ManipalCigna Health Insurance has reported a significant increase in respiratory-related claims during the winter months, with a 321% surge between 2020 and 2024. This four-fold increase highlights the growing impact of worsening winter air quality across the country. The company’s six-year analysis shows that respiratory conditions account for 18.8% of all seasonal disease-related claims during the winter months, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma being the leading causes.<\/p>\n
The data reveals that Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are disproportionately affected, accounting for over 84% of all respiratory claims. Among metropolitan cities, Delhi NCR has the highest percentage of respiratory claims at 6.5%, followed by Bengaluru and Mumbai at 4.5% and 4.2%, respectively. This suggests that pollution-linked respiratory conditions are not limited to North India, but are a nationwide concern.<\/p>\n
The findings underscore the rising respiratory vulnerability across the country, affecting not only major metros but also emerging urban centers. Dr. Vidyadhar Dhaware, Head of Claims and Provider Network at ManipalCigna Health Insurance, notes that the increase in respiratory diseases during the winter months closely mirrors the increase in smog and particulate pollution. He emphasizes that polluted air weakens the lungs’ natural defense system, making individuals more susceptible to infections and complications.<\/p>\n
The most vulnerable populations include children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing respiratory conditions. To mitigate the risks, Dr. Dhaware recommends limiting outdoor exposure, using protective masks, improving indoor air quality, and seeking timely medical care if symptoms escalate. The data highlights the need for increased awareness and proactive measures to address the growing burden of respiratory diseases in India, particularly during the winter months. Overall, the report suggests that the worsening air quality in India is having a significant impact on public health, and urgent action is needed to address this critical issue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ManipalCigna Health Insurance has reported a significant increase in respiratory-related claims during the winter months, with a 321% surge between 2020 and 2024. This four-fold increase highlights the growing impact of worsening winter air quality across the country. The company’s six-year analysis shows that respiratory conditions account for 18.8% of all seasonal disease-related claims during […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-222429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-care","category-insurance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9ibIB-VRz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":222675,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/15\/dengue-cases-have-seen-a-66-increase-over-the-past-5-years-with-south-india-being-the-region-with-the-highest-spike-in-cases-according-to-manipalcigna-health-insurance\/","url_meta":{"origin":222429,"position":0},"title":"Dengue cases have seen a 66% increase over the past 5 years, with South India being the region with the highest spike in cases, according to ManipalCigna Health Insurance.","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"According to a recent study by ManipalCigna Health Insurance, health insurance claims for monsoon-related illnesses have increased significantly over the past five years, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34%. The most common and costly illness during the monsoon season is dengue, which has seen a staggering 66%\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Insurance"","block_context":{"text":"Insurance","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/insurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222707,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/20\/manipalcigna-expands-health-insurance-reach-in-jammu-and-kashmir\/","url_meta":{"origin":222429,"position":1},"title":"ManipalCigna expands health insurance reach in Jammu and Kashmir","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"ManipalCigna Health Insurance has expanded its operations in Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to provide comprehensive and affordable health insurance solutions to the residents of the Union Territory. This move is part of the company's strategy to reach underserved families in tier-2 and tier-3 cities across the country. As a joint\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Insurance"","block_context":{"text":"Insurance","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/insurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222597,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/05\/dengue-cases-have-seen-a-66-increase-over-the-past-5-years-with-south-india-being-the-primary-region-contributing-to-the-surge-according-to-manipalcigna-health-insurance\/","url_meta":{"origin":222429,"position":2},"title":"Dengue cases have seen a 66% increase over the past 5 years, with South India being the primary region contributing to the surge, according to ManipalCigna Health Insurance.","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"According to a report by ManipalCigna Health Insurance, dengue cases in India have seen a significant rise of 66% over the past five years. The data reveals that South India has been the worst affected, accounting for the majority of the cases. The report analyzed insurance claims data from 2017\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Insurance"","block_context":{"text":"Insurance","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/insurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222633,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/09\/dengue-cases-have-increased-by-66-in-the-past-5-years-with-south-india-experiencing-the-highest-spike-according-to-manipalcigna-health-insurance\/","url_meta":{"origin":222429,"position":3},"title":"Dengue cases have increased by 66% in the past 5 years, with South India experiencing the highest spike, according to ManipalCigna Health Insurance.","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"According to a report by ManipalCigna Health Insurance, dengue cases in India have seen a significant rise of 66% over the past five years. The data reveals that South India has been the worst-affected region, accounting for the majority of the cases. The report highlights the growing concern of dengue\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Insurance"","block_context":{"text":"Insurance","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/insurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222645,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2026\/01\/11\/manipalcigna-diwali-campaign-tackles-indias-health-insurance-gap\/","url_meta":{"origin":222429,"position":4},"title":"ManipalCigna Diwali campaign tackles India’s health insurance gap","author":"Team Small News","date":"January 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"As India celebrates the festival of Diwali, ManipalCigna Health Insurance has launched a new campaign titled \"Health Insurance Jiske Paas, Lakshmi Maa Karein Waha Niwaas,\" which translates to \"Where there is health insurance, Goddess Lakshmi resides.\" The campaign aims to remind people that while wealth and prosperity are essential, they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care"","block_context":{"text":"Care","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":222550,"url":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/2025\/12\/30\/life-insurance-corporation-lic-is-reportedly-considering-acquiring-a-stake-in-manipalcigna-health-insurance\/","url_meta":{"origin":222429