Porting your health insurance? Here's what you need to take care of

Early action, full disclosure, and clear documentation are key to a smooth switch without losing continuity benefits, say experts

Switching your health insurer can be a smart move if done right. Health insurance portability allows you to move from

one insurer to another without losing accrued benefits, such as waiting period credits. But experts caution that poor timing, incomplete paperwork, or non-disclosure of health details can derail the process, leaving you exposed to fresh waiting periods or even policy lapses.

 

Don’t wait till the last moment

“One of the biggest mistakes customers make while porting is to wait until their policy is about to expire,” says Siddharth Singhal, head of health insurance at Policybazaar. If there’s any break in the policy period, for example, if the grace period lapses before the new insurer issues the policy, customers may lose their continuity benefits.

 

Chetan Vasudeva, senior vice president, business development, Elephant.in (Alliance Insurance Brokers), advises initiating the process “at least 45 to 60 days before renewal.” Late submissions often lead to automatic denial of the porting request, he adds.

 

Ankita Srivastava, manager (growth & strategy) at The Healthy Indian Project, concurs, “Submitting it late can delay approval or even cause a policy lapse, leaving the person temporarily uninsured.”

 

When porting makes sense

Porting is ideal when your current policy no longer fits your needs but you want to retain waiting period benefits. 

“It’s worthwhile when you’re looking for a higher sum insured, wider hospital network, or added features such as OPD or maternity cover,” explains Singhal.

 

Srivastava notes that porting is particularly useful when upgrading from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh coverage or when moving to an insurer with stronger hospital tie-ups and smoother claims service.

 

Vasudeva adds that it also makes sense if your insurer has hiked premiums significantly “without enhancing benefits” or if the new insurer offers better claim settlement ratios and customer service.

 

Avoiding rejections

Rejections generally occur due to incomplete disclosures or high perceived health risk. According to Vasudeva, red flags include “advanced age, multiple recent hospitalisations, or undisclosed pre-existing conditions.”

 

Customers should maintain continuous coverage, disclose all medical details, and keep documentation in order. “Transparency and timely renewal are key to avoiding rejection,” stresses Srivastava.

 

Real-life lessons

A 61-year-old customer ported to a policy offering lifetime renewability and a wider hospital network, gaining more coverage at a lower premium despite pre-existing conditions, shares Singhal.

 

Vasudeva recounts contrasting outcomes

 

A 45-year-old software professional benefited from early action and transparent disclosure, securing higher coverage and waived waiting periods. A 50-year-old businessman delayed his porting request and withheld medical details, his application was rejected, leaving him uninsured for two weeks and forcing him to restart waiting periods later.

 

Key takeaways

 

• Start porting 45–60 days before renewal.
• Disclose all health details truthfully.
• Keep your policy active and premium payments on time.
• Compare sum insured, add-ons, and hospital networks before switching.