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Summary: India’s health insurance sector is on a rapid growth trajectory, projected to reach $222 billion by 2026, driven by a rising middle class and higher disposable incomes. With this growth comes a significant shift in consumer behavior-online searches have become the first step in evaluating policies, comparing providers, and selecting the right coverage.
Our latest Health Insurance Search Trends Report (FY’25) reveals how search patterns are evolving, with rising demand for specific categories such as senior citizen plans, maternity cover, and family health insurance. The findings underscore the critical role of SEO in connecting insurers with potential customers at the exact moment of decision-making.
For insurers, optimizing digital presence through search-driven strategies is no longer optional. It’s essential. In this blog, we explore the power of SEO in the health insurance sector and break down key insights from our comprehensive report to help businesses stay ahead in this highly competitive landscape.
In this blog, we will delve into the critical importance of SEO in the health insurance sector and understand the key findings from our Health Insurance Search Trends Report comprehensive report.
Table of Contents
Health Insurance Searches: What People Are Looking For
Within health insurance, the most searched terms in FY’25 revolve around brands and plan-specific queries. Instead of only broad awareness, people are increasingly searching for family coverage, senior citizen plans, and trusted providers.
Common searches include:
“Best health insurance in India” (+22.07% YoY)
“Family health insurance plans” (+22.65% YoY)
“Senior citizen health insurance” (+21.41% YoY)
“Cashless health insurance near me” (local growth driven by Tier-I & Tier-II cities)
To attract more customers, health insurance companies must invest in SEO to rank higher in both branded (53.14% share) and high-intent non-branded queries.
Businesses can also improve organic performance by creating quality content, optimizing for local searches, and focusing on technical, content, user experience, and mobile SEO.
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Understanding User Intent in Health Insurance Searches
User intent – the motivation behind a search query – plays a critical role in how people engage with health insurance online. In FY’25, search trends show a clear mix of informational, navigational, and transactional intents, each requiring a tailored SEO approach.
Informational Intent: Users research topics like “What is cashless health insurance?” or “Best family health insurance in India” (+22.65% YoY). They’re seeking clarity on benefits, coverage, and policy terms.
Navigational Intent: Branded searches now dominate (53.14% of total queries), with users directly looking for insurers such as Star Health or Niva Bupa. Optimizing for branded queries and competitor comparisons is crucial.
Transactional Intent: High-intent users are searching for “buy health insurance online” or location-specific queries like “health insurance near me”, reflecting the digital-first distribution trend and Tier-I/Tier-II city growth.
Recognizing these intent patterns allows insurers to:
Craft content hubs that address FAQs, policy comparisons, and regulatory updates.
Build strong brand authority for navigational queries.
Streamline conversion journeys (fast quotes, mobile-friendly experiences) for transactional searches.
Aligning SEO with user intent ensures content not only ranks well but also meets customers at every stage of their decision-making journey, from awareness to purchase.
Analyzing Health Insurance Search Trends
Tracking search trends is no longer optional, it’s essential for insurers who want to stay competitive in India’s rapidly evolving health insurance market. According to Techmagnate’s FY’25 Health Insurance Trends Report, searches for health insurance grew by 14.52% YoY, reaching 19.4 lakh queries. This surge reflects rising awareness, digital adoption, and the need for more accessible coverage options.
By analyzing search trends, insurers can:
Identify shifts in consumer demand (e.g., growing searches for “cashless OPD cover” after IRDAI reforms).
Tailor products to address preventive healthcare and wellness needs.
Invest in SEO strategies that match high-intent queries and drive qualified leads.
Regional Variations in Health Insurance Searches
Search behavior also differs across geographies. While Tier-I cities still dominate total search volumes, Tier-II and Tier-III cities are driving double-digit growth as awareness and adoption expand beyond metros. For example:
The contribution of Tier-II cities to total search volume stands at 31.64% in FY’25 (up from 30.92%).
Tier-III cities are becoming a key driver for non-branded, awareness-focused queries, reflecting the need for financial protection in semi-urban and rural areas.
For insurers, this means adopting location-specific healthcare SEO strategies – from targeting regional keywords like “best health insurance in Jaipur” to optimizing content in local languages. This ensures policies remain discoverable and relevant to audiences across India.
The Importance of SEO Strategy for Health Insurance: Insights from the Techmagnate Report
A strong SEO strategy can lead to increased visibility and greater traffic to provider websites. Moreover, providers can also attract new clients through focused Healthcare SEO services. Providers can distinguish themselves from their competitors, ultimately allowing them to dominate search results and get access to a greater market share.
The Search Trends Report from Techmagnate is designed to equip health insurance organizations with actionable insights to optimize their online presence effectively. While we’ve provided key findings in this blog, we do recommend that you download the full report to fully understand changing consumer behavior shaping the industry.
The report also highlights the leading health insurance providers and explores various opportunities, such as query volume, branded and non-branded keywords, share of voice, and growth prospects.
For companies in the health insurance sector looking to make the most of search engines, it’s a helpful tool.
Searches for “Health Insurance” grew modestly by 1.61% YoY, increasing from 96.60 lakh in FY’24 to 98.15 lakh in FY’25, showing sustained consumer interest but at a slower pace than previous years.
Non-branded queries continue to dominate, as users increasingly search for plan types and benefits (e.g., “family health insurance plans”) rather than insurer brand names.
Search growth is strongest in emerging categories such as OPD coverage, wellness-linked insurance, and telemedicine integration, reflecting shifting consumer needs.
Branded searches surged by 9.95% in FY’25, crossing 52.16 lakh queries, with leading players like Star Health and Niva Bupa showing double-digit growth.
