A waiting period is time after the policy starts during which some claims are not paid. Health policies usually have an initial waiting period for most illnesses, a longer one for pre-existing diseases and one for listed illnesses or procedures. Accidents are often covered from the first day; check your policy.
Last reviewed on 18 October 2026. Exact requirements depend on your policy, the insurer and the rules in force.
Who this guide is for
- People buying a new health policy or porting to another insurer
Step by step
- Find each waiting period in the schedule and note the date it ends.
- Disclose every existing illness when you buy; non-disclosure can lead to rejection.
- Renew on time: waiting periods already served are kept when cover is continuous.
- When porting, ask the new insurer in writing how it credits the waiting periods you have served.
Documents commonly asked for
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Policy schedule | States each waiting period and its length. |
| Previous policies | Prove continuous cover when you port or claim. |
The insurer may ask for fewer or other documents depending on the case.
Common mistakes
- Letting the policy lapse and starting the waiting periods again
- Assuming a group (employer) policy's terms apply to a personal policy
What the rules say
- For health policies issued or renewed after 30 September 2024, the waiting period for pre-existing diseases can be at most 36 months. Older policies may show a longer period until they are renewed. [1]
- After 60 months of continuous cover (the moratorium period), a claim cannot be contested on grounds of non-disclosure or misrepresentation, except for established fraud. [2]
Rules referred to
- IRDAI (Insurance Products) Regulations, 2024 (F. No. IRDAI/Reg/8/202/2024, 20 March 2024)
Product rules, including the limit on the waiting period for pre-existing diseases. - IRDAI Master Circular on Health Insurance Business (Insurance Products Regulations, 2024) (IRDAI/HLT/CIR/PRO/84/5/2024, 29 May 2024)
Free-look period, grace period, moratorium period, cashless and discharge timelines.
Finobazaar read published copies of these rules on 19 October 2026. Rules change: check the current text on irdai.gov.in or with your insurer.
Important limitations
- Waiting periods vary by product; some products offer shorter ones for an extra premium.
- This guide explains the usual process; it does not replace your policy wording or the insurer's instructions.
- Following these steps does not guarantee that a claim will be paid.
Official resources
- IRDAI policyholder website (opens in a new tab)IRDAI's site for policyholders: consumer education and how to complain.
- IRDAI – Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (opens in a new tab)The insurance regulator: regulations, circulars and the lists of registered insurers and intermediaries.
Addresses checked on 19 October 2026.
Related
- Policy details review checklistWhat to check in a new policy, ideally within the free-look period.
- Policy exclusions: what insurance does not coverWhere to find exclusions in a policy and how to read them.
- Renewing an insurance policyGrace periods, keeping your benefits and what to check before you renew.
- Claim rejected? Complaints and the Insurance OmbudsmanHow to challenge a rejection or short payment: insurer, IRDAI's Bima Bharosa and the Ombudsman.