How to Keep Your Health Insurance Premiums in Check: 6 Smart Strategies to Save Big

Rising medical costs and soaring health insurance premiums have become a serious concern for many families, especially after the pandemic. In recent years, premiums for health policies—particularly for senior citizens—have jumped significantly, making it harder for people to renew their coverage without straining their budgets.

The good news? With the right planning and a few strategic choices, you can keep your premiums under control without compromising on coverage. Here are six expert-recommended ways to make your health policy more affordable while still ensuring strong protection.

1. Use a Deductible to Lower Costs

A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurer starts covering the expenses. Opting for a higher deductible—₹5,000 or ₹10,000—can reduce your premium by 10–20%.

According to Akanksha Jain, Head of Products at Digit Insurance, pairing a deductible with a super top-up plan allows you to enjoy extensive coverage at a lower cost. This combination works especially well for covering major medical treatments without paying excessively high premiums.

2. Invest in a Super Top-Up Plan

A super top-up plan kicks in when your base health policy coverage is exhausted. For example, if you have a ₹5 lakh base policy and a ₹10 lakh super top-up, and you face a ₹7 lakh hospital bill, the first ₹5 lakh will be paid by your base policy, and the remaining ₹2 lakh will come from the top-up plan.

Super top-ups are often more affordable than increasing the base sum insured and are useful when your annual medical expenses exceed the deductible or the base coverage limit.

3. Take Advantage of Premium Discounts

Many insurers offer attractive discounts that can reduce your premiums by 10–20%. Choosing a long-term policy—two or three years instead of renewing annually—often comes with cost benefits.

Family floater plans can also be more economical, as they cover multiple members under a single policy. Additionally, insurers may reward you with discounts if you already hold other policies with them, such as motor or home insurance.

4. Maintain Regular Health Check-Ups

Some insurance companies reward policyholders who stick to a regular health check-up schedule. Detecting illnesses early not only reduces medical costs but can also lower your premium over time.

For instance, Aditya Birla Health Insurance’s “HealthReturns” program offers up to 100% premium cashback if you meet specific wellness targets—such as walking 10,000 steps daily, burning 300 calories at the gym, or maintaining a healthy heart score for 325 days in a year.

5. Consider Policy Portability

If your current insurer’s premiums are too high, you can switch to another provider during renewal without losing the benefits of your existing policy.

However, portability is only allowed at the time of renewal, so it’s important to review your options well in advance. A better plan with lower costs could save you a significant amount in the long run.

6. Choose Lower-Tariff Hospital Rooms

Your choice of hospital room can impact your medical bill—and by extension, your insurance premium. Higher room rents often lead to increased doctor fees and diagnostic charges, raising the total claim amount.

Opting for a reasonably priced room can help keep claim costs under control, which may prevent future premium hikes.

Bottom Line
With healthcare expenses rising every year, smart planning is key to keeping your health insurance premiums affordable. By combining deductibles, top-up plans, discounts, regular health monitoring, portability, and cost-conscious hospital choices, you can protect your health and your wallet.