.
- • IRDAI currently describes the moratorium as 60 continuous months of coverage, including portability and migration.
- • Current IRDAI consumer guidance says waiting periods, including PED waiting periods, may be up to 36 months.
- • Premium is only one decision factor; exclusions, co-pay, deductible, room restrictions and hospital access can materially change out-of-pocket risk.
DeepScreen original framework
What this guide adds
The DeepScreen PORT portability checklist separates protection quality from price: Protection first, Old-policy continuity, Read the new policy, and Transfer before termination.
What does health insurance portability actually transfer?
Portability is designed to preserve eligible continuity credits when you move from one insurer to another at renewal.
IRDAI defines portability as the facility for a health-insurance policyholder to transfer credits gained for pre-existing diseases and specific waiting periods from one insurer to another. [1]
IRDAI's current consumer guidance says indemnity-policy portability or migration can transfer credits including sum insured, no-claim bonus, specific waiting periods, PED waiting period and moratorium-period credit. [1]
Use the DeepScreen PORT portability checklist
PORT stands for Protection, Old-policy continuity, Read, and Transfer.
| Step | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| P — Protection | Sum insured, room rules, co-pay, deductible, exclusions, restoration and hospital network | A lower premium can still produce higher out-of-pocket risk |
| O — Old-policy continuity | Original start date, uninterrupted renewals, waiting periods served, claims and prior sum-insured increases | Continuity has financial value |
| R — Read | Policy wording, Customer Information Sheet and benefit schedule | Marketing summaries do not show every restriction |
| T — Transfer | Complete portability before voluntarily terminating existing protection | Avoid an uninsured gap |
Why the 60-month moratorium matters
Long, continuous coverage can become more valuable over time because IRDAI's moratorium rules restrict contestability after the required period, subject to fraud and the treatment of enhanced sums insured.
IRDAI currently states that after 60 continuous months of health-insurance coverage, including portability and migration, a policy and claim cannot be contested on grounds of non-disclosure or misrepresentation except established fraud. [1]
IRDAI also states that when the sum insured is enhanced, the 60-month period applies separately from the date of enhancement to the enhanced limits. [1]
Check waiting-period credit before you compare premiums
The value of years already served can be more important than a small first-year premium saving.
IRDAI's current consumer guidance says the maximum waiting period under a health-insurance policy, including PED waiting period, can be up to 36 months. Portability can transfer eligible waiting-period credit rather than automatically restarting from zero. [1]
Build a portability comparison before you apply
Put the existing and proposed policy side by side using the fields that can change real claim outcomes.
| Check | Existing policy | Proposed policy |
|---|---|---|
| Base sum insured | ₹___ | ₹___ |
| PED waiting credit served | ___ months | Credit recognised: ___ |
| Specific waiting periods | ___ | ___ |
| Moratorium continuity | ___ months | ___ months recognised |
| Room restriction | ___ | ___ |
| Co-pay | ___% | ___% |
| Deductible | ₹___ | ₹___ |
| Preferred hospitals in network | ___ | ___ |
| Major exclusions | ___ | ___ |
| Annual premium | ₹___ | ₹___ |
Worked example: ₹4,000 cheaper is not the whole decision
A visible premium saving should be weighed against continuity and coverage differences that can be much larger during a claim.
Assume Arjun has maintained continuous health cover for 48 months and finds a new policy that is ₹4,000 cheaper per year. Before switching, he should confirm the continuity credit the acquiring insurer recognises, whether his preferred hospitals remain available, whether new co-pays or sub-limits apply, and how any higher sum insured is treated.
The ₹4,000 saving is easy to measure. The value of keeping suitable protection and continuity is harder to see, so the decision should be based on total protection rather than premium alone.
Run this protection review before every renewal
Annual review reduces the chance of discovering an important restriction only when you need to claim.
- • Update family and medical information accurately.
- • Check whether the current sum insured remains suitable.
- • Verify nearby hospitals you would realistically use.
- • Review exclusions, co-pay, deductible and room eligibility.
- • Keep old schedules and renewal receipts as continuity evidence.
- • Start portability comparison early enough to meet the current process timelines.
FAQ
Common questions
- Can I move my health insurance to another insurer?
- Eligible health policies can be ported at renewal under the IRDAI framework, subject to the acquiring insurer's process and underwriting.
- Do I lose all my waiting-period history when I port?
- Not necessarily. IRDAI provides for transfer of eligible continuity credits, including specific and pre-existing-disease waiting-period credits.
- What is the health-insurance moratorium period?
- IRDAI currently describes it as 60 continuous months of coverage, including portability and migration, subject to its rules and separate treatment of enhanced sums insured.
- Is the cheapest health-insurance policy the best one?
- No. Compare premium with coverage, exclusions, co-pay, deductible, hospital network, room rules and your actual protection needs.
- Can I hide an illness because I already served a waiting period?
- No. Answer proposal and underwriting questions truthfully and completely. Portability does not justify withholding requested medical information.
- Should I cancel the old policy before applying for portability?
- Avoid creating an uninsured gap. Complete the portability process according to current rules and confirm the new cover and terms before voluntarily giving up existing protection.
Continue your research
Sources
References
- [1] Health Department — Health Insurance Consumer FAQs · Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India · accessed 6 October 2026. Primary/source page
Editorial disclosure
DeepScreen is a financial-research platform. This article is educational and is not personalized investment, tax or legal advice. Market data, regulations, contract specifications and issuer disclosures can change; verify the latest exchange, issuer and regulator material before acting.
Author: Sooraj, Founder of DeepScreen. Facts were checked against the cited regulator, exchange, industry-association and issuer sources on 6 October 2026. No independent credentialed reviewer has been claimed.