Irdai allows insurers to offer Arogya Sanjeevani as group insurance policy

Regulator Irdai on Friday permitted health insurance companies to offer Arogya Sanjeevani Policy as a group health insurance product, with a view to expand the coverage of insurance to employees working in business establishments.

Arogya Sanjeevani Policy, whether in individual or group form, will also cover treatment of Covid-19 disease, said Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai).

The group policy is expected to provide protection to a large number of employees engaged in manufacturing, services, SMEs, MSMEs, logistics sector and migrant workers, catering to their medical needs, the regulator said.

It will also to be useful to various private and public establishments for covering the medical needs of their employees.

Unlike the standard Arogya Sanjeevani policy, Irdai said, the insurers will be allowed to fix their own minimum and maximum sum insured limits under the group policy.

"Insurers are allowed to use the standard product name for the group policy after adding the word 'group' provided all terms and conditions as applicable to the standard individual policy remain the same except the premium rate and the specification on operation of group policy," it said.

The regulator has recently modified the norms of Arogya Sanjeevani Policy for individuals by allowing the health insurers to offer a minimum sum insured of less than Rs 1 lakh and maximum of greater than Rs 5 lakh.

Arogya Sanjeevani policy includes hospitalisation, pre and post hospitalisation, AYUSH treatment, and cataract treatment.

It is a standardised insurance product offering to take care of the basic requirements of policyholders.

Earlier this week, the regulator had allowed the health insurers to offer the short-term 'Corona Kavach' as a standard group insurance policy to help public, private sector companies and other business entities to provide insurance cover to their employees.