Health insurance is bought on premium and judged on claims. The gap between those two moments is where most disappointment lives, and almost all of it is avoidable at purchase.
Look past the sum insured
A ten lakh policy with a one percent room-rent cap can pay out far less than a five lakh policy without one. Room-rent limits cascade: exceed the cap and many insurers proportionately reduce the entire bill, not just the room charge.
Read the waiting periods first
Expect roughly 30 days initial waiting for everything except accidents, one to two years for listed conditions, and a longer period for pre-existing conditions. If you have an existing condition, the waiting period is the single most important number in the document.
Floater or individual
A family floater shares one sum insured and costs less. An individual policy gives each person their own. For most young families a floater plus a super top-up is the efficient answer — the top-up buys a large second layer above a deductible for very little money.
Check the network, not just the brand
Cashless treatment only works at network hospitals. Look for the hospitals you would actually use, near where you actually live.
Disclose everything
Every condition, every medication, every prior claim. Non-disclosure is the leading cause of rejected health claims, and it surfaces at the worst possible time.