You had a stent. You had a bypass. You were told you're uninsurable.You were told wrong.
Most standard health policies decline an applicant with an existing cardiac condition — or accept them with the heart permanently excluded, which defeats the purpose. But a small set of insurers write dedicated cardiac plans built specifically for people who have already had a cardiac event or procedure.
These plans exist. They are genuinely useful. They also carry conditions that matter a great deal at claim time — co-payments, sub-limits and waiting periods that a rushed agent will not explain to you. We will.
Talk to a Trustner cardiac-case specialistWho these plans are for
You are likely eligible for a specialised cardiac plan if any of the following applies:
- You have undergone angioplasty / stenting or CABG (bypass surgery)
- You have a diagnosed cardiac condition currently under medical management
- You have had an angiogram where no intervention was found medically necessary
- You have a corrected ASD, VSD or PDA
- You have undergone RF ablation to correct an underlying cardiac condition
Insurers typically look at whether the procedure took place within a defined window prior to the proposal, and require a pre-acceptance medical screening. Exact eligibility differs by insurer and is confirmed against the current prospectus for your case.
Route 1 — a dedicated cardiac plan
Designed from the ground up for cardiac lives. Accepts the existing condition rather than excluding it. Lower sum insured bands and a co-payment apply, but the heart is actually covered.
Route 2 — a standard plan with the heart excluded, plus a top-up
Some clients with a well-controlled condition can obtain standard cover with a permanent cardiac exclusion. This protects everything except the one thing they're worried about — useful only as part of a layered structure, never on its own.
Trustner's position: for most post-intervention clients, Route 1 first. Where the client is young, otherwise healthy, and the event is well in the past, we test both routes and show you the actual numbers side by side.
The plans we place
Care Heart
Care Health Insurance
For individuals with pre-existing cardiac conditions, or who have undergone cardiac surgery or a cardiac procedure. Insurer typically references a look-back window of up to 7 years prior to the proposal.
Star Cardiac Care
Star Health and Allied Insurance
Individuals aged 10-65 who have undergone bypass or stenting within 7 years prior to the proposal; or corrected ASD, VSD or PDA; or RF ablation to correct an underlying cardiac condition; or an angiogram where no intervention was found medically necessary.
Star Cardiac Care
Star Health and Allied Insurance
Co-payment calculator — Care Heart
The co-payment for this plan is being verified against the current policy wording. Ask your Trustner broker for the exact figure for your age band.
Indicative. Co-payment is one of several terms (sub-limits, room rent) that affect what you finally receive. The policy wording is final.
The honest part: what these plans do not do
A specialised cardiac plan is a real solution to a real problem. It is not a blank cheque. Across this product category you should expect:
- Co-payment on every claim — a fixed share you pay yourself, which typically rises with age
- Modest sum insured ceilings compared with mainstream family plans
- Waiting periods before the pre-existing cardiac condition is covered — the very condition you bought the policy for
- Sub-limits on specific procedures
- Room-rent restrictions that can trigger proportionate deduction
- A higher premium than a standard plan at the same age
- Full disclosure is non-negotiable. Understating your cardiac history to get a cheaper premium is the fastest way to have a claim repudiated years later. Declare everything.
The Trustner approach to a cardiac case
- 1
We take your full history — procedure, date, current medication, latest reports, comorbidities.
- 2
We pre-check appetite across insurers — before a formal proposal, so a rejection doesn't sit on your record.
- 3
We place the base cover — the cardiac plan that accepts your condition on the best available terms.
- 4
We layer where possible — a super top-up or critical-illness benefit alongside, to lift your total protection beyond the base plan's ceiling.
- 5
We stand with you at claim time — that is what a broker is for.
Frequently asked questions
I had a stent recently. Can I get health insurance?
In most cases, yes — through a dedicated cardiac plan rather than a standard policy. Eligibility usually depends on the time since the procedure, your current clinical status and a pre-acceptance medical screening. Send us your reports and we will tell you which insurers will look at your case.
Will my existing heart condition be covered from day one?
No. A waiting period applies before the pre-existing cardiac condition is covered. Hospitalisation for unrelated illness and accident is covered much sooner. We confirm the exact waiting period for your chosen plan, in writing, before you sign.
What is a co-payment and why does it matter so much here?
A co-payment is the share of every approved claim you pay yourself. On cardiac plans it is significant and typically increases with age. Always calculate it before comparing premiums — a lower premium with a higher co-pay can cost you far more at claim time.
My existing policy excluded my heart permanently. What now?
You have options — porting at renewal, adding a dedicated cardiac plan alongside, or restructuring the whole arrangement. Portability has strict timelines, so speak to us well before your renewal date.
Is a critical illness plan the same thing?
No. A critical illness plan pays a lump sum on diagnosis, independent of your actual bills. A cardiac indemnity plan reimburses actual hospitalisation expenses. They solve different problems and work well together.
This is a general explanation. The policy wording is final. Please confirm details with your licensed Trustner broker for your specific case.
Trustner Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. — IRDAI Broker Licence No. 1067. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. Product features vary by insurer, variant and policy wording and are subject to change. The policy wording is final. Acceptance of any proposal is at the sole discretion of the insurer and subject to underwriting.