Number of lives covered under health insurance in India FY 2016-2023
In the fiscal year of 2023, over 550 million people across India were covered under health insurance schemes. Of these, the highest number of people were insured under government-sponsored health insurance schemes, while individual insurance plans had the lowest number of people.
Key figures of public health insurance
The gross direct premium income of the Indian health insurance industry was about 638 billion Indian rupees in financial year 2021. Public health insurance recorded the highest premium income of over 289 billion Indian rupees that year with the highest share of premiums written in the western state of Maharashtra.
The healthcare system
India has a decentralized approach to health care and that allows health insurance to be optional. Technically, all citizens are eligible for free healthcare at government facilities and individual states are responsible for organizing these services. However, the country’s health system is severely underfunded in terms of staff as well as supply shortages. A vast number of people seek care from private providers. Over 50 percent of the total healthcare expenditure in the country was from out-of-pocket expenses in fiscal year 2020.
Key figures of public health insurance
The gross direct premium income of the Indian health insurance industry was about 638 billion Indian rupees in financial year 2021. Public health insurance recorded the highest premium income of over 289 billion Indian rupees that year with the highest share of premiums written in the western state of Maharashtra.
The healthcare system
India has a decentralized approach to health care and that allows health insurance to be optional. Technically, all citizens are eligible for free healthcare at government facilities and individual states are responsible for organizing these services. However, the country’s health system is severely underfunded in terms of staff as well as supply shortages. A vast number of people seek care from private providers. Over 50 percent of the total healthcare expenditure in the country was from out-of-pocket expenses in fiscal year 2020.
