# No Claim Bonus vs Cumulative Bonus in Health Plans

> How health insurance bonuses grow your cover: cumulative bonus, loyalty bonus and booster rules from real plan wordings, and what a claim does to them.
- **Published**: 2026-10-18
- **Modified**: 2026-10-18
- **Category**: health-insurance
- **URL**: https://www.tldr.money/articles/health-insurance/ncb-vs-cumulative-bonus

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A bonus is the insurer's reward for a claim-free year. In car insurance that reward is a cheaper premium. In health insurance it is usually **more cover for the same premium**. New to the terms? Start with [what health insurance is](/articles/health-insurance/what-is-health-insurance).

## The definition

IRDAI's standard definition, as used in wordings such as Niva Bupa Senior First, says a **cumulative bonus** is "any increase or addition in the sum insured granted by the insurer without an associated increase in premium". Marketing names vary: no claim bonus, loyalty bonus, booster. Read the clause, not the label.

## How current plans compare

| Plan | Bonus | What a claim does | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Star Young Star](/health-insurance/star-health/young-star) | 20% of sum insured per claim-free year, up to 100% | Earned per claim-free year | Brochure |
| [Star Health Assure](/health-insurance/star-health/assure) | 25% a year, up to 100% | Partial use of cover does not reduce it | Prospectus |
| Star Comprehensive | 50% a year up to 100% at Rs 5L; 100% after one claim-free year at Rs 7.5L+ | Reduced at the same rate it was earned | Prospectus |
| Care Supreme | 50% a year, up to 100% | Not reduced on a claim | Prospectus |
| ICICI Lombard Elevate | Loyalty Bonus 20% a year, up to 100% (optional Power Booster adds 100% a year) | Credited regardless of claims | Policy wording |
| HDFC Ergo Optima Secure | No cumulative bonus; Plus Benefit 50% a year up to 100%, plus Secure Benefit of 100% from day one | Secure Benefit is part of the base structure | Policy wording |
| Niva Bupa ReAssure 3.0 | Booster+: unused base sum insured carries forward, up to a plan-dependent cap | Only unused cover carries forward | Policy wording |

## What to check in the clause

1. **Rate and cap.** 20% a year takes five claim-free years to double your cover; Star Comprehensive at Rs 7.5 lakh and above can double it after one.
2. **Claim impact.** Does a claim reduce the bonus, freeze it, or leave it alone? This matters more than the headline rate.
3. **Which benefits it applies to.** Check whether sub-limited benefits can use the bonus. Star Comprehensive lists the sections whose claims affect it.
4. **Sum insured changes.** If you reduce cover at renewal, the bonus is normally recalculated on the lower amount.
5. **Porting.** Ask the new insurer in writing how your accrued bonus will be treated before you [port](/articles/health-insurance/health-insurance-portability).

## Bonus vs restoration

A bonus grows next year's cover. [Restoration](/articles/health-insurance/restoration-benefit-health-insurance) refills this year's cover after a claim. They solve different problems, and good plans have both. For a definition you can link to, see [cumulative bonus](/glossary/cumulative-bonus) in the glossary.

## Sources

- [Star Young Star brochure, UIN SHAHLIP26043V062526](https://d28c6jni2fmamz.cloudfront.net/Brochure_Young_Star_Insurance_Policy_V_9_Web_782fb9d5a9.pdf)
- [Star Health Assure prospectus, UIN SHAHLIP26048V032526](https://d28c6jni2fmamz.cloudfront.net/Prospectus_Star_Health_Assure_Insurance_Policy_V_3_9b8479dfdd.pdf) (clause 12, Cumulative Bonus)
- [Star Comprehensive prospectus, UIN SHAHLIP26044V092526](https://d28c6jni2fmamz.cloudfront.net/Prospectus_Star_Comprehensive_Insurance_Policy_V_12_dc6058c95e.pdf) (clause 12, Cumulative Bonus)
- [Care Supreme prospectus, UIN CHIHLIP27061V032627](https://cms.careinsurance.com/cms/public/uploads/download_center/care-supreme---prospectus-cum-sales-literature.pdf)
- [ICICI Lombard Elevate policy wordings, UIN ICIHLIP27057V062627](https://www.icicilombard.com/docs/default-source/default-document-library/elevate.pdf) (Basic Cover 10, Loyalty Bonus; Optional Cover 2, Power Booster)
- [HDFC ERGO my: Optima Secure policy wording, UIN HDFHLIP25041V062425](https://www.hdfcergo.com/docs/default-source/downloads/policy-wordings/health/optima-secure-revision-pw.pdf) (Annexure C)
- [Niva Bupa ReAssure 3.0 policy wording, UIN NBHHLIP27059V022627](https://transactions.nivabupa.com/pages/doc/policy_wording/ReAssure30_Policy_Wordings.pdf)
- [Niva Bupa Senior First policy wording, UIN NBHHLIP27053V022627](https://transactions.nivabupa.com/pages/doc/policy_wording/Senior-First-Policy-Wording.pdf) (definition of Cumulative Bonus)
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