Pollution-linked health insurance claims rise 4.3 times in three years Report

New Delhi, Nov 14 (PTI) Pollution-related health insurance claims have risen 4.3 times in the last three years, with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions accounting for 78 per cent of the total, according to a report.

    Working professionals aged 31-55 constitute 59 per cent of these claims, while senior citizens account for another 31 per cent, according to data shared by insurance marketplace Policybazaar.

     Meanwhile, young adults between 21 and 30 account for 6.7 per cent of claims, while children below 20 make up 3.7 per cent.

     The figures show that working professionals and senior citizens together account for nearly 90 per cent of pollution-linked health insurance claims.

     Delhi recorded the highest number of claims at 8,093, followed by Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities together accounted for 55 per cent of claims, it said.

     Pollution-associated health insurance claims follow a seasonal pattern, with the highest numbers recorded between October and March.

    In FY26, nearly 56 per cent of annual pollution-linked claims were reported during these six months. This period coincides with deteriorating air quality in several parts of the country, particularly during winter, it said.

    For insurers, it said, the trend could have implications for health-risk assessment, product design, pricing and claims management, while the fact that 48 per cent of consumers in highly polluted cities opted for higher health insurance coverage points to rising consumer awareness of the financial impact of pollution-related health risks.

     The total claim payout also rose 4.5 times to Rs 241.6 crore, while the average claim amount reached Rs 62,662, it said.

     Cardiovascular conditions accounted for 43.5 per cent of pollution-associated claims, followed by respiratory infections at 35 per cent, pneumonia at 11.2 per cent and bronchitis at 6 per cent.

    The data suggested that pollution is increasingly becoming a health and insurance-risk issue extending beyond respiratory diseases and major metropolitan areas.