Figures shared by Bandhan Life showed that the share of women policyholders in Eastern India rose to 35% in FY26 from 12% in FY24. The insurer said women opted for savings- and wealth-oriented insurance plans, while self-purchased policies also increased during the period.
The company said women aged above 35 years and those earning over ₹5 lakh annually showed greater preference for wealth-creation products, while younger women with lower incomes continued to favour protection-focused plans. Self-employed and non-salaried women accounted for nearly 85% of women policyholders, according to the insurer.
At the same time, Policybazaar said younger women are driving demand for maternity and term insurance products.
The platform said 70% of women purchasing term insurance were below 35 years of age as of March 2026, while 60% of couples buying health insurance opted for maternity coverage.
The platform also noted that insurers have expanded maternity-related offerings to include newborn cover, shorter waiting periods and pregnancy-linked benefits, reflecting changing customer demand.
Separately, Care Health Insurance reported a 37% rise in women’s health insurance claims between FY25 and FY26, led by the 20–40 age group. The insurer said maternity-related claims have also become more expensive over the past two years, despite shorter hospital stays.
The company cited government data showing institutional deliveries accounted for 97.3% of births in 2023–24, while C-section deliveries made up more than 27% of reported births in 2024–25.
Care Health Insurance also said women above 35 years accounted for a growing share of maternity claims in FY26, with higher treatment costs contributing disproportionately to overall claim payouts.
Meanwhile, TATA AIG General Insurance highlighted concerns around adequacy of health coverage among women. The insurer said 56% of women policyholders insured with the company had coverage between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, while only 25% had health cover above ₹10 lakh.
The company said rising treatment and hospitalisation costs could leave women with lower coverage financially exposed. It also cited findings from a doctors’ survey which showed 34% of doctors believed women are equally at risk as men for heart disease, while 16% said women’s symptoms are often overlooked, leading to under-diagnosis.
