New Delhi: Health insurance purchases by non-resident Indians (NRIs) have surged 126% year-on-year, with Gulf countries accounting for nearly 50% of total demand, according to a Policybazaar report. The report noted that the sharp rise indicates a structural shift in how the Indian diaspora approaches healthcare, increasingly relying on India’s insurance ecosystem for cost-effective, high-quality medical treatment.
The growth has been driven by the rapid adoption of AI-enabled tele-medical check-ups, digital-first onboarding and regulatory changes such as the removal of GST on select NRI health policies. Together, these factors have significantly reduced cross-border friction, allowing NRIs to buy and manage health insurance in India seamlessly, regardless of their country of residence.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region -- led by the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait -- emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for around half of NRI health insurance purchases. Shorter travel times and a stark cost differential have made Indian healthcare an attractive option for NRIs in the region. Annual premiums for Indian health insurance typically range between $120 and $300, compared with $2,000 to $3,000 for comparable coverage in the Gulf.
Europe accounted for about 25% of demand, largely driven by long waiting periods for non-emergency procedures in public healthcare systems. The US and Canada together contributed around 17% of demand, as high medical costs abroad push NRIs to seek treatment in India, where even airfare plus surgery is often cheaper than planned procedures overseas.
