Irdai allows porting of Covid-specific policies

BENGALURU: The insurance regulator has now changed norms to permit the renewal, migration and portability of Covid-19 specific standard health insurance policies -- Corona Kavach, Corona Rakshak and Group Corona Kavach -- to normal health policies.

In a circular issued on Tuesday, Irdai said insurers have the choice to allow renewal, migration and portability of the Corona policies, which currently can be bought for three and half months, six and half months and nine and half months.

In the case of Corona Kavach individual policies, insurers can allow migration to other health insurance policies -- but for group covers insurers migration (to individual policy) can happen when a member exits the group cover or the policy ceases.

This is to ensure continuous insurance coverage with no waiting period of 15 days, said Irdai. If the policyholder wishes to increase the sum insured at the time of the renewal, there will be waiting period of 15 days for the "increased sum insured" and not for the whole policy.