Is ₹5 Lakh Health Insurance Enough? Think Again.

Sum insured is a limit, not a promise

The sum insured is the maximum the insurer will pay in a policy year, subject to the policy terms. It is a ceiling — sub-limits, co-payment and exclusions can all reduce what is actually paid.

Questions that decide whether ₹5 lakh fits

• Is the policy an individual plan or a family floater shared by several members?
• Which hospitals would you actually go to in an emergency, and what do they typically charge?
• Do you live in a metro, where treatment costs are generally higher?
• Are elderly parents included in the same floater?
• Does the policy have room-rent or ICU limits that could reduce the payable amount?

A floater is shared, not multiplied

In a family floater, the sum insured is shared across all insured members during the policy year. One significant hospitalisation can use most of it, leaving less for anyone else until renewal.

The lower-cost way to increase cover

A super top-up plan sits above a deductible and is generally priced lower than an equivalent increase in base cover. It is not a replacement for base cover — the two are meant to work together. Suitability depends on your existing policy's terms.