Arogya Sanjeevani Policy: IRDAI's Standard Health Product

Arogya Sanjeevani is a standardised health insurance product that IRDAI mandated all general and standalone health insurance companies to offer from April 2020, designed to create a simple, comparable baseline product accessible to all Indians. The standardisation means core features, inclusions, and exclusions are identical across all insurers — only the premium varies, making it uniquely easy to compare. Core features: sum insured available from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh in multiples of Rs 50,000, mandatory co-payment of 5% on all claims, no sub-limits on room rent (except ICU which is capped at 5% of sum insured per day), 30-day initial waiting period, 48-month PED waiting period, and coverage for modern treatments including robotic surgery and stem cell therapy.

Day care procedures are covered, as are AYUSH treatments at recognised facilities. Family floater option is available covering the proposer, spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents. The co-payment is non-negotiable (cannot be waived), which is the primary trade-off for the lower, standardised premium.

Comparing Arogya Sanjeevani across insurers: since all features are identical, compare only the premium and the insurer's claim settlement ratio and network hospitals. Premiums for a Rs 5 lakh Arogya Sanjeevani policy for a 35-year-old typically range from Rs 5,500 to Rs 9,000 annually depending on the insurer. Arogya Sanjeevani is ideal for: first-time insurance buyers who want a simple, affordable entry-level plan, comparison shopping (all products are identical, just compare premium and insurer), and as a base policy to supplement with a super top-up for higher effective coverage.

It is not ideal for those who want higher sum insured (max Rs 5 lakh), no co-pay, or specific features like no room rent limits.