International Health Insurance in India
From marvelous Mumbai to the laid-back beaches of Goa, find peace of mind for you and your loved ones with international health insurance for your time in India
Our choice of 3 simple global plans can protect you in India and 200 other locations.
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Get a quote in under two minutes
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Customizable plan to meet your needs
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24/7 support and assistance available
Why choose Cigna for global health insurance in India?
Wide-ranging cover for medical expenses
We cover inpatient and day patient treatments in India and elsewhere. This can include emergency treatment, hospital charges and mental health support.
Direct billing with many care providers
We can frequently settle costs directly with healthcare providers. Your insurance offers access to care in India and over 200 countries.
Customer care team available 24/7
Our team is on hand 24 hours a day, with customer support day and night. Get advice from a doctor in any time zone.
Our health insurance plans
We provide three main tiers of international health insurance, - Silver, Gold and Platinum – covering you in India and beyond. Our Close Care℠ package, meanwhile, can help protect you in India and your country of origin.
Our medical insurance covers inpatient and day patient treatments. Access support across hospitals in India, from Punjab to Kerala, and in other nations too. There’s cover for hospital nursing charges, diagnostic tests and transplant services.
Key cover also includes:
- Mental healthcare.
- Cancer care and preventative surgery.
- Emergency treatments, including out-of-area care.
You may also receive maternity care, depending on your plan.
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
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Our Silver plan covers day-patient cover, including hospital stays and treatment. | Our Gold policy package includes maternity cover, and dental treatment. This plan could be ideal for you if you’re moving with your family. | Our most extensive insurance package, Platinum gives you and your family access to a broad range of treatments – often paid in full. |
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| Geographic cover | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Worldwide | Worldwide | Worldwide |
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| Overall annual benefit | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
$1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | Unlimited |
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| Inpatient, day-patient and accommodation costs | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Private room paid in full | Private room paid in full | Private room paid in full |
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| Cancer care | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Paid in full | Paid in full | Paid in full |
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| Mental and behavioral healthcare | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Up to $5,000 | Up to $10,000 | Paid in full |
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| Maternity care | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Not included | Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $7,000 | Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $14,000 |
Our Silver plan covers day-patient cover, including hospital stays and treatment.
Our Gold policy package includes maternity cover, and dental treatment. This plan could be ideal for you if you’re moving with your family.
Our most extensive insurance package, Platinum gives you and your family access to a broad range of treatments – often paid in full.
Worldwide
Worldwide
Worldwide
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
Unlimited
Private room paid in full
Private room paid in full
Private room paid in full
Paid in full
Paid in full
Paid in full
Up to $5,000
Up to $10,000
Paid in full
Not included
Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $7,000
Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $14,000
Our essential plan covers you in your country of residence and your home country. You can also add modules to extend this cover, including dental and wider outpatient care. |
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| Geographic cover | Close Care℠ | |
Country you’re living in and home country only |
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| Overall annual benefit | Close Care℠ | |
$500,000 (with $250,000 condition limit) |
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| Inpatient, day-patient and accommodation costs | Close Care℠ | |
Semi-private room paid in full |
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| Cancer care | Close Care℠ | |
Paid in full |
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| Mental and behavioral healthcare | Close Care℠ | |
Not included |
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| Maternity care | Close Care℠ | |
Not included |
Our essential plan covers you in your country of residence and your home country.
You can also add modules to extend this cover, including dental and wider outpatient care.
Country you’re living in and home country only
$500,000 (with $250,000 condition limit)
Semi-private room paid in full
Paid in full
Not included
Not included
How does international health insurance work?
1. Get a free quote and
buy your policy
Build a quote online or give us a call at +44 (0)1475 492119
Choose a plan, customise your deductibles & cost shares, find a cost that meets your needs, and choose how you want to pay. Choose from monthly, quarterly and annual payments.
2. Manage your policy
with our easy app
Manage your health and wellbeing on the go, wherever you may be.
The Cigna Wellbeing® App gives you access to Global Telehealth consultations from anywhere in the world. Use our online customer area to access your policy documents, at any time.
3. Get your treatment
and make a claim
Get in touch with our customer care team to make a claim.
We’ll connect you to a medical expert within 24 hours, via global network of over 2.2 million partnerships.
Direct billing available in most cases, as we liaise directly with your treatment provider.
Expat healthcare cover in India
Cigna’s private health insurance policies can give you access to India’s best-quality healthcare, whether you’re here to study, work, or for extended travel.
Healthcare in India is provided by a network of public and private hospitals. The system can be complex, with many notable differences between areas and regions. All Indian citizens are entitled to public healthcare. But wait times can be long.
For both locals and foreigners, private health insurance can open up access to a wider range of medical treatments in India – and beyond. For example, international medical insurance could help send you to a clinic with top-rated doctors, without the need to pay upfront. It may also cover prescribed medicines, including in more rural parts of India.
Additional benefits as part of your international health insurance cover
Telehealth
consultations
We’re here to support you whenever you need it. Enjoy unlimited phone or video consultations, along with counseling and coaching, in India and beyond.
International cover,
wherever you are
Your international coverage—whether Silver, Gold, or Platinum—provides comprehensive support no matter where you are, ensuring peace of mind wherever you go.
