- Delhi leads in pollution-linked health insurance claims, followed by Pune and other metros
- Over half of claims (55%) originate from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, showing wider urban impact
- Pollution-related claims increased 4.34 times from FY23 to FY26, with payouts rising 4.5 times
Delhi's toxic air often grabs the headlines, but insurance data suggests the health fallout is spreading across urban India. After the capital, Pune has seen the most pollution-linked health insurance claims, with Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad close behind, according to figures released by Policybazaar and reported by ANI.
The bigger surprise lies outside these five cities. More than half of all such claims, 55 percent, came from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, a sign that smaller cities are now paying a similar price.
In cities with the worst air, many residents are already bracing for higher bills. The insurance platform found that 48 percent of buyers there went for larger health covers.
A Fourfold Jump
Across the country, pollution-related claims were 4.34 times higher in FY26 than in FY23. The growth has been steady and steep: 67 percent in FY24, 70 percent the next year and 53 percent in FY26.
“Our health insurance data shows that pollution-associated claims have surged 4.3 times,” said Rohan Goel, who heads health insurance at Policybazaar. He linked the trend to worsening air across the country, saying it was now showing up in India's healthcare costs.
Payouts have climbed even faster. The total sum claimed grew 4.5 times over the three years, and the typical claim is still larger than it was in FY23.
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The Heart Takes The Biggest Hit
Bad air is often seen as a lung problem, but the data tells a different story. Nearly 44 percent of claims (43.5 percent) were for heart-related illnesses.
Respiratory infections other than pneumonia and bronchitis came next, at 35 percent. Pneumonia made up 11.2 percent of claims and bronchitis 6 percent.
Who Is Filing Claims
Most of these claims came from working-age adults. Those between 31 and 55 filed 59 percent of them, and people above 55 another 31 percent. Adults in their twenties (21 to 30) accounted for 6.7 percent, and those under 20 for just 3.7 percent.
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Winter Spike
Claims also follow the seasons. In FY26, around 56 percent of the year's pollution-linked claims were made between October and March, when air quality across large parts of India usually takes a turn for the worse.
Goel said the numbers show the need for preventive care, getting treatment on time and having enough insurance cover to deal with sudden medical expenses.
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