Anisha Khurana raises a serious grievance against PolicyBazaar for mishandling her parents’ health insurance portability, risking continuity benefits, duplicate policies, and unresolved delays.
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PolicyBazaar Mishandles Health Insurance Portability – Senior Citizens Left at Risk
Complaint Summary
| Customer Name | Anisha Khurana |
|---|---|
| Not Provided | |
| Complaint Type | Insurance Portability Failure |
| Company/Brand | PolicyBazaar |
| Product/Service | Health Insurance Portability |
| Policy Holder(s) | Senior Citizen Parents of Complainant |
| Issue Description | Incorrect fresh policy issued instead of porting existing one, leading to loss of continuity benefits, duplicate policies, and dual premium payments. |
| Escalated To | Sales team (Lalit, Vipul), RM (Khushi Sharma), Senior Leadership (Siddharth Singhal, Varun Batra) |
| Resolution Sought | Immediate correction of policy with continuity benefits, cancellation/refund of wrong policy, and accountability from PolicyBazaar. |
| Original LinkedIn Post | View Post |
Detailed Complaint Report
Anisha Khurana, a long-standing customer of PolicyBazaar for 5 years, has raised a grave concern regarding the mishandling of her parents’ health insurance portability.
Instead of properly porting the existing health insurance policy which covered pre-existing conditions and ensured continuity PolicyBazaar erroneously issued a new fresh policy. This mistake effectively resets the waiting period and jeopardizes coverage, an extremely risky situation for senior citizens.
Key Issues Highlighted:
- Wrong Policy Issued: Instead of a ported policy, a fresh one was created.
- Continuity Benefits Lost: Pre-existing condition coverage at risk.
- Duplicate Applications: Based on sales/verification advice, a second portability application was filed, causing dual premiums.
- No Accountability: Despite escalation to multiple teams and senior leadership, no real resolution or callbacks were provided.
- Urgent Deadline: Only 4 days remain before the cancellation deadline (01-Sep) and renewal of the old policy (02-Sep).
This case represents a severe consumer grievance, especially given the age and medical history of the policyholders.
Regulatory Reference
As per IRDAI (Protection of Policyholders’ Interests) Regulations, 2017, insurers and intermediaries must allow policyholders to port health insurance without losing continuity benefits. Mishandling such cases directly violates these protections.
Demands Raised by Customer
- Immediate issuance of the correct ported policy with full continuity and pre-existing condition coverage.
- Cancellation and refund of the incorrectly issued fresh policy.
- Accountability from PolicyBazaar’s leadership for negligence and mishandling.
Questions & Answers
Q1: What is health insurance portability in India?
Health insurance portability allows policyholders to switch from one insurer to another without losing accumulated benefits like no-claim bonuses and waiting period credits.
Q2: Can PolicyBazaar mishandle a portability request?
Yes, as highlighted in this case, mismanagement can occur if the process is not handled carefully, leading to issuance of a wrong policy.
Q3: What happens if a fresh policy is issued instead of a ported one?
The continuity benefits, including coverage for pre-existing conditions, are lost, and waiting periods reset.
Q4: What are the IRDAI guidelines for insurance portability?
IRDAI mandates that insurers and intermediaries must ensure smooth portability without loss of continuity, provided requests are submitted within prescribed timelines.
Q5: How long does health insurance portability take in India?
Typically, the process should take around 15 days, subject to documentation and insurer approvals.
Q6: What should customers do if portability goes wrong?
They should immediately escalate to the insurer, intermediary (like PolicyBazaar), and IRDAI’s Grievance Redressal Cell.
Q7: Can dual premiums be refunded if wrong policies are issued?
Yes, if a wrong policy is issued, the customer can seek a refund under IRDAI guidelines.
Q8: Can senior citizens port health insurance policies?
Yes, senior citizens have the same right to portability as other policyholders, provided the insurer accepts the risk.
Q9: Why is continuity important in health insurance?
Continuity ensures that waiting periods for pre-existing diseases are carried forward, offering uninterrupted coverage.
Q10: What are the risks of losing continuity benefits?
Loss of continuity can expose policyholders to uncovered medical expenses for existing conditions during the waiting period.
Q11: What can be done if PolicyBazaar does not resolve the issue?
The matter can be escalated to IRDAI and further to the Insurance Ombudsman.
Q12: How can one file a complaint with IRDAI?
Consumers can lodge complaints on the IRDAI Grievance Redressal Portal (IGMS) or through email.
Q13: What is the Insurance Ombudsman’s role in India?
The Ombudsman provides free dispute resolution between customers and insurers on policy-related grievances.
Q14: What are common mistakes in insurance portability?
Issuing new policies instead of porting, delays in approval, miscommunication, and technical errors in data transfer.
Q15: Can insurance portability be denied?
Yes, insurers may deny portability if documents are incomplete, timelines missed, or risks unacceptable.
Q16: How can policyholders protect themselves during portability?
Always keep written proof, track timelines, and escalate issues promptly if discrepancies arise.
Q17: Is PolicyBazaar legally liable in such cases?
As an intermediary, PolicyBazaar can be held accountable for misrepresentation, negligence, or mishandling of customer requests.
Q18: Can customers approach consumer courts for portability disputes?
Yes, unresolved disputes can be escalated to consumer forums under the Consumer Protection Act.
Q19: How many days before renewal should portability be requested?
Portability requests must be made at least 45 days before policy expiry.
Q20: What lesson should customers learn from this case?
Always verify policy documents immediately after issuance and escalate issues without delay.
📌 This case highlights how even established platforms like PolicyBazaar can mishandle critical insurance portability requests, risking the health and financial security of senior citizens. Customers are advised to stay vigilant, keep documentation, and escalate issues to regulatory authorities if timely resolution is not provided.
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