How to Port Your Health Insurance Policy

Unhappy with your current health insurer''s service, network, or premium? Or perhaps you have found a policy with better features at a comparable price? IRDAI''s portability guidelines allow you to switch your health insurance policy to a new insurer at renewal — and crucially, you can carry over the waiting period credits you have accumulated, so you do not start from scratch on pre-existing disease coverage.

What Portability Protects

When you port, the new insurer must give you credit for the waiting periods you have already served on your previous policy. This includes:

• The initial waiting period (usually 30 days — if you have been insured for more than a year, this is already served)
• Pre-existing disease (PED) waiting periods — if your current insurer''s PED waiting period was 2 years and you have completed 1.5 years, the new insurer can impose only 6 more months
• Specific illness waiting periods for conditions listed in the policy

The new insurer is not required to give you credit beyond what you have already earned — they can impose their own waiting periods for benefits that are entirely new in the new policy (e.g., maternity cover that you did not have before).

Eligibility for Portability

• You must apply for portability at least 45 days before your current policy renewal date — ideally 60 days to allow processing time.
• The policy must be an individual or family floater indemnity health plan (group employer policies can port to individual plans under IRDAI rules, but the process differs).
• There should be no break in coverage between the old and new policy — a lapse of even a few days can forfeit your portability benefits.

The Portability Process Step by Step

1. Identify the new plan: Compare features, network, and premium from multiple insurers before committing.
2. Submit portability application: Apply to the new insurer using the IRDAI portability form (available on the insurer''s website). Include your current policy details and claim history.
3. Current insurer data transfer: The new insurer will request your policy and claims data from your existing insurer through the industry-wide portability portal.
4. Underwriting decision: The new insurer may request a medical examination or additional disclosures before accepting the port.
5. New policy issuance: If approved, the new policy should be issued before your current policy expires. Ensure both dates are aligned.

What the New Insurer Can and Cannot Do

The new insurer can load the premium based on your age, health history, or declared conditions. They cannot deny portability arbitrarily or impose waiting periods that are longer than what remains of the original waiting period for already-disclosed conditions. Any refusal must be communicated in writing with reasons.

NCB and Portability

Under IRDAI guidelines, the new insurer must honour the No-Claim Bonus you have accumulated with your previous insurer. Ensure you receive written confirmation of this from the new insurer before cancelling the old policy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Starting the process too late — 45 days is the minimum, but real-world processing can take longer; start 60 days before renewal.
• Not disclosing existing health conditions fully — non-disclosure can void the new policy.
• Cancelling the old policy before the new one is confirmed in writing.

Conclusion

Health insurance portability is one of the most powerful consumer protections in the Indian insurance market — but it requires proactive planning and correct execution. If your current insurer has disappointed you or you have simply found better value elsewhere, portability is your right. Speak with an advisor on TruePolicy well before your next renewal to compare your porting options and navigate the process without a hitch.