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Last updated on: August 7, 2025
The ManipalCigna Prime Active Plan and the Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced Plan are both popular health insurance choices in India, but they differ in key aspects. ManipalCigna Prime Active offers broader sum insured options (₹3 lakh to ₹1 crore), comprehensive coverage for pre- and post-hospitalization, annual health check-ups, wellness programs, and worldwide emergency cover. Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced Plan provides sum insured options up to ₹25 lakh, free annual health check-ups, quick claim settlement, and includes features like alternative treatments (AYUSH) and no-claim bonus benefits. While ManipalCigna is better suited for higher coverage and global reach, Niva Bupa offers competitive premiums and valuable wellness benefits. Choosing between them depends on your coverage needs, international travel requirements, and budget considerations.
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The right health insurance option in India is a significant issue in the financial well-being and medical care of your family. In the case of 2025, the Manipalcigna Prime Active Plan and Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced Plan are the best health policies to consider taking, with their wide range of features that can be applied to urban middle- and upper-middle-class Indians. The two are seeking to offer extensive coverage, no-cash hospitalisation and shield against rising hospital bills and have a lifestyle.
Individuals now seek their health insurance to cover hospital bills, OPD, day care procedures, advanced treatments, and even wellness benefits- and by contrasting these two popular health insurance plans you can make a well-informed choice on the basis of personal needs.
The Manipalcigna Prime Active Plan is a wide-ranging health insurance coverage option which is intended to cover individuals and families with a coverage of INR 3 lakh-INR 1 crore. It has got the reputation of flexible sum insured and cover of preventive healthcare cost. The plan is appropriate when one wants to get value-added benefits, worldwide coverage and wellness oriented features.
The Health Pulse Enhanced Plan of Niva Bupa is a strong health insurance plan designed to provide extensive medical coverage to an individual, couple or family. The range of coverage has been INR 2 lakh to INR 25 lakh. It offers new age treatment features, sound claims provision and value-of-money cover to citizens of both the urban and the tier-two cities.
Did you know? As of 2025, Manipalcigna and Niva Bupa have more than 9000+ network hospitals in India to which cashless claims can be made.
Insight of the experts: Unlimited restoration of sum insured is a feature that is rarely provided and Niva Bupa has one of the strongest in the world known as ReAssure.
| Benefit | Manipalcigna Prime Active | Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced. |
|---|---|---|
| Sum insured | INR 3 lakh -1 crore | INR 2 lakh -25 lakh. |
| Restoration Benefit | 100% same illness, multiple times | Unlimited, any illness (ReAssure) |
| Room Rent Limit | No upper limit usually | No capping. |
| Day Care/Modern Treatment Cover | Yes | Yes. |
| Cover OPD Expense | Yes (select variants) | Not in base. |
| Maternity & Newborn | Add-on available only | not base. |
| Wellness Benefits | Comprehensive | Restricted. |
| Annual Health Check-up | Yes | Yes, all insured. |
| Cashless Hospitals | 9000+ | 9600+ |
| Pre/Post Hospitalisation | 60 and 180 days | 60 and 180 days. |
Considering a healthy 30 year old whose INR 10 lakh sum insured is to be paid end of year, an annual premium of INR 10,500-INR 12, 500 is to be paid. Family floater 2 adults + 1 child: INR 15,000 -18,000 (city based).
Same profile, INR 10 lakh sum insured: annual premium approximate INR 9.500 -11,000. Family floater of 2 adult and 1 child: INR 13,500 to INR 16,500.
Disclosure:
The rates are just guiding but the real premiums can differ based on GST, city, age, and add-ons, and health conditions.
Q. Does both cover pre-existing diseases?
Yes, their standard waiting period is 2-4 years with respect to the type of disease. Always clarify to conditions.
