Last updated on: May 20, 2025
The Reliance Health Gain Plan and Star Smart Health Pro Plan are both popular health insurance options in India, but they differ in key features. Reliance Health Gain Plan offers flexible sum insured options, multiple family floater variants, and wellness benefits such as discount rewards and free health check-ups. It is especially notable for its restoration benefit and customizable add-ons, making it suitable for families seeking flexibility. On the other hand, Star Smart Health Pro Plan stands out with comprehensive coverage that includes OPD expenses, unlimited teleconsultations, and coverage for day care procedures as well as pre-existing disease waiting period waivers (with extra premium). It also provides a unique no-claim bonus structure. Ultimately, the choice depends on your specific needs: Reliance suits those prioritizing customization and rewards, while Star is ideal for broader coverage, especially outpatient care and telemedicine benefits.
The issue of health insurance selection in India is one of the most important decisions people and families make because in 2025 the cost of medical services is only increasing. Some of the most popular ones are the Reliance Health Gain Plan and the Star Smart Health Pro Plan. Both cover a lot of ground, but each has its own features, advantages, and conditions worth considering before choosing either. Here we provide a detailed and simple to understand comparison with the application to actual user requirements and actual understanding within the Indian reality.
Reliance Health Gain Plan is an overall Reliance General Insurance health insurance product that targets individuals, families, and senior citizens. With its flexible sum insured choices, wellness benefits, and customization, this plan gained popularity across platforms in 2024 and received additional upgrades in 2025.
Star Health and Allied Insurance provide Star Smart Health Pro Plan. It has been popular in big cities of India because of its add-on packs, restoration benefits, and outpatient cover. The main target group of this policy, introduced with amendments in 2025, is young professionals and urban families in need of advanced coverage but with added value.
The difference between these plans usually boils down to the differences in how these plans are calculated, the extent of the coverage, claim processing, and value-added services. We are finding that many users now desire an integrated policy that includes cashless hospitalisation, prompt claim settlement, wellness assistance and convenient add-ons which are easily offered on the online insurance marketplaces. This comparison provides you with actionable information, use cases, and a live table of features to help you understand.
Did you know?
India Insurance Outlook 2024 survey reported that more than half of young policyholders (55 percent) desired insurers with digital claim handling, which is already a part of the new version of Reliance Health Gain Plan.
Real-world illustration:
Both Reliance and Star Smart provided cashless settlement when 34-year-old Bangalore-based tech professional Radhika was hospitalised due to appendicitis. But the OPD add-on proved helpful to her in Reliance since her plan reimbursed follow-up consultation and diagnostic expenses.
Plan | Reliance Health Gain Plan | Star Smart Health Pro Plan |
---|---|---|
Entry Age | 91 days (child), 18 yrs (adult) | 91 days (child), 18 yrs (adult) |
Max. Age Limit | Lifetime renewal | Lifetime renewal |
Sum Insured Range | 3 lakh to 1 crore | 5 lakh to 1 crore |
No Room Rent Limit (Select variants) | Yes | Yes. |
OPD Cover | Optional Add-on | Optional Add-on |
Restoration Benefit | 100% Once | 100% up to 3 times |
Network Hospitals | 8000+ | 13000+ |
Pre Hospitalisation | 60/180 days | 60/180 days |
Maternity Benefit | Optional | Optional |
Daily Hospital Cash | Add-on option | Standard feature. |
Wellness Rewards | Yes | Yes |
Premium (Age 30, 5 lakh SI, Individual) | Rs. 6500 to Rs. 8500 | Rs. 7500 to Rs. 9800 |
Co-payment | None (except where deductible is selected) | Optional on some plans. |
Median rate per month at June 2025 (depending on the city, age, and add-ons chosen)
And which does a family have in 2025? These two now offer family floater but Reliance Health Gain is more accommodative in the sum insured and claims are faster and less expensive compared to Star Smart Health Pro which is leading the pack in terms of network hospitals and restoration frequency.
Pros:
Cons:
Expert Insight:
Reliance Health Gain Plan may be particularly affordable to families that highly appreciate the low initial premium and have flexibility to choose between co-payment and deductible, comments Prakash Sinha, insurance analyst in Mumbai.
Pros:
Cons:
Am I able to purchase these plans online and make comparisons so easily? Yes, in the year 2025, large online insurance markets enable the parallel comparison of features, premiums and add-ons of Reliance Health Gain Plan and Star Smart Health Pro Plan.
Did you know?
The IRDAI of India has regulated that by 2025, all retail health policies should carry mental illness and modern treatment methods provided by the plans.
Reliance Health Gain Plan: Application-based and live changes with the online focus. Claim requests that do not require cash are processed normally at network hospitals in 3-4 hours.
Star Smart Health Pro Plan: Highly praised in terms of cashless approvals due to an extensive network, a support helpline and claim status notifications in SMS and email.
Small Case Study:
In 2024, a resident of Pune Mr. Ashok Singh filed a no-cash claim related to an unexpected surgery. Although both plans took less than 6 hours to process the pre-authorisation, the tie-up with the hospital guaranteed Star Health that the entire bill payment would be communicated to him before he was discharged, giving him peace of mind.
Who is the greatest claim settlement ratio in 2025? In the public disclosures of FY 2024-25, the two insurers reported over 97 percent claim settlement ratios. The insurer site should verify the annual reports and ratios plan-specific.
Reliance Health Gain Plan: Health check-ups, Fitness and doctor consultation vouchers, discounts at e-pharmacy.
Star Smart Health Pro Plan: Wellness coaching, continuous disease care, digital health record, and claims and telemedicine assistance through apps.
Did you know?
In 2025, many buyers of products online use digital health lockers to store and share policy and medical documents, both of which are supported by the proprietary apps of insurers.
These two plans offer you the opportunity to earn wellness points by engaging in healthy activities, attending step-based fitness programs, and enjoying teleconsultations. But Reliance is the one to offer greater customisation through modular add-ons where Star offers more wellness camps within the network.
Expert Insight:
A leading trend is now customisation, where Indian consumers are combining OPD, maternity, and personal accident covers depending on their changing life stage and city where they live, says Chitra Verma, independent financial advisor.
Is porting possible to these plans? At renewal, policyholders can transfer among all insurers to Reliance or Star plans, as long as they do so 45 days prior to policy expiry.
Practical Tip:
Shop and compare on several web-based markets and purchase. This assists you to receive the most recent deals, lows and welfares comparison side listed in real time.
How does restoration differ with Reliance and Star Health insurance?
Reliance has 100 percent restoration after the first use, whereas Star Smart Health Pro has 3 times restoration in a given policy year.
Does both plans have OPD cover?
Yes, but as an optional add-on in both in 2025.
Is mental health and modern treatment included in these plans?
Yes, according to the IRDAI norms of 2025, now both contain psychiatric and hi-tech therapy.
Is it possible to purchase these policies completely on the Internet?
Yes, according to the websites of the insurers and the top online insurance aggregators enabling comparison and issuing online.
Do pre-existing diseases have any waiting periods?
Generally, yes. The two plans also subject pre-existing conditions to a 2-3 year waiting period.
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).