Indian health insurance companies have witnessed a spike accounting for 78 per cent of the total claims, according to a report by insurance marketplace Policybazaar. This data leads to 4.3 times more cases than over the past three years with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.
Geographically, 8,093 cases made Delhi top the chart, followed by Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad. While, heart diseases emerged as the leading category, accounting for 43.5 per cent of incidents, followed by respiratory infections at 35 per cent. Pneumonia contributed 11.2 per cent, while bronchitis accounted for 6 per cent, underscoring the broader health consequences of prolonged exposure to polluted air.
The figures highlight the growing health and financial burden of air pollution, with working professionals and senior citizens emerging as the most affected groups. Citizens aged 31-55 accounted for 59 per cent of pollution-linked claims, while senior citizens contributed another 31 per cent, together representing nearly 90 per cent of the total.
Young adults aged 21-30 accounted for 6.7 per cent of claims, while children below 20 made up 3.7 per cent.
However, as per the PTI report, the impact is not limited to major metropolitan areas, as Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities collectively accounted for 55 per cent of the claims, indicating the widening reach of pollution-related health risks across the country.
It also highlighted a distinct seasonal pattern, with claims peaking between October and March, when air quality typically deteriorates in several parts of India, particularly during winter. Nearly 56 per cent of the annual pollution-linked claims in FY26 were reported during these six months.
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Total claim payouts have caused the financial burden which increased significantly, rising 4.5 times to Rs 241.6 crore, while the average claim amount stood at Rs 62,662.
(With the PTI inputs)
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