Health insurance writing for the hard cases.
Guides, anonymised cases, and plan comparisons by Bishan Kumar Agarwal. Written like a senior advisor talking to a friend with a complex condition — not like a brochure.
Sorted by most recent
How much term cover you actually need — the income-multiple, the debt-haircut, and the dependent line
The rule-of-thumb says 10× annual income. The rule is wrong for most families. Here is the actual math.
Goal-led vs market-led investing — why we plan backwards from the goal
A market-led portfolio asks what is working right now. A goal-led portfolio asks what this money needs to do in 12 years. The difference compounds.
Term-insurance claim rejections — the reasons and how to avoid them
Term insurance pays out 95%+ of properly-filed claims. The 5% that get rejected almost always lose for the same three reasons.
The first-time buyer's health-insurance checklist
Twelve questions to answer before buying your first health plan. Answer them once and avoid the four most common regrets at the 36-month mark.
Porting health insurance with a pre-existing disease — what carries over, what doesn’t
Porting is your right. Porting at the same premium and coverage is not guaranteed. Here is what actually transfers and what the new insurer can still do.
Why health claims get rejected — non-disclosure and how to declare right
The number-one reason claims are repudiated is non-disclosure — not fraud, not exclusion. Here is how to declare correctly and protect your contract.
Waiting periods explained — initial, specific-illness, PED, and the one that catches most people
Three waiting periods in every Indian health policy. Two are short. One is long. Confusing them is how families end up uncovered.
Hypertension and thyroid — the ‘minor’ conditions that still trip declarations
These are the conditions people assume are too small to mention on the form. When a cardiac event or thyroid storm leads to a claim, it is the omission that kills it — not the condition.
Mental health cover — parity on paper, friction in practice
Mental health must be covered at parity with physical health — that is the rule. The practice is sub-limits, exclusions, and underwriting that treats depression like a pre-existing knee surgery.
HIV-positive cover under the IRDAI 2023 mandate — the gap between the rule and the practice
IRDAI mandated coverage for HIV-positive applicants. The mandate is real. The friction is also real. Here is what happens when you actually walk into the underwriting room.
Cancer in remission — when health cover becomes possible again
The standard line is 'no cover for 5 years post-cancer.' That has been wrong for several common cancers since at least 2020. Here is what actually happens.
Cardiac cover after bypass or angioplasty — when, with whom, at what loading
Post-bypass patients are often told no insurer will touch them. That's been wrong for a decade. Yes, cover is possible — with the right timing, documentation, and a careful application.
Diabetes on tablets — what changes vs insulin (and what doesn't)
Tablets-only diabetes is underwritten differently than insulin. The gap matters more than you think — and one thing never changes: the declaration.
Health insurance with insulin-dependent diabetes: here’s what actually works
Insulin-dependent diabetes is one of the trickiest conditions to insure in India. Trickiest doesn’t mean impossible — the answer is usually about which insurer, and how you present the file.
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