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Last updated on: May 20, 2025
When comparing Oriental Health Insurance and Royal Sundaram Health Insurance, both insurers offer comprehensive health plans with features like cashless hospitalization, coverage for pre-existing diseases after waiting periods, and a large network of hospitals. Oriental is known for affordable premiums and strong government backing, making it a trusted choice among public sector insurers. Royal Sundaram, a private insurer, stands out for its quick claim settlement, customizable plans, and wellness benefits. However, Oriental may have more traditional policies and slower claim processes, while Royal Sundaram offers more flexible, customer-centric plans and faster service. Choosing between the two depends on your priorities: opt for Oriental for budget-friendly, government-supported insurance, or go with Royal Sundaram for modern features, quicker service, and more plan variety.
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Read BioThousands of people find healthcare bills increasing day by day and selecting the best health insurance in India can be confusing. When it comes to Oriental Health Insurance vs Royal Sundaram Health Insurance in 2025, understanding their features, advantages, and suitability can help you make a more informed decision. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed comparison of both top Indian insurers, offering a clear and useful guide for families or individuals looking to make an informed decision based on the right cover and value.
Oriental Health Insurance is a state-owned general insurance company with a long history to speak of–it was founded in 1947 and today insures millions of individuals across the country. The company has a strong claim payment system and extensive hospital network.
Royal Sundaram Health Insurance is a part of the Sundaram Finance Group. It is a private insurance company, known for its innovation (it was the first private general insurance company authorized in 2001), digital-first services, and agile plans oriented towards an urban and younger clientele.
Both provide a range of health covers-individual insurance, family floaters, senior citizen covers, top-up plans and group health insurance. The distinction can be mainly seen in service formats, product add-ons, premium pricing, claim ratio, and digital experience.
Buyers are always asking what is the best health insurance for Indian families in 2025 and which is better: Oriental vs Royal Sundaram medical insurance plans. The answer to this question will depend on whether you prefer a traditional broad base coverage or prefer value-added modern features.
Did you know? Cashless claims are now in use in around 68 percent of private hospitalizations in Indian cities by 2025, and insurers such as Royal Sundaram are increasing cashless approvals within two hours for 85 percent of claims.
To help with your comparison, here is a quick side by side table detailing some of the key points to consider:
| Feature | Oriental Health Insurance | Royal Sundaram Health Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Company Type | PSU Insurer | Private General Insurer |
| Year of Launch | 1947 | 2001 |
| Policy Options | Wide (Basic to Senior) | Modern, customisable, urban focus |
| Claim Settlement Ratio (2023-24) | 93.5 percent | 99.1 percent (retail health) |
| Cashless Hospital Network | 7600+ | 11500+ |
| Minimum Age of Entry for Family Plans | 91 days to 65 years | 91 days (child) Max: No upper limit |
| Pre-existing Illness Waiting Period | 4 years | 3-4 years (variable in plans) |
| No Claim Bonus | Up to 25 percent | Up to 150 percent (Lifeline plans) |
| Maternity Cover | Select plans - after 3 years | Optional add-on (after 3 years) |
| Health Check-Up | Every four years | Annual (on select plans) |
| Restore Benefit | - | Available on most policies |
| PED coverage (Diabetes, BP, etc) | Conditional, Gradually Included | Flexible - can choose to add-ons |
| Digital Servicing | - Basic App, SMS enabled, WhatsApp, | Full Online service, App |
All data based on data in published financial year 2023-24 and policy literature for 2025.
Oriental Health Insurance follows a similar basic approach but has certain added benefits:
Pros:
Cons:
Royal Sundaram provides cover that meets contemporary, multi-faceted needs:
Pros:
Cons:
Expert’s take: Industry analysts say digitally enabled plans (like Royal Sundaram’s plans) currently have about 45 percent faster claim approvals than traditional plans. This is worth mentioning if speed or convenience is important to you.
If the family is large, with senior and/or infirm members, oriental’s time-tested Mediclaim or Happy Family floater plans (sum assured up to 20 lakh rupees) with wide acceptance and government support can be a good option.
Royal Sundaram’s Lifeline Supreme or Elite plans are the entry points to quality wellness benefits for couples or newly formed families. These include: no claim bonus; overseas emergency; free health checks; maternity benefits; and in many cases, reduced waiting conditions for pre-existing illnesses.
Both companies also have super top up options. Oriental is focused on simple top-up covers with minimum eligibility complexity and fixed limits. Royal Sundaram allows you to choose deductibles, sum insured and combine with base plans for better flexibility.
