India’s low-cost healthcare fuels NRI medical tourism boom: Report

Pocket-friendly surgeries

For an NRI, the average claim amount in India for common elective surgeries could range from $2,000 to $15,000, and from $20,000 to $40,000 for more complex procedures. Compared to international costs, these figures still represent substantial savings.

Cheaper medication

Affordable generic variants of a variety of specialised drugs and therapies, which are widely available as well as covered under insurance, makes treatment for a longer term and for chronic conditions easier in India.

Affordable premiums

With an average annual premium per person of $120-300, health insurance in India is more affordable than in most nations.

Major trends in NRI health insurance claims

Share of patients across hospitals of different tiers:

Top cities for seeking treatment

Google Trends search data shows that over the past few months, NRIs have been increasingly searching the following keywords:
‘Health insurance India for NRIs’
60% rise in search volume in 2024 vs 2023
‘Medical treatment for overseas citizens in India’
45% in search frequency over last 18 months

Cultural comfort

For non-residents, receiving treatment in India offers the added comfort of cultural familiarity, family support, and Englishspeaking medical staff.

• Many hospitals offer treatment packages including visas, travel, and post-operation care.
• Insurance policies offer on-ground support to NRIs for the treatment of their elderly parents.

Source: Policybazaar customer NRI claims data in last three years across India.