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Last updated on: September 19, 2025
The HDFC Ergo Optima Restore Plan and ICICI Lombard Elevate Value Plan are popular health insurance policies in India, each offering robust features but catering to slightly different needs. Optima Restore is known for its “restore” benefit, which automatically replenishes the sum insured after a claim, ensuring continued coverage, and includes lifelong renewability, a no-claim bonus, and comprehensive hospitalization benefits. ICICI Lombard Elevate Value Plan stands out with flexible sum insured options, wellness rewards, global coverage, OPD benefits, and extra add-ons like maternity and critical illness cover. While Optima Restore is ideal for individuals and families seeking enhanced sum insured protection, ICICI’s plan is better suited for those desiring global coverage, wellness benefits, and broader customization. Comparing premium, network hospitals, and claim settlement ratios is recommended before choosing based on personal needs.
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A choice of the appropriate health insurance scheme is extremely important to both individuals and families in India particularly with the soaring medical expenses. When comparing HDFC ERGO Optima Restore Plan and ICICI Lombard Elevate Value Plan in the year 2025, then you must know their distinctions, benefits and characteristics to make a sound decision.
The two policies are premium products that are offered by the main insurance companies and they serve various needs. Even though Optima Restore by HDFC ERGO is gaining popularity due to its restore benefit, and family cover benefits, the Elevate Value Plan by ICICI Lombard introduces enticing features to the current health hazards and wellness rewards. A comparison of these two health products will make it easier to choose the correct insurance in 2025.
The two policies are concerned with holistic healthcare coverage. Here’s what each offers:
The second question that people ask is: What is the best plan to use when large families in 2025?
HDFC ERGO Optima Restore offers larger families an advantage because of extensive floater cover and increased no claim bonus.
Did you know? In 2025, the IRDAI required enhanced openness in language policy, which would allow the customers to compare features of both these plans.
Optima Restore and Elevate Value Plan have straight terms relating to waiting periods according to the IRDAI regulations in 2025. Here is a summary:
Another question posed is: What of cover of pre existing diseases?
The two plans are coverage of the pre-existing health problems after a 3-year waiting period.
We may dismember it in order to know it better.
Did you know? Digital wellness tools, which are part of insurance coverage, are being chosen by a considerable number of buyers in 2025 in terms of personalised healthcare guidance.
The two health plans also provide a restoration of sum insured in case you have claimed your base cover during the policy year. Here’s how they compare:
| Characteristic | HDFC ERGO Optima Restore | ICICI Lombard Elevate Value |
|---|---|---|
| Restore Benefit | 100 percent, automatic | 100 percent, conditional. |
| No Claim Bonus | Up to 150 percent | Up to 100 percent. |
| Restoration Trigger | On initial claim | On sum insured exhaustion. |
Another question people will ask is: What should happen to the rest of my sum insured?
The insured sum is boosted with a no claim bonus which makes the years of the policy healthy.
The significance of room rent is that it influences the out of pocket cost in the process of hospitalisation.
This implies that in case your sum insured exceeds 10 lakhs, in both the plans you can choose a room in the hospital freely without a penalty.
Did you know? In the year 2025, it is better to choose a higher sum insured because otherwise you will incur hidden deductions because of room rent capping.
The insurers have improved their online claim system in 2025:
The HDFC ERGO has more than 13,000 network of hospitals and ICICI Lombard has above 6,500 network. The 2025 claim settlement ratios of the companies are above 95 percent indicating its reliability.
Both plans have an average of 2-4 hours to grant claim approvals on cashless treatment.
The premiums vary according to age, city, sum insured and features chosen. The following is a representative price of a 30 year old non smoker on a sum insured of Rs. 5 lakhs on an individual basis:
Policy Indicative Annual Premium (2025):
In the case of family floater that consists of two adults and a child:
| Policy | Rs. 10 lakh cover (2025) price |
|---|---|
| HDFC ERGO Optima Restore | Rs. 18,900 |
| ICICI Lombard Value Plus | Rs. 17,300 |
The prices can be differentiated based on add ons and city. ICICI Lombard is comparatively a few dollars lower on basic plans though HDFC ERGO has stronger restore provisions.
Professional Recommendations The sum insured that is always chosen in metro cities in 2025 is more than 7-10 lakhs owing to the rising medical inflation.
The two policies provide optional covers on extra premium in the year 2025:
Add ons that are relevant make your cover more family friendly and in case you are planning to have a child or you need more critical illness cover.
Did you know? In 2025, Indian customers will increasingly use hospital cash and critical illness add ons to cover the increasing out of pocket costs in hospitalisation.
Recent user reviews on various platforms observe that:
Do both plans have lifelong renewability is another question that people put across.
Yes, they are both lifelong renewable meaning that they cover all ages.
| Criteria | HDFC ERGO Optima Restore | ICICI Lombard Elevate Value |
|---|---|---|
| Sum Insured Range | 3 to 50 lakhs | 5 to 50 lakhs |
| No Claim Bonus | Up to 150 percent | Up to 100 percent |
| Restore Benefit | Yes on base exhaustion | Yes, automatic. |
| Room Rent Cap | No | No (above 10 lakhs cover) |
| Maternity Cover | Yes, add on required | On select variants, Yes. |
| Hospital Network | Over 13,000 | Over 6,500 |
| Wellness Programs | Average | Good digital functionality. |
| Premium (30 yrs, 5L SI) | 8,200 INR | 7,700 INR |
| Pre Existing Waiting | 3 years | 3 years. |
| Digital Claim Support | Yes | Yes. |
Q. Which is the optimal solution to a young and married couple in 2025?
In case of planning a family, ICICI Lombard Elevate Value is a better option in terms of maternity and newborn coverage on Day 1 (with certain covers), whereas HDFC ERGO might be a better option in case restore benefit is more important.
Q. Is it possible to alternate these two policies in future?
Yes, you may transfer your policy in health insurance to the other insurer at renewal according to the portability provisions of the IRDAI in India.
Q. Is wellness reward option worth it in ICICI Lombard Elevate Value?
Wellness rewards contribute to stable premiums and healthy behaviours, thus they are useful in case of their active use.
Q. Is critical illness treatment covered in both?
Basic schemes are hospitalisation plans, which include different types of illnesses, but with a critical illness rider added to both plans in case of additional lump sum.
Experts Insight
Compare yearly premiums, features and add-ons because insurers keep on improving and IRDAI guidelines are also changing.
Q. Purchasing and renewing of these health insurance plans?
They can both be bought on the company site, official application or trusted agents, and there is the digital KYC and renewal notifications.
Q. What is the superior plan among those over the age of 60 years?
They both have senior versions, though HDFC ERGO Optima Restore might be more appropriate to increase the restore benefit and expand hospital coverage.
How could we improve this article?
Written by Prem Anand, a content writer with over 10+ years of experience in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sectors.
Prem Anand is a seasoned content writer with over 10+ years of experience in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sectors. He has a strong command of industry-specific language and compliance regulations. He specializes in writing insightful blog posts, detailed articles, and content that educates and engages the Indian audience.
The content is prepared by thoroughly researching multiple trustworthy sources such as official websites, financial portals, customer reviews, policy documents and IRDAI guidelines. The goal is to bring accurate and reader-friendly insights.
This content is created to help readers make informed decisions. It aims to simplify complex insurance and finance topics so that you can understand your options clearly and take the right steps with confidence. Every article is written keeping transparency, clarity, and trust in mind.
Based on Google's Helpful Content System, this article emphasizes user value, transparency, and accuracy. It incorporates principles of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
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