New Delhi: Care Health Insurance has highlighted a significant trend in women’s financial participation, noting that while women’s health insurance ownership is gradually increasing, a substantial adequacy gap still persists in terms of coverage levels.
According to insights shared by Care Health Insurance on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Indian women are joining the workforce in record numbers.
Government data indicates that women’s employment has nearly doubled to over 40%, with approximately 1.56 crore women entering formal employment over the past seven years.
Despite this rise in economic participation and the expansion of gender-focused policy allocations, Care Health Insurance notes that women’s personal health insurance ownership remains disproportionately low, exposing a continuing self-protection gap.
Women Policyholders Gradually Increasing
Data from Care Health Insurance shows that women proposers currently account for around 28–30% of its individual health insurance portfolio.
The insurer notes that this share has been steadily increasing over the past few years, reflecting a gradual shift toward women independently securing health coverage.
The average sum insured chosen by women policyholders ranges between ₹10 lakh and ₹15 lakh, according to the company’s portfolio data.
While this indicates growing awareness around independent health protection, Care Health Insurance states that challenges related to both ownership and adequacy of coverage still remain.
The company observes that the rise in awareness is taking place against the backdrop of increasing medical inflation and escalating hospitalisation costs, which are encouraging women to consider stronger financial protection for health-related expenses.
Women Increasingly Taking Charge of Health Security
Manish Dodeja, Chief Operating Officer at Care Health Insurance, said: “Women have traditionally been the health anchors of their families, often prioritising everyone else’s well-being before their own. Even as more women take charge of household financial and healthcare decisions, their own long-term health security has often taken a back seat. That dynamic is now beginning to change.
Women proposers today account for nearly a quarter of our individual policy base, and this share has been rising steadily. However, there remains meaningful headroom to strengthen coverage adequacy. As medical costs continue to rise, it is essential that women move to becoming primary policyholders with comprehensive and sustained health insurance.”
According to Care Health Insurance, the gradual rise in women policyholders suggests an evolving mindset where women are increasingly participating in financial decision-making and securing health protection for themselves rather than relying solely on family-based policies.
Also Read: AmeriHealth Homecare and Insurance Samadhan Partner to Simplify Home Healthcare Insurance Claims
Care Health Insurance: Demand Rising for Enhanced Health Insurance Riders
The analysis by Care Health Insurance also reveals that women policyholders are increasingly opting for additional riders that extend coverage beyond standard hospitalisation benefits.
These riders include:
- Maternity benefits, including coverage for IVF and surrogacy as per policy terms
- OPD benefits for outpatient consultations and diagnostics
- Automatic recharge features, which reinstate the sum insured if it gets exhausted during the policy year
- Instant cover options, designed to reduce waiting periods for select treatments
In addition, Care Health Insurance reports a growing preference among women for wellness-linked enhancements. These include women-specific health check-ups and return-of-premium benefits tied to activity milestones, reflecting a shift towards preventive and proactive health management.
Rising Health Risks Strengthen Case for Adequate Coverage
Recent public health statistics indicate that several non-communicable diseases are increasingly affecting women in India. These include:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Cervical cancer
- Breast cancer
- Persistent anaemia
These conditions represent some of the most prevalent and growing health risks among women across age groups, further underscoring the need for stronger financial protection mechanisms.
Care Health Insurance notes that the increasing prevalence of these conditions highlights the importance of adequate health insurance coverage for women.
Insurance Industry Participation Still Uneven
Industry-level data also reflects a broader participation gap within the insurance ecosystem. According to the latest annual report published by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), women account for approximately 34% of life insurance policyholders.
However, the report also notes that women’s representation in distribution roles remains relatively lower. Women make up roughly 29% of the workforce in standalone health insurers and about 32% across the overall insurance industry.
Care Health Insurance points out that this imbalance highlights the need to strengthen both participation and representation within the insurance ecosystem to ensure broader financial inclusion.
Closing the Adequacy Gap
With medical inflation continuing to rise and treatment journeys becoming longer, Care Health Insurance emphasizes that closing the gap between policy ownership and adequate coverage remains essential.
