Buying your first health insurance policy at 26? Know the cover, add-ons and benefits to compare
Buying health insurance in your 20s may not seem urgent, particularly when you are starting your career and balancing monthly expenses with savings. However, buying a policy early can help you secure coverage while you are young and complete applicable waiting periods before you need certain treatments.
For a young salaried woman earning ₹40,000 a month, choosing a health insurance policy involves balancing affordability with adequate financial protection. The premium is only one consideration. The sum insured, hospital network, exclusions, co-payments and optional benefits can all influence how much you pay out of pocket when you make a claim.
Reader's question: I am 26, female and have a salary of ₹40,000 per month. How should I choose my first health insurance policy, and which add-ons should I consider to ensure adequate coverage while also saving cost?
Amit Jain, chief distribution officer at Aditya Birla Health Insurance, explains what young buyers should consider when purchasing their first health insurance policy and how they can balance coverage with affordability.
The first priority should be choosing an adequate sum insured. Medical expenses can rise significantly when treatment involves hospitalisation, surgery or prolonged care. A policy with insufficient coverage could leave you paying a substantial amount from your savings.
Rather than choosing a plan solely because it has a low premium, compare the coverage it offers and the restrictions that could affect claims. Pay particular attention to room-rent limits, co-payments, disease-specific sub-limits, waiting periods, exclusions and the insurer's cashless hospital network.
A policy with fewer restrictions can offer greater financial protection when you need treatment. Buyers should also check whether their preferred hospitals are part of the insurer's network.
Not every add-on is essential, particularly when you are buying your first policy on a limited budget. Focus on benefits that meaningfully improve coverage without unnecessarily increasing the premium.
A restoration benefit replenishes the sum insured if it is exhausted during the policy year, subject to the policy's terms and conditions. A no-claim or cumulative bonus can increase the available coverage over time if you remain claim-free, depending on the plan.
A super top-up policy is another option for increasing coverage at a potentially lower cost than buying a much larger base policy. It generally covers eligible expenses after a specified deductible is crossed. Check how the deductible applies and whether the policy's conditions suit your existing cover.
The cost and usefulness of these benefits will vary across insurers, so compare their terms before paying extra for them.
Even if maternity expenses are not an immediate concern, it may be worth evaluating this benefit when comparing policies. Maternity coverage often comes with a waiting period, so purchasing a policy only when planning a pregnancy may not provide immediate access to the benefit.
You can also compare plans that offer support for women's health needs at different life stages. However, the precise coverage, eligibility conditions and exclusions vary by policy. These benefits should be evaluated against your likely needs rather than treated as essential features in every plan.
Health insurance plans may offer preventive health check-ups, teleconsultations, nutrition guidance, fitness programmes, mental wellness support and access to health coaches. Some plans also include support for women's health concerns, including PCOS/PCOD and reproductive health.
These features may be useful if they fit your healthcare needs and lifestyle. However, check whether they are included in the base premium or require an additional payment, along with any limits and conditions attached to them.
Outpatient department (OPD) coverage can help pay for eligible expenses such as routine consultations and diagnostic tests that do not require hospitalisation. It may be useful if you frequently visit doctors, but the additional premium should be weighed against the coverage limit and your expected usage.
For a 26-year-old earning ₹40,000 a month, the objective should be to secure an adequate base policy first and add benefits selectively. Comparing policy restrictions, hospital access and the actual value of optional features can help strike a balance between affordability and financial protection.
Kirti jha
Kirti Jha is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she writes on mutual funds, taxation, personal finance and macroeconomic developments. Her reporting focuses on helping readers understand complex financial developments through data-driven, research-backed stories that explain how policy changes, market trends and regulatory decisions affect investors and households. <br><br> Before joining Mint, Kirti worked at ET Money, where she specialised in mutual fund research and investment analysis. She tracked portfolio disclosures, fund manager strategies, sectoral allocation shifts and investment trends, distilling large datasets into investor-focused insights. Her work combined quantitative analysis with consumer-centric storytelling, enabling readers to better understand fund positioning, portfolio changes and long-term investment opportunities.<br><br> Kirti holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and a Master's in Finance from the Jindal School of Banking & Finance at O.P. Jindal Global University. Her academic training emphasised analytical thinking, quantitative research and financial decision-making, providing a strong foundation in understanding capital markets, financial systems and economic policy. With a combined experience in investment research and financial journalism, she is committed to producing accurate, accessible and insightful journalism that empowers readers to make well-informed financial decisions.
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