Tier-II and Tier-III cities are fueling demand, highlighting how adoption is no longer metro-centric, regional growth signals a wider acceptance of health insurance across India.
Branded Generic queries dominate the category with 51.59 lakh searches in FY’25, growing 10.16% YoY and accounting for 98.90%+ market share.
Family Health Cover searches fell slightly by -7.20%, dropping from 0.36 lakh in FY’24 to 0.34 lakh in FY’25, though it still holds 0.65% market share.
Accidental Insurance (-3.02%), Maternity Insurance (-10.56%), and Critical Illness Cover (-3.59%) all registered declines in FY’25.
Cancer Cover Plan (-0.55%) and Senior Citizens Medicover (-11.29%) also dipped, highlighting weaker consumer interest in niche segments.
Overall, branded searches rose by 9.95%, reaching a total of 52.16 lakh queries in FY’25, signaling strong consumer preference for brand-led queries despite declines in specialized covers.
Non-Branded Generic searches dropped -7.78% (from 45.39L to 41.86L) but still dominate with 106%+ market share, showing strong reliance on generic queries.
Senior Citizens Medicover grew the fastest (+21.41%), highlighting rising demand for elderly-focused insurance.
Family Health Cover also saw strong growth (+10.18%), reflecting increasing interest in family-based health protection.
Cancer Cover Plan declined sharply (-15.86%), while Critical Illness Cover dipped slightly (-2.33%), showing weakening demand for these niche products.
Overall, non-branded queries fell -6.45% YoY (49.16L → 45.99L), signaling a shift in preference toward branded health insurance searches.
Bengaluru led the growth with a 19.77% increase in search volume, now contributing the highest share at 20.98% of Tier 1 health insurance searches.
Mumbai followed closely with a 16.40% growth, maintaining a strong 18.52% market share.
Chennai showed a healthy rise (+15.41%), accounting for 16.61% of Tier 1 searches.
Delhi saw modest growth (+3.91%), but still holds a significant 16.35% market share.
Overall Tier 1 cities registered 13.75% YoY growth in search volumes (27.17L → 26.16L), collectively contributing 94.61% of total search volume.
Policy Bazaar dominates search presence with the highest Share of Voice (SOV) at 37.84%, reflecting strong digital visibility.
Star Health holds second place with 34.46% SOV, showing robust traction in organic search results.
ICICI Lombard ranks third with 29.25% SOV, highlighting consistent brand visibility.
Research Background
This report is based on an in-depth analysis of health insurance–related search queries using first-party data from Google Keyword Planner. The dataset covers 18,000+ keywords across fiscal years FY 2023–24 and FY 2024–25, offering a comprehensive view of how consumer interest in health insurance is evolving.
With a total analyzed search volume of 98.15 lakh, the study sheds light on emerging patterns in user behavior, insurance categories, and brand-specific demand. Geo-targeting played a critical role, with searches segmented across Tier 1, Tier 2, and other cities in India, highlighting regional differences in adoption and growth.
To ensure accuracy and depth, the analysis also included a sample of 55+ leading insurance brands with significant digital visibility, enabling us to compare branded and non-branded queries.
This structured approach ensures the findings are both comprehensive and representative of the Indian health insurance landscape, providing valuable insights for insurers, marketers, and policy decision-makers.
Collaborating with a trusted healthcare SEO agency can help turn these insights into actionable digital strategies that improve visibility and attract the right customers.
Curious about where the market is headed? Download our full Health Insurance Search Trends Report for detailed insights or read our detailed healthcare case study.
FAQ’s
How big is India’s health insurance market expected to be by 2026?
By 2026, India’s health insurance sector is projected to reach $222 billion. This growth is fueled by a rising middle class, higher disposable incomes, and increasing awareness of the importance of comprehensive health coverage.
Why are online searches important in the health insurance sector?
Online searches are often the first step in decision-making for policyholders. People use Google to compare policies, research coverage for specific needs (like maternity or senior citizen plans), and evaluate insurance providers. This makes SEO a crucial tool for insurers to attract and engage potential customers.
Which health insurance categories are seeing the fastest growth in search trends?
According to the FY’25 Health Insurance Search Trends Report, categories like Senior Citizens Medicover (+21.41%), Family Health Cover (+10.18%), and Maternity Insurance (+4.07%) have seen strong growth in search volumes, reflecting evolving customer needs.
How are Tier 1 cities contributing to health insurance search volumes?
Tier 1 cities remain the largest contributors, accounting for 94.61% of the market share in FY’25. Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai showed the highest growth in search volumes, signaling increased awareness and adoption of health insurance in these metros.
How can health insurers benefit from SEO in this competitive market?
SEO helps insurers rank higher in search results, capture intent-driven queries, and connect with customers actively seeking policies. By creating content around popular search terms (like “affordable health insurance plans” or “coverage for pre-existing conditions”) and optimizing for local/regional searches, insurers can significantly boost visibility and conversions.
Sarvesh Bagla is an enterprise SEO expert and industry leader who has driven transformational digital growth for India’s top brands across the BFSI, Healthcare, Automotive, and ECommerce industries. As the Founder and CEO of Techmagnate, he leads large-scale organic search strategies and performance marketing campaigns for businesses looking to succeed in today’s AI-driven search landscape.
A strong advocate for thought leadership, Sarvesh is deeply involved in SEO evangelism and regularly contributes to industry discussions through LinkedIn, webinars, and CMO roundtables. His focus today is on helping brands prepare for an AI-first SEO future (AEO, GEO) and strategies for Large Language Models (LLMs) at the core.
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