Why It’s Better to Take a Base Health Insurance + Super Top-Up Policy Instead of Relying on Bonus-Boost Plans Like Power Booster or Sum Insured Doublers

Many modern health insurance plans in India come with tempting add-ons like “Power Booster,” “Super Recharge,” “Sum Insured Doubler,” or “Guaranteed Bonus.” These features, offered by insurers such as ICICI Lombard, Niva Bupa, Care, Star Health, HDFC ERGO, and many other insurers, promise to increase your sum insured automatically every year. In this, the sum insured increases by 50% to 100% every year. Some policies limit the number of years up to which the bonus keeps accruing, and some policies have no capping for the number of years the bonus keeps accruing if there are no claims.

A lot of clients, especially young clients, feel that if they take an INR 10 lakh policy, in 10 years their coverage can go to INR 1 crore. Since they are young and, in all probability, would not need to make any claims since they are healthy, this seems like a good choice. Even if a claim arises, they could use their company health insurance to make the claim, and they would continue accruing the bonus on their private policy.

While these look attractive on paper, there’s a hidden risk most policyholders don’t realize:such benefits are not permanent and can vanish if the insurer discontinues or redesigns the product in the future.

If the insurer:

• Discontinues that policy, or

• Replaces it with a new version,

they are not obligated to carry forward your accumulated bonus. You only retain your base sum insured and continuity benefits like waiting periods. If your ₹10 lakh policy had grown to ₹50 lakh due to such bonuses, a product withdrawal could suddenly bring your cover back down to ₹10 lakh at the next renewal.

IRDAI rules protect continuity, not special add-ons

Under IRDAI’s Health Insurance Regulations (2020):

• When a product is withdrawn, insurers must offer migration to a similar plan with continuity of waiting periods and base coverage.

• However, optional features and loyalty bonuses are not guaranteed to continue unless the new product supports them.

That means your “automatic sum insured increase” or “super recharge” benefit can legally disappear when you migrate. The main issue arises if, in between this period, you have developed any chronic disease — the insurer may refuse to give a higher sum insured policy while migrating to the latest policy. Hence, when you need higher cover the most due to a chronic disease, you would not get additional coverage.

The reason people go for this coverage is that the add-on is sometimes in-built in the product (hence free), or even if it needs to be purchased, the cost could be less than INR 1,000. Hence, it is very easy for people to think it is a great way to ensure your coverage keeps increasing at a very low cost.

A base plan + super top-up gives stronger and cheaper protection

Instead of relying on bonuses, you can create your own structured cover:• Base health insurance: ₹10–20 lakh• Super top-up: ₹50–100 lakh (with ₹10 lakh deductible)

This combo gives you large protection without paying for fragile add-ons. Also, super top-ups, though more expensive than an add-on, guarantee that coverage. The super top-up amount can also be increased in the future at a very low cost if requirements increase.

Conclusion

Health insurance should protect you for decades, not just until an insurer updates its product line.Add-on benefits depend entirely on a specific product’s survival. Super top-ups, on the other hand, are standalone and interchangeable — giving you true long-term peace of mind.

A base health plan + super top-up combination:• Offers stable, scalable coverage• Costs less over time• Keeps you independent of one insurer’s decisions• Ensures full continuity under IRDAI portability rules

In the long run, it’s a smarter, safer, and more sustainable way to secure high-value health protection.