NRI Demand for India Health Insurance at Record High
Purchases of Indian health insurance policies by non-resident Indians jumped 126% year-on-year in the 12 months to February 2026, according to data released by the General Insurance Council. Gulf countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman — collectively account for 49% of NRI health insurance purchases by premium volume, with UAE alone contributing 22%.
Key Drivers
Several factors are driving the surge. The ongoing Iran conflict has heightened awareness of geopolitical and security risks among the Indian diaspora in the Gulf, many of whom are accelerating contingency planning including ensuring their parents and family members in India have health coverage. Medical tourism flows from Gulf to India have also increased, making domestic Indian health cover more valuable as a co-payment mechanism.
Digital distribution has been transformative. InsuranceDekho, Policybazaar, and Coverfox all report 3x–5x increases in NRI health insurance issuances over the past 18 months, driven almost entirely by app and web purchases. The ability to buy and renew Indian health policies digitally without visiting a branch — including DocuSign-based KYC — has removed the primary friction point that historically limited NRI insurance purchases.
Popular Products
Star Health Insurance's "Family Health Optima" and Niva Bupa's "ReAssure 2.0" are the two most popular products among NRIs. Both offer sum insured options from ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore, restore benefits, and no-claim bonus provisions. Premiums for a ₹10 lakh family floater covering parents aged 55–65 in India range from ₹35,000 to ₹65,000/year.
