The Young India Health Insurance Report by Niva Bupa

News Desk. News Nation 360: According to a consumer insights research released by Niva Bupa Health Insurance, young people in Kolkata are among the best prepared in the nation when it comes to their financial and medical preparation. The Health Protection Score (HPS), a first-of-its-kind metric graded from 0 to 10 that assesses lifestyle discipline, family health history, preventive care self-assessment, and financial adequacy, is introduced in the report based on a thorough survey of over 2,400 respondents across more than 35 urban and rural centres. The results reveal a huge disparity between awareness and action on a national level: although 51% of young Indians consider health insurance to be one of their top three financial priorities, just 14% actually have a policy, leaving 76% unprotected. With an HPS of 5.87 (compared to 4.54 nationally), a personal health insurance ownership rate of 21%, and a remarkably low policy lapse rate of 2%, Kolkata, in sharp contrast, surpasses the national average. Additionally, only 3% of young people in Kolkata are categorised as "Very Vulnerable," whereas 54% of them fall into the "Safe & Secure" category—more than twice the national average of 24%. Although residents of Kolkata estimate emergency healthcare costs at a conservative ₹96,000, their actual financial liquidity far exceeds this perception, demonstrating an elite capability to arrange an average of ₹4.9 lakh at short notice—much higher than Niva Bupa's recommended emergency baseline of ₹3 lakh for the 24–34 age demographic. While human touchpoints continue to drive final sales and perceived good health continues to be a barrier to purchases, Nimish Agrawal, Director of the Digital Business Unit & Chief Marketing Officer at Niva Bupa, observed that Kolkata stands out as a model market where strong insurance retention and high financial discipline seamlessly converge, leaving only room for minor optimisations in everyday lifestyle-related preventive health behaviours.

Pic: Krishnendu Kundu