When people begin comparing different policy quotes, one question often comes up quickly: why do premiums sometimes look higher for women than for men in the same age group? While reviewing health insurance for women, this price gap can stand out, but there are specific coverage and risk factors behind it.
When you break down how those numbers are calculated, the gap usually makes more sense and often feels far less intimidating than it first appears.
Why Premiums Can Be Higher for Women
In health insurance, premiums are calculated using risk data. Insurers study claim history across age groups, medical categories and coverage types. The goal is to price policies in a way that keeps the risk pool balanced. If a group statistically uses certain medical services more often, premiums may reflect that expected usage.This does not mean every woman files more claims than every man. It means that, across large datasets, certain categories of care are used more frequently by women and that affects pricing models.
Role of Maternity and Newborn Coverage
One of the biggest reasons for higher premiums in women-focused plans is maternity coverage. Pregnancy, delivery and newborn care involve predictable medical expenses. When maternity benefits are included, especially with shorter waiting periods, premiums usually rise.
Some policies bundle maternity benefits into the base cover. Others offer it as an add-on. Plans that make it optional often give more pricing flexibility. That is why two policies with the same sum insured can still have very different premiums depending on how maternity benefits are structured.
Higher Preventive Care Usage
Another factor insurers consider is healthcare usage patterns. Women statistically tend to access preventive care more regularly, including health screenings, consultations and early-stage treatments. From a medical standpoint, that is positive. From a pricing standpoint, it increases expected claim frequency.
There are also gender-specific treatments and diagnostic procedures that may be covered under broader policies. When these are included without sub-limits, pricing adjusts accordingly.
When Premium Difference Disappears
The premium gap does not stay the same at every age. It’s usually more visible during the years when maternity benefits are most likely to be used. As you move into higher age brackets, that difference often narrows and in some plans, it may disappear altogether, depending on how the product is structured.Senior-oriented policies are usually priced based on overall medical risk and disclosed health conditions, rather than assumptions about usage tied to gender.
How Women Can Reduce Premium Costs
There are practical ways to manage premiums without stripping down essential benefits.
- Buying early helps, since entry-age pricing is lower and exclusions are fewer.
- Choosing maternity as an add-on instead of a bundled feature can also change the quote.
- Opting for a longer waiting period, where acceptable, may reduce the base premium.
- It also helps to review sub-limits and co-pay features carefully.
Select Customisable Health Coverage Options with TATA AIG
When reviewing health insurance options, it helps to look closely at how benefits are packaged rather than judging the premiums alone. TATA AIG also has health insurance for women options that are built with flexible benefit selections. Features such as maternity or wellness support can typically be opted for when relevant, rather than bundled by default. The coverage details are laid out clearly and the plans are structured so customers can adjust their protection to match their current priorities instead of paying for benefits that may not apply yet.
Disclaimer – The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.
