A new trend is emerging in the health insurance segment: the younger generation and mid-career professionals are increasingly opting for disease-specific health covers, particularly for diabetes. Insurers report that individuals aged 30–40 are actively identifying diseases they are most vulnerable to and choosing targeted insurance policies instead of broad-spectrum health plans.
Rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, high stress, and poor dietary habits are the key drivers behind this shift. With a growing risk of lifestyle diseases, many prefer disease-specific plans, especially for diabetes, to save on premium costs, which are generally lower compared to comprehensive health insurance.
“Now, there are disease-specific covers available, and people have started buying them. Diabetes is particularly popular,” said Sharad Mathur, Managing Director and CEO of Universal Sompo General Insurance, in a statement to businessline.
M Siva Krishna, an IT professional, shared his experience: “I am working almost 16 hours a day without moving from my workstation. After my doctor warned me about the risk of diabetes due to my lifestyle, I decided to buy a diabetes-specific cover.”
Venkatesh Naidu, CEO of Bajaj Capital Insurance Broking, noted that the insurance landscape is undergoing a significant shift, much of it driven by the younger generation. “There has been an 18-20 per cent year-on-year increase in diabetes-related cover inquiries at Bajaj Capital Insurance Broking,” he said.
Ramit Goyal, Chief Distribution Officer at Future Generali India Insurance Company, added that younger populations are more aware and proactive about non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues.
“The 25–35 age cohort is digitally savvy and prefers seamless, paperless policy journeys. They seek personalised covers tailored to their health risks, income levels, and lifestyles, making modular plans and top-ups more attractive than generic bundles,” he explained.
Meanwhile, overall growth in the health insurance segment has slowed. According to the General Insurance Council, the sector recorded a growth rate of 8.98% in FY25, compared to 20.25% in FY24. Gross premium income stood at Rs 1.18 lakh crore in FY25, up from Rs 1.08 lakh crore the previous year.
In the backdrop of rising premiums and increasing claim rejections, many customers are now opting for disease-specific policies, delaying broader health insurance purchases.
