Seasonal Health Insurance Review: Should You Reassess Your Policy Annually?

10 min read Posted on 10 july 2025

India undergoes significant seasonal transitions, from the intense heat of summer to the heavy monsoon rains and the chilly winter months. Each of these seasonal changes brings with it distinct health risks that can lead to increased medical concerns. Conditions such as dengue, heatstroke, respiratory infections, and waterborne diseases tend to surge during these transitions, often resulting in a notable increase in hospitalisations.

Having these frequent health concerns shows why it’s more important than ever to do a seasonal health insurance review regularly. Although people change their daily routines to fit the environment, they often overlook choosing a health insurance plan that fits the changing health hazards. Recently, there has been a big rise in dengue season insurance claims, clearly indicating how costly these illnesses can be. This article explains how the shifting nature of seasonal health trends in India requires people to change their policies accordingly, annual policy reassessment, and add protection with things like wellness riders and revised sum insured amounts.

How Seasons Influence Health and Claims

In India, health insurance claims are made more frequently during certain times of the year. The different claims for various seasons are as follows:

• In the monsoon season, there is an increase in ailments like dengue, malaria, typhoid and hepatitis A.
• Winters are accompanied by cold winds and many respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchial pneumonia, viral infections and increased COPD flare-ups.
• Summers are usually associated with dehydration, heat strokes and food poisoning due to negligence of proper food storage and food spillage.

Zuno General Insurance reported a significant surge in typhoid and other vector-borne disease claims during the June to September monsoon season, highlighting the impact of extended monsoon periods on health insurance claims. These trends highlight the necessity of regular seasonal health check-ups and timely insurance policy reassessments, because they go beyond mere intuition; they are essential.

Why a Seasonal Health Insurance Review Makes Sense

Reassessment is Important: Annual policy reassessment ensures comprehensive protection aligned with evolving health risks.

Coverage Gaps: If there is outpatient treatment, appointment gaps or gaps in the coverage for certain tools like advanced diagnostic scans, then there is in fact a gap that can even lead to significant losses for you in the future.

Health issues associated with dengue can easily lead to being admitted to a hospital for treatment. The cost in such a scenario can end up costing you anywhere between ₹30,000 and ₹1.5 lakh at many private hospitals. If you end up choosing a policy that comes with a low sum insured or is devoid of pre-/post-hospitalisation expenses, then this problem can spiral out of hand.

Insurance providers often revise policy premiums and coverage terms. This basically means that if there is a consistent rise in claims related to certain seasonal illnesses like dengue or respiratory infections, insurers are likely to revise their coverage terms or costs accordingly. For individuals or families who frequently face such health issues, this trend becomes especially important to watch. By keeping an eye on the patterns of illness and treatments you're using, you can make informed decisions, such as choosing to adjust the sum insured yearly. This small adjustment ensures that your policy continues to match your actual healthcare needs and doesn't fall short during emergencies.

The Role of Seasonal Add-ons and Riders

Just as you layer your clothing for seasonal comfort, your insurance plan can be layered through appropriate add-ons.

Consider these riders:

• Wellness Riders: Including preventive measures for keeping seasonal maladies at bay, like annual tests and diet consultations.
• OPD Riders: Beneficial for seasonal consultations, diagnostics, and check-ups.
• Critical Illness Riders: Providing coverage for severe infections that might get worse during certain seasons.

While these riders may marginally increase the premium, the value they add is in enhancing monsoon illness coverage and protection against other seasonal threats.

Case Scenario: How Policy Adjustment Helped

Take the example of Ramesh, a 35-year-old man from Mumbai. In the year 2021, his family faced back-to-back hospitalisations during monsoon, first his wife went to the hospital for dengue and then his son went for gastroenteritis. His ₹3 lakh family floater plan was quickly exhausted, and he incurred out-of-pocket expenses exceeding ₹70,000.

In 2022, he re-evaluated his plan. On advice from a POSP (Point of Sales Person) advisor, he increased his sum insured to ₹7 lakh and added an OPD rider. That year, despite another hospitalisation, he paid nothing out of pocket.

The Hidden Costs of Not Reassessing

Underinsurance: Many people treat their health insurance as a one-time task, something you buy once and forget about. However, with rising medical inflation, healthcare costs continue to escalate annually due to inflation and increasing medical expenses. That ₹3 lakh policy you bought five years ago might have seemed sufficient back then, but today, it may barely cover the cost of a single hospitalisation in a private facility. Without regular reviews, your health policy could leave you financially exposed when you need it the most.

Missed Benefits: When you simply renew your health policy year after year without reviewing it, you could be missing access to valuable benefits that many insurers now offer. Features like wellness points, free diagnostic tests, discounted pharmacy bills, or even gym memberships are included in some modern health plans. These perks not only support preventive health but can also help reduce long-term medical expenses. Unfortunately, most people remain unaware of these advantages just because they never take a closer look at their policy. These benefits not only enhance your policy value but also provide a chance to cut on your expenses without compromising on the benefits.

How Does RenewBuy Help?

RenewBuy streamlines your insurance experience through:

• Having Options: You can check and compare what various providers offer during each season.
• Customised Advice: POSP experts provide suggestions in light of upcoming health challenges and new policies.
• Smart Add-on Recommendations: Relevant riders are suggested to users based on their location and what is stated in their medical records.
• Seamless Policy Management: Updates, renewals and modifications in policies become simpler with the help of digital tools.

Continuous updates help health policies keep up with medical changes and don’t grow obsolete.