Shift to meaningful protectionWith the removal of GST on individual health cover, policyholders decided to invest savings into securing a larger cover reflecting the positive change this reform brought to policyholders. The awareness is deepening well beyond metros with tier-3 cities now accounting for a dominant share (70%) of health cover purchases. In health cover, buyers were split with 61% opting for annual payments, and 35% choosing monthly. Besides, a spike of about 15% in purchases on GST exemption and the sharp rise in festive periods showed insurance decisions still influenced by timing. 2025 firmly cemented the fact that insurance is moving away from being an impulsive purchase to being a conscious choice towards financial stability.

Source: The Hindu January 19, 2026 01:11 UTC