Who needs what, and who can actually buy.

Health insurance for yourself. Buy now to start the waiting-period clock. By the time you actually move back, the 2-4 year waiting periods are already behind you. Provider picks →

Senior citizen health plan with ₹15-25L cover. The single biggest insurance need for any NRI with elderly parents. ICU week at a Mumbai private hospital is ₹2-5L. Senior plans compared →

Term life. ₹1Cr cover at age 35 ≈ ₹15-25K/year — far cheaper than US/UK term ($400-800/year). HDFC Life Click2Protect or ICICI Pru iProtect. Term life details →

Travel insurance. Single trip ₹500-2,000. Annual multi-trip ₹3-5K wins if you visit 2+ times. Add medical evacuation if parents are 70+. Travel options →

Property insurance. ₹4-8K/year for ₹50L-1Cr structure. Vacant property especially needs fire + theft cover. Negligible cost relative to asset. Property options →

Critical illness standalone or rider. Lump sum on diagnosis (cancer, stroke, kidney failure, organ transplant) — not bills reimbursed. Money's yours for treatment + recovery time off work. Critical illness →

Student travel + medical insurance. Often mandatory by US/UK/Canada/Australia universities. Covers visa-required medical, repatriation, study interruption. Tata AIG, ICICI Lombard, Bajaj Allianz all run dedicated student products. Student options →

Yes for all types. Online video KYC works from anywhere. PAN required, Aadhaar optional for most products. Niva Bupa is the most NRI-friendly insurer; HDFC Ergo, Care Health, Star Health all also accept NRIs.

Yes with FATCA disclosure (W-9 form often required). Some life insurers restrict mutual-fund-linked products (ULIPs); pure term insurance is fine. Check insurer-specific NRI desks for US-citizen processes.

Yes — anyone can pay premium. Pay from your NRO account, NRE account (after conversion), or via family in India. Section 80D tax deduction (up to ₹50K for senior parents) goes to whoever pays.

Yes with disclosure. Standard waiting period applies (2-4 years for the specific condition). Some insurers offer "PED waiting period buyout" rider for 15-25% extra premium — reduces wait to 1-2 years.

Yes via senior-specific plans. Niva Bupa Senior First, Star Senior Red Carpet, Care Senior. Pre-policy medical exam usually mandatory. Term life harder above 65 — most insurers exit at 60-70 entry age.

Yes all products at resident pricing. Full eligibility. If you waited until now to buy health insurance, the waiting-period clock starts today — which is why buying before moving back saves the most.

Yes via student-specific products. Tata AIG Student Travel Guard, ICICI Lombard Student Medical, Bajaj Allianz Student. Covers entire study duration (1-5 years), university-required medical, repatriation, sponsor protection. Buy in India before departure for cost savings vs buying abroad.

Limited. Most insurers want valid PAN + Indian address proof. PAN can be obtained on long-term visa. Once PAN-holder, full eligibility. Insurance for short-term stays (under 1 year) typically not available — use international travel insurance instead.