March 2026: As more Indian women enter the workforce and gain financial independence, awareness around personal health protection is gradually increasing. However, a significant gap remains in terms of adequate health insurance coverage, according to insights shared by Care Health Insurance on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
Recent government data indicates that women’s employment in India has nearly doubled to over 40 per cent, with 1.56 crore women joining formal jobs in the past seven years. Despite this progress in economic participation and gender-focused policy support, women’s ownership of personal health insurance policies continues to remain relatively low, highlighting a persistent self-protection gap.
According to Care Health Insurance, women proposers currently account for around 28–30 per cent of its individual health insurance portfolio, with the share steadily increasing in recent years. The average sum insured chosen by women ranges between ₹10–15 lakh, indicating growing awareness about the need for independent and adequate coverage amid rising medical inflation and increasing hospitalisation costs.
Commenting on the trend, Manish Dodeja, Chief Operating Officer at Care Health Insurance, said women have traditionally played the role of health custodians within families, often prioritising the well-being of others before their own.
He noted that while more women are now taking charge of household financial and healthcare decisions, their personal health security has often taken a back seat. “Women proposers today account for nearly a quarter of our individual policy base, and this share continues to rise. However, there is still considerable scope to strengthen coverage adequacy. With medical costs escalating, it is crucial for women to become primary policyholders with comprehensive and sustained health insurance protection,” he said.
The company also highlighted a growing shift in policy preferences among women, with many opting for additional riders and enhanced benefits that go beyond standard hospitalisation coverage. These include maternity benefits such as IVF and surrogacy (as per policy terms), outpatient department (OPD) benefits for consultations and diagnostics, automatic recharge features that restore the sum insured if exhausted during a policy year, and instant cover options that reduce waiting periods for certain treatments.
In addition, wellness-linked features are gaining traction among women policyholders. These include women-specific preventive health check-ups and return-of-premium benefits linked to activity milestones, reflecting a broader move toward preventive and proactive health management.
Public health data also underscores the importance of stronger health protection for women. Non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cervical cancer and breast cancer, along with widespread anaemia, remain among the most prevalent health concerns affecting women across age groups in India.
Data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) further reveals that women account for around 34 per cent of life insurance policyholders in the country. However, their participation within the industry ecosystem remains lower, representing about 29 per cent in standalone health insurers and roughly 32 per cent across the broader insurance sector.
With healthcare costs rising and treatment journeys becoming increasingly prolonged, industry experts believe that bridging both the participation and coverage adequacy gap will be crucial to strengthening women’s long-term financial resilience and reducing financial vulnerability.
