Zero Waiting Period in Health Insurance

10 min read Posted on 23 july 2025

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About Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance A medical emergency can occur at any time when you least expect it. In such incidents, waiting for the health insurance to accept your claim can be challenging and disappointing. But what if you get immediate medical care without waiting for months or years? Quite relaxing! Yes, it is now possible with zero waiting period health insurance plans.

Whether you need a sudden hospitalisation or treatment for an ongoing condition, zero waiting period health insurance ensures ever-ready coverage without any or few delays.

What is Health Insurance with a Zero Waiting Period?

A waiting period is one of the essential terms and conditions of a health insurance policy. It denotes the duration you must wait to claim benefits under your health insurance policy.

Simply put, if you file a claim during this period, your health insurance provider will not entertain any claims. While this may sound quite rigid, there’s a way to deal with this.

Many health insurance companies offer policies with zero waiting periods, which means there is no need to wait. You can raise a claim right after or within certain days of purchasing a policy (based on the terms) and gain financial assistance.

Like all the health insurance policies cover, they come with a zero waiting period for accidental hospitalisation.

Key Points to Consider:

Get instant medical coverage for specified health conditions
No or shortened delays for pre-existing illnesses cover
Ideal for individuals needing urgent or ongoing medical care

Policy Features, Riders & Add-ons

Types of Waiting Periods in Health Insurance

The waiting period for health insurance may vary from insurance to insurance. Different types of waiting periods are applicable in the health insurance plans for different health conditions:

Health Conditions	Description	Waiting Period
Initial	When you buy a plan, wait for specific days before filing a claim	30 to 90 days
Pre-Existing Diseases	Health conditions diagnosed before buying health insurance	1 to 4 years
Specific Illness/ Disease	Coverage for specific diseases, such as hernia, bariatric surgery, psychiatric conditions	1 to 2 years
Maternity Coverage	Medical expenses incurred under the treatment during pregnancy	9 months to 4 years
Newborn Inclusion	Adding newborn baby to existing health insurance policy to gain benefits	9 months to 4 years
Accidental Hospitalisation	For accidental emergency	0 days

As the table mentions, you will have to wait for specific days and years to claim the benefits. To ensure coverage for emergency medical conditions, insurance companies have made it flexible for insured persons to reduce the waiting period to fewer or even 0 days.

List of Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance

Let’s look at the list of plans that come with zero waiting period in health insurance:

Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance (Standalone)

Acko Platinum Health Insurance

Periods:
Initial: Zero
Disease Specific: Zero
Co-pay: Zero

Eligibility Critieria:
Entry Age: 18 and above
Sum Insured: Unlimited

Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance (Add-On Riders)

1. ICICI Health Elevate Plan

Reduced Waiting Period:
Pre-Existing: 1/ 2 years
Maternity: 1 year
Specific Illness: 1 year

Eligibility Critieria:
Entry Age: 18 and above
Sum Insured: Up to Rs. 100 Crores

2. Niva Bupa Reassure 2.0 (Bronze+, Titanium+)

Reduced Waiting Period:
Specific Illness: Zero

Eligibility Critieria:
Entry Age: Fixed
Sum Insured: ₹ 5 Lakhs - ₹1 Crore

3.Niva Bupa Reassure

Reduced Waiting Period:
Specific Illness: Zero

Eligibility Critieria:
Entry Age: 18 - 65 years
Sum Insured: ₹3 Lakhs - ₹1 Crore

4.Reliance Health Infinity Individual

Reduced Waiting Period:
Specific Illness: 12 months

Eligibility Critieria:
Entry Age: 18 and above
Sum Insured: ₹5 Lakhs - ₹5 Crores

5. Universal Sompo Complete Healthcare Insurance- Digi Pro

Reduced Waiting Period:
Specific Illness: 1 year

Eligibility Critieria:
Entry Age: 18 - 75 years
Sum Insured: Up to ₹1 Crore

Can I Buy Health Insurance Zero Waiting Period?

Yes, you can buy zero waiting period health insurance. These plans have specific terms or are available in specific scenarios. While most health insurance policies apply waiting periods of 1 to 3 years for pre-existing conditions, such as maternity benefits, critical illness coverage, etc., some health insurers offer plans with zero waiting periods.

Here’s why and how you can buy health insurance with zero waiting periods:

Pre-existing Conditions or Urgent Needs: If you have a pre-existing condition that requires immediate medical care, a zero-waiting-period health policy can be a lifeline. Buying such policies provides you or your family members with immediate coverage.
Top-Up or Group Insurance Plans: To benefit from the zero waiting period, you can consider purchasing top-up or group insurance policies provided by employers. In this condition, the employer has to deal with the insurance companies to cover employees from day one. In comparison, it may not be possible in individual policies.
Specific Plans or Riders: If not available as a lying feature, some health insurance companies offer riders the option to eliminate waiting periods for certain benefits.

How Does Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance Work?

As the name suggests, the zero waiting period health insurance offers immediate coverage for specific medical conditions or treatments, starting right after you purchase the policy. Here’s how it works:

Instant Coverage: When you purchase a zero waiting period health plan, you get covered for pre-existing conditions (like diabetes or high blood pressure) right from the policy inception—no waiting required.
Higher Premiums: Since these policies cover you immediately, they generally come with higher premiums. But you won’t face delays in getting treatment covered.

Benefits of Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance

Immediate Medical Care: One of the most assured benefits is that you get medical care right from day one. Whether it’s a pre-existing condition or a planned surgery, you can receive treatment without waiting months or years.
Financial Relief: Medical expenses can pile up quickly, especially when treatment is needed immediately. With a zero waiting period plan, you can reduce the financial burden, as you don’t have to bear the cost while waiting for coverage to start.
Relief for Older Adults or Those with Pre-Existing Conditions: Individuals with pre-existing conditions or seniors require healthcare more frequently. Zero waiting period plans en route a faster way to full medical coverage.
Flexibility in Health Planning: These plans allow you to plan your health expenses better and prioritise your health needs without waiting for insurance approval.

Disadvantages of Zero Waiting Period Health Insurance

Higher Premiums: Insurance companies charge more for policies with zero waiting periods since they take on a more significant risk by providing immediate coverage.
Limited Availability: Not all insurance companies offer zero waiting period policies. These plans can be limited to certain insurers or specific situations, such as employer group policies.
Exclusions and Conditions: Some treatments or conditions might still need to be covered immediately, or the policy might only offer zero waiting periods for select services.
Higher Deductibles or Co-Payments: Insurers may offer instant coverage, but you might have to pay more out of pocket for treatments before the insurance kicks in fully.
Fewer Customization Options: Such plans offer a limited scope of customisations, as you might not have as much flexibility in choosing additional riders or benefits.

Policy Features, Riders & Add-ons

Bottom Line

Zero-waiting-period health insurance may help you avail of healthcare benefits for specific medical conditions from day one after purchasing the policy. However, it often comes at the cost of higher premiums and potential exclusions.

Do you have any other doubts regarding zero-waiting-period health insurance? Connect with one of the RenewBuy Partners to ease your journey of buying or renewing health insurance.

Disclaimer: The content published in this article is intended solely for the readers' informational purposes and should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions. It is advisable to seek advice from a qualified professional regarding specific concerns. The details provided regarding the plan are for reference purposes only. Please visit the insurer’s website for the latest updates on the plan. The company does not guarantee suitability, reliability, timeliness, or accuracy of the information, services, or any other aspects mentioned in this regard for any purpose. We do not endorse any insurance company or insurance product provided by any insurer.