Earlier, health insurance was useful only when a person was admitted to the hospital. But now things are different.
OPD cover (Outpatient Department cover) is becoming an important part of health insurance.
A report by Policybazaar shows that around 22% of health insurance policies now include OPD cover, compared to only 5% three years ago.
This means people can use their insurance for small illnesses and routine medical expenses without waiting for hospitalization.
What is OPD Cover?
With OPD cover, you get cashless benefits for:
Doctor’s visits
Blood tests and scans
Medicines
Dental treatments
Regular health checkups
Nearly 90% of OPD claims are settled directly by insurance companies, so people don’t have to pay out of pocket.
Benefits of OPD Cover
More frequent use: People are now using insurance 3–4 times a year, compared to hospitalization claims that may happen only once a year.
Better health management: Hospitalization rates have reduced by 5–10% among people who have OPD cover.
Online consultations: More than half of OPD users now consult doctors through video or phone calls.
Expense breakdown: Doctor visits take up 35–40% of OPD costs, tests 25–30%, and medicines 20–25%.
Who is Using OPD Cover?
Professionals are the main users.
People aged 30–45 years are the largest group (33%).
Young people aged 18–30 years make up 27%.
Demand is highest in metro cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
