Health Insurance comparison
ICICI Lombard vs Star Health
ICICI Lombard leads on overall score, but the better choice depends on your priorities. Here is how they compare, dimension by dimension.
IRDAI figures side by side
| Measure | ICICI Lombard | Star Health |
|---|---|---|
| Claim settlement ratio (latest year)Claims paid out of claims decided, by number. 95% or more is strong; below 90% is a flag. | 85.43% in FY 2024-25 | 86.42% in FY 2024-25 |
| Claims counted in that yearBelow 1,000 claims, the ratio swings too much to compare. Each insurer's review names the exact IRDAI table used. | 12,50,322 reported, 10,67,192 paid | 23,74,200 reported, 20,22,177 paid |
| Three-year average claim settlement ratioShown only when all three years are available. | Not available | 84.06% |
| Incurred claims ratioClaims incurred as a share of premium earned, from IRDAI's Annual Report. | 85.53% in FY 2024-25 | 70.53% in FY 2024-25 |
| Complaints to IRDAIGrievances reported, from IRDAI's Handbook. | 7,782 in FY 2024-25, 23.8 per 10,000 claims | 20,527 in FY 2024-25, 86.5 per 10,000 claims |
| Solvency ratioIRDAI's minimum is 1.50. | 2.69 at 31 Mar 2025 | 2.21 at 31 Mar 2025 |
Sources: IRDAI Handbook on Indian Insurance Statistics 2024-25, IRDAI Annual Report 2024-25 and insurers' NL-37 public disclosures. Each insurer's review lists the exact table and link. See how we calculate these.
On the latest claim settlement ratio, Star Health is ahead. A ratio is one year's record, so weigh it with complaints and the plan wording.
Side-by-side scores
| Dimension | ICICI Lombard | Star Health | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 7.9/10 | 7.6/10 | ICICI Lombard |
| Claim settlement | 8.1/10 | 7.8/10 | ICICI Lombard |
| Value | 7.4/10 | 7.5/10 | Star Health |
| Customer service | 7.8/10 | 7.1/10 | ICICI Lombard |
| Digital experience | 8.2/10 | 7.4/10 | ICICI Lombard |
| Flexibility | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | Star Health |
ICICI Lombard
7.9/10Large-brand option with a broad network, but it settled 85.4% of health claims by number in FY 2024-25, below our 90% flag line.
Pros
- Strong app experience
- Large network presence
Cons
- Price can trend high
- Feature depth varies by plan
- Health claim settlement ratio of 85.4% in FY 2024-25 (Form NL-37)
Star Health
7.6/10India's largest standalone health insurer by claims handled, but its FY 2024-25 claim settlement ratio (86.4%) was the lowest of the large standalone insurers.
Pros
- Massive hospital network
- Specialized plans for pre-existing conditions
Cons
- 86.5 complaints per 10,000 claims in FY 2024-25, the highest of the standalone health insurers we track
- Proportionate room rent deductions on older plans
The verdict
On our scoring, ICICI Lombard edges ahead overall. That said, the loser may still win for you on a dimension you weight heavily, so match the table above to your priorities and read both full reviews.