Insured, but not covered

Summary: A valid policy. An empanelled hospital. A legitimate treatment. And a denied cashless claim. This is happening more often than insurers would like you to know. And the number that most policyholders use to compare policies doesn't capture it.

Summary: A valid policy. An empanelled hospital. A legitimate treatment. And a denied cashless claim. This is happening more often than insurers would like you to know. And the number that most policyholders use to compare policies doesn't capture it. You buy health insurance for one reason: so that when you are hospitalised, money is not your biggest worry. But increasingly, even with a valid policy, an empanelled hospital and a legitimate treatment, cashless claims are being denied. This is not a fringe issue. According to IRDAI’s Bima Bharosa portal, FY2024-25 saw 1,37,361 grievances linked to general and health insurance, a 45 per cent spike year-on-year, with nearly 69 per cent of those being claim-related. So, while it’s true that the system is

This article was originally published on April 20, 2026.