A group health insurance policy covers a group of individuals under a single plan. Only registered and recognized groups can buy group medical insurance for their members; the most common of these groups is employer-employee. Usually, employers buy such health insurance plans as part of their employee benefit programs. Group mediclaim policies are bought because they are affordable, convenient, comprehensive, and customizable.
Key Takeaways
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Employee-Centric Selection: Before buying, it is critical to ascertain employee needs through surveys. Since health insurance is a key part of the compensation structure, involving the team ensures the plan is truly beneficial for their specific life stages.
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The “Small Company” Hurdle: Small businesses often find the direct route difficult due to lower priority from large sales departments. Intermediaries are often better equipped to provide the detailed attention and competitive terms that smaller groups require.
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Instant Effectiveness: Insurance coverage begins the moment the insurer receives the premium. In 2026, Digital Payments (UPI, NEFT, RTGS) are the standard for instant activation, though physical cheques are still legally backdated to the handover date.
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The “One-Stop” Advantage: Using a broker allows you to complete a process that would normally take weeks in just a day or two. This is achieved by using online quote engines that aggregate data from top-tier companies into a single, researched dashboard.
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Claim Advocacy: Perhaps the biggest advantage of an intermediary is the dedicated claims department. Having an expert “advocate” to interface with the insurer can significantly reduce the turnaround time (TAT) for medical reimbursements.
Steps to take before buying group health plans
If you are an employer who wants to buy a corporate health insurance plan, here are some steps for you to follow. First, decide on the employees you want to cover. Would you offer insurance to all or some of your employees? This decision will determine the premium you will have to pay.
Next, in order to ensure that the employment insurance scheme you opt for is truly beneficial for your employees, ascertain their needs. You can do this through a survey or questionnaire. Since the health plan also affects the employee’s compensation structure, it is good to make them part of the insurance selection process.
Finally, calculate the amount of coverage by considering present and future conditions, such as healthcare expenses, age group of employees, working conditions, etc. Once you have done all of this, you can go ahead and buy a plan.
Additional Read: Features of group health insurance plans
How to buy group health insurance plans
There are two different options for buying group health insurance plans.
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Directly from an insurance company
An option for buying a group policy is through an insurance company. To do this, you can apply for group health insurance at an insurer’s branch or with a sales representative. Once you do this, the company’s executive will get in touch with you to confirm coverage and premium details. Alternatively, you can contact the customer care helpline of the insurance company and submit a request for group mediclaim insurance. The customer care executive will transfer your call to the company’s sales department, which will help you buy the policy. This can be a cumbersome process, particularly if you are a small company and want to understand the product in detail.
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Through insurance intermediaries such as SecureNow
You can also buy group health insurance through an insurance broker. For this, leave an inquiry online or call customer support. Intermediaries move fast and will call you back quickly. A good intermediary will share multiple options with you, both insurers and product structures. And, typically they will do this in just a day or two. Keep in mind that Premiums charged are just one aspect of selecting good insurance. Once you see the options, you can zero in on a policy that gives you comprehensive coverage for the most reasonable premium. Further, most insurance brokers have a dedicated department to handle claims that will help you settle your claims at the earliest. For these reasons, these brokers are a better alternative for buying employee health insurance policies.
Paying the premium for group health insurance plans
You can pay the premiums of group health insurance policies online, through NEFT, RTGS, net banking, UPI, etc. Alternatively, you can also pay the premium offline through a cheque or demand draft. Your insurance is effective from the day money is received by the insurer. However, if you write a cheque then they will consider the day the cheque was shared with them as the starting date.
Summary: Buying Channels for Group Health Insurance
What SecureNow offers?
SecureNow is an insurance broker that allows you to find and buy group health insurance online. All you need to do is visit the group health insurance quote page and enter your basic information. Once this is done, you will get thoroughly researched insurance quotes from top companies. SecureNow will then get in touch with you, understand your coverage needs, and help you with policy customization based on your needs. So, a process that could take you weeks on your own will be completed in a day or two. Also, you will get much better terms from SecureNow than what you could get on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: How do I decide which employees to cover to keep the premium within my budget?
A) You can choose to cover all employees or specific categories (e.g., permanent staff only). In 2026, many startups start with a core group and use graded sums insured (e.g., ₹5L for seniors, ₹3L for juniors) to balance costs while ensuring everyone has a safety net.
Q2: Is the premium higher if I buy through a broker instead of going direct?
A) Actually, no. Because brokers bring a high volume of business to insurers, they often negotiate much better terms and rates than an individual company could get on its own. The “buying power” of the intermediary is passed down to you as a discount.
Q3: Can I pay my group insurance premium via UPI in 2026?
A) Yes. Modern insurance platforms now support UPI, Net Banking, and Credit Cards for premium payments. This ensures your “Cash Deposit” (CD) balance or master premium is credited instantly, making the policy active without the delay of cheque clearing.
Q4: What happens if I make a claim before my “Physical Policy” arrives?
A) Your coverage is effective from the date the insurer receives the payment. Even if the final document is being processed, you can usually use a Member ID or the Transaction Reference to intimate a claim. A good broker will help facilitate this “interim” claim.
Q5: Why is a “Questionnaire” recommended before buying a plan?
A) A questionnaire helps identify specific needs—like how many employees are planning families or have senior parents. For someone like you, Aryan, this would ensure the plan has Maternity and Baby Day One cover, making the benefit truly relevant to your life in June 2026.
About The Author
Mayank Sharma
MBA Finance
He is a professional who brings extensive knowledge and expertise to the field of group health insurance. He has dedicated 7years to helping individuals and businesses navigate the complexities of insurance. Having worked closely with numerous clients and insurance providers, he deeply understands the nuances of group health insurance policies. With a reputation for providing insightful and informative content, he leverages his industry experience to educate readers about the importance of group health insurance and its benefits. Through their articles, Mayank Sharma aims to empower individuals and businesses to make informed decisions about their healthcare coverage, ultimately promoting healthier and more secure communities.
