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ArticleHealth insurance is one of the few tax deductions you'd want even if there were no tax break — and 80D rewards you for cover you should be carrying anyway. Here's how to claim it fully. (Old regime.)
Reviewed by CA Harika Chebolu, FCA · Last updated 2026-06-13
Quick answer
How Section 80D works for you, your family and your parents — including the preventive check-up benefit, senior-citizen limits, and the 80DDB deduction for serious illness.
Under 80D you can deduct premiums of up to Rs 25,000 a year for a policy covering yourself, your spouse and dependent children. This is the base benefit, and most working families can claim it in full simply by paying for adequate cover.
Premiums for your parents are deductible over and above your own — and if they're senior citizens, that extra deduction is up to Rs 50,000. Insuring elderly parents is exactly when cover matters most, and the tax break makes it cheaper to do the right thing.
A portion of the 80D limit can be used for preventive health check-ups for you and your family. It's a small amount and sits within the overall ceiling, but most people forget it — a routine check-up you'd do anyway can count.
Separate from 80D, Section 80DDB allows a deduction for the cost of treating certain specified diseases — up to Rs 40,000, or Rs 1,00,000 if the patient is a senior citizen — provided you have the required specialist prescription. Families dealing with a major illness often miss this entirely.
Choose a policy on cover, network hospitals and claim record — not on the deduction. The tax saving is a bonus on top of protection you need; picking a weak policy just to claim 80D defeats the purpose.
Up to Rs 25,000 for yourself and family, plus up to Rs 50,000 for senior-citizen parents. Premiums for parents are deductible over and above your own cover, and a preventive health check-up fits within the limit. It applies in the old regime.
Yes — Section 80DDB. It allows up to Rs 40,000 (Rs 1,00,000 for senior citizens) for treating specified diseases, with a specialist's prescription.
No — 80D is an old-regime deduction. If you choose the new regime, you can't claim it, which is one factor to weigh when picking a regime.
Insuring your family or elderly parents? Write to the firm and we'll make sure you claim every rupee you're entitled to.