Oriental’s Happy Age policy provides five lakh sum insured with little co-payment for an entry age of 60-79 years. Royal Sundaram’s senior plans are more modern – allowing entry after age 70, with an increased cap on room rentals, online support and health checks.
Q: Is Royal Sundaram a ayurvedic treatment center?
Answer: Yes, most of the key plans offered by Royal Sundaram such as Ayurveda and homeopathy are covered under AYUSH till a certain percentage of sum insured.
Case Example 1:
Ratanmala Jain - Mrs. Ratanmala Jain, 63, took admission in Oriental Happy Family Floater for the joint family at Ranchi in 2024. A claim for appendix surgery was successfully sent for and the claim for 1.8 lakh gall bladder surgery was approved within 36 hours, mainly because of the strong regional desk and hospital tie-up of the PSU.
Case Example 2:
Mr. Singh is 38 years old and an IT professional in Bengaluru who selected Royal Sundaram Lifeline Elite for his nuclear family in 2025. His wife was on OPD dental cover, but he was covered for an annual whole body health check. His instant chat support for the policy helped him out when he needed reimbursement for hospital bills on an international trip.
| Criteria | Oriental Health Insurance | Royal Sundaram Health Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Largest Suitability | - Joint families, Seniors, | Urban/floating families, Couples |
| Maximum Sum Insured ([?]) | Up to 30 lakh | Up to 1.5 crore |
| Digital Claim Process | - Moderate (web, SMS) | - Advanced web, SMS, WhatsApp app |
| Maternity/OPD Cover | Choose higher plans | Choose plans, better add-on |
| Main benefits: | High availability, reliability, flexibility, possibilities for modernisation. | |
| Premium (5L, family of 4, approx pa) | 14,000 to 22,000 | 17,500 to 26,000 |
| No Claim Bonus Range | Up to 25 percent | Up to 150 percent |
| Claim Settlement Time (average) | 2-7 days | Within 48 hours |
Looking for simple, affordable policies and government guarantees?
Oriental Health Insurance provides good all-purpose cover (especially for senior citizens, low income earners, tier 2 and 3 cities).
Looking for special cover or digital components, wellness incentives?
Royal Sundaram Health Insurance is better for young families, professionals, and those who want faster claims and more features as part of their health policy.
Did you know? Also, with the advent of secure online platforms that aggregate products from multiple insurers, Indian customers can now track cashless hospitals, compare detailed products, read user reviews and make purchases from a single platform - improving satisfaction and transparency.
Amit J Verma, MD & CEO, AIA Life Insurance Limited: Sum insured restoration, OPD cover and annual health check-ups are now key add-ons for younger families, while older buyers appreciate convenient cashless claims.
Q: Which is the best health insurance with maximum claim settlement ratio for family in 2025?
A: The relative ratio of retail health claim settlement at present Royal Sundaram is higher, but Oriental is still steady and reliable in the public sector.
Q: Which is the best insurance policy for senior citizens - Oriental or Royal Sundaram?
A: Happy Age from Oriental is designed for senior citizens with chronic health conditions; Royal Sundaram offers longer terms, higher sum insured and smaller room rent limits for active senior citizens.
Q: Does Oriental have cashless treatment at private hospitals?
Yes, it has a network of over 7600 hospitals (including leading private multispeciality and corporate hospitals).
Q: Does Oriental and Royal Sundaram contain pre-existing diseases?
A: Yes, but the period of waiting is normally four years (Oriental) and three to four years (Royal Sundaram) depending upon the scheme.
Q: What is the Best Insurance Company for Tracking Policies Online and for Filing Claims?
A: Royal Sundaram provides more user-friendly features in terms of online policy management, app-enabled claims, and customer service.
Q: Will my Oriental policy get ported to Royal Sundaram or vice versa in 2025?
Yes, as per the IRDAI guidelines, you can switch insurers at the end of every year with your policy, carrying the accumulated WPs and the bonuses.
Q: What is the average deviation in premium for family floater (5 lakhs) in metro cities?
Royal Sundaram: On average premiums for metro cities is higher by 15 plus percent due to wider features, Oriental is cheaper in rural and Semi Urban areas.
Q: Where Can I Compare Oriental and Royal Sundaram Products?
Access online insurance marketplaces to instantly compare policy details, premiums, network hospitals, and user reviews, ensuring a transparent and value-oriented purchase tailored to your requirements.
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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