Ruchi is a 34-year-old mother, living in Pune and she compared family plans. She required international coverage because her husband was travelling to work. The Prime Active plan of Manipalcigna was attractive to her because of the global treatment cover. Her close friend who underwent minor surgeries several times, on the contrary, decided on Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced because of the unlimited restoration and the simplicity of the claims.
Q. Is a port possible to another health plan to Manipalcigna or Niva Bupa?
Yes, subject to medical underwriting, according to IRDAI rules.
Waiting Periods: For both plans, the initial wait is 30 days, pre-existing disease 2-4 years and specified (joint replacement, hernia etc) 2 years.
Sub-limits: Room rent or ICU, few; no limit in most plan variants of 2025.
Co-payment: Nil except in case of older ages (more than 60 or 65), in which case, co-payment is very low.
Lifetime renewal on the two plans.
Portability under any policy that has been approved by the IRDAI.
Cumulative no-claim years bonus: both reward increase cumulative sum insured by 10-20 percent each no-claim year.
The plan is flexible with respect to sum insured increase.
Professional Opinion: It is better to choose health insurance with lifetime renewals as medical conditions vary over the years.
Q. Can you trust the purchases of health insurance policies online?
Yes, provided that you purchase it directly on the official site of insurers or on the verified health insurance comparison marketplaces on the Internet.
In 2024, Sunil, a 42-year-old manager, was hospitalised twice because of dengue and four months later due to an accident on the road. The claims made by Niva Bupa on Pulse Enhanced were paid out in full under the “ReAssure” feature and Niva Bupa returned his whole amount of insuring after the initial claim.
Simran, his cousin, was in the country of C-section. Manipalcigna international maternity cover was paid through the global variant which her previous plan did not have.
In the comparison or purchase of Manipalcigna Prime Active or Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced, you need online insurance marketplaces that are licensed to allow a real-time comparison of premiums and features and custom add-ons in multiple companies on the same page. This will promote enhanced transparency and will provide full quotes that reflect your age, city and needs, preventing advisor bias or omissions. Ask questions to purchases and company IRDAI registration.
Did you know? Urban Indians in 2024 purchased health insurance policies (with top-ups) on digital platforms or online comparison platforms over 70 percent.
The two plans are both rated highly in the year 2025 in terms of coverage, restoration benefits and network.
Manipalcigna is more suitable to the customers of the world, large sum insured, and wellness seekers.
Niva Bupa is superior in case of unlimited restoration, prompt approvals and value clients who have medium amounts of sum insured.
Compare functions, add-ons, and age, city, and requirements on the reliable online health insurance comparisons.
Carefully read the policy wordings and terms to eliminate surprises and costs in the future.
Q. What is the better plan between hospitals networks in India in terms of cashless treatment?
They each have more than 9000 hospitals - slightly more with Niva Bupa by 2025. It is important to always inquire with the particular hospital in your city.
Q. Does both plans include COVID-19 related hospitalisation in 2025?
Sure, both plans contain COVID and future pandemic diseases as required by IRDAI.
Q. Do these options have plans specially targeting the senior citizens?
None is a specific variant of senior citizens, the two admit new entrants to age up to 65-70 years; age over 60-65, increase co-payment.
Q. Do I have maternity cover on both?
Manipalcigna has add-on newborn and maternity cover. Maternity is not a standard feature of Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced, but it is a product add-on; check product add-ons.
Q. What is the duration of exclusion of pre-existing illnesses?
A waiting period of 2-4 years is usually imposed on the two types, depending on the sickness and the company policy type.
Q. Would I decide the plan solely on the basis of premium?
Never. It should always contain restoration benefit, hospital network, sum insured, exclusions and renewal conditions.
Manipalcigna Prime Active and Niva Bupa Health Pulse Enhanced are reputable in the year 2025. The most appropriate option will be based on your medical history, the need of international/OPD/alternative care, family size, and the readiness to pay higher premiums to get broader coverage. Shop online health insurance comparison sites to find to compare products dispassionately before making a purchase.
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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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