Flexible plans,
made for you
Your health insurance quote is carefully tailored to suit the unique needs of you and your family. Customize it today to fit your budget and ensure comprehensive coverage.
Add more cover to your policy
Once you’ve chosen from our silver, Gold and Platinum packages, make them even more bespoke to you with additional cover.
Our international outpatient insurance provides access to a broad range of healthcare treatments that don’t require admission to a hospital. For example, you can get:
- Consultations with specialists, in-person or online
- Prescribed drugs and dressings
- Radiology and diagnostic tests
- Outpatient rehabilitation
- Cover for hearing aids
This medical insurance add-on covers emergency healthcare and assistance. It could help if there’s a global crisis, or to evacuate you if local treatment can’t help. It can give you:
- Emergency transport to good hospitals.
- Repatriation if you experience a serious medical event
- Crisis response services following travel or security risks
- Help with compassionate travel and living costs
- Travel costs for people who accompany you
Boost your health with insurance for screening, tests and dietetic consultations. There’s also a mental health support program for expats as well.
- Support from wellness coaches
- Access to preventative cancer screenings
- Emotional support from counselors
- Non-symptomatic, routine physical examinations each year
- Transport to a specialist center
Get eye tests and help with the cost of eyewear, plus a wide range of preventative, and routine dental treatments:
- Cover for dental appointments
- Preventative, routine, and major dental treatments
- Routine eye exams
- Support with costs for glasses and lenses
Who comes to us for expat health insurance in India?
International students
India’s universities attract budding intellectuals from all around the world.
From the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore to Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, global health insurance from Cigna can help provide peace of mind for international students in India and beyond.
Mobile workers
Vibrant city jobs, architectural wonders and a fast-growing economy attract all kinds of expat professionals to India.
Whether you’ll be working in Mumbai’s financial services hub, or teaching English and learning yoga in the Himalayas, our personalized plans can be tailored to you and your family’s needs.
Retirees
A typically low cost of living attracts many people to India to enjoy their later years.
Returning to your cultural roots, or seeking out a golden hour in the tropics? Seniors’ insurance helps over-60s to access convenient and useful medical care. You could get support with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, as well as cancer treatments and more.
More information about healthcare in India
Hospitals: More than 27,000 across the country (Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2024)
Healthcare ranking: 103 out of 167 countries (Legatum Institute Foundation, 2023)
Useful drug names: Paracetamol may be sold under brand names such as Tolo, Tylenol or Panadol. Some Indian states advise against taking ibuprofen or aspirin without a doctor’s note.
Drug regulations: Some drugs that are legal in your home country may be banned in India. This includes some Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs containing codeine syrup. If you use painkillers, or other prescription medications, please check before you travel.
Emergency services number (while in India): 112, or 102 for an ambulance
Cigna claim number (while in India): +44 (0) 1475 788182
You should head to your nearest hospital if you experience a medical emergency in India. They may ask for partial or full upfront payment if you don’t have insurance.
If you can’t get to hospital yourself, call for an ambulance on 102. You might need to pay for this.
Private health insurance can often help reimburse you in the event of unexpected emergency costs.
In 2022, 90% of India’s residents were found to be more vulnerable to health issues due to heatwaves. Air conditioning and loose-fitting clothing can help locals and expats alike stay cool, but you should seek medical advice if you are concerned.
For detailed advice on air quality, heatwaves, and other climate factors that could impact your health, visit the India Meteorological Department.
Frequently asked questions about health insurance in India
Health insurance costs vary in India and will depend on your situation, healthcare needs and which plan you go for. Get in touch today to find out how Cigna can help – and choose whether you want to pay monthly, quarterly or annually.
Without health insurance, you may need to pay medical fees in full. These may also be higher than for insured people – up to 10% more so, according to the Times of India. Even in state hospitals, fees can quickly build up.
Almost 63% of healthcare in India is funded by out-of-pocket payments, so having private medical insurance can offer peace of mind should you require unforeseen treatment or urgent care.
The tiered public healthcare system in India is made up of:
- Sub Health Centers. These health centers may be urban or rural. They are the most ‘local’ part of the public health system, and connect directly with the community.
- Primary Health Centers. These are mostly rural, and serve a remote population.
- Continuity Health Centers. These provide secondary healthcare, alongside sub-district hospitals.
- District hospitals, general hospitals and medical colleges. These provide tertiary care, and more specialized services.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, employees working in India must be covered by health insurance. The responsibility for obtaining group medical insurance lies with the employer.
Individual or family medical insurance remains optional, however – though there are many ways in which it can be beneficial.
Overseas students do not get free healthcare in India. All non-citizens in India, including international students, will need to pay out of pocket for the care they receive in both public and private hospitals.
To make sure healthcare is affordable during your time in India, you can take out international student health insurance.
No, UK citizens don’t get free healthcare in India. The Ayushman Bharat program is for the local population only. Expats or people traveling to India can get treatment at public hospitals, but only by paying out of pocket.
The standard of public healthcare in India can vary greatly depending on where you are. Major cities in India generally offer a much better standard, although the government is working on improving healthcare across the country. Private healthcare is widely considered to be a preferred option, even for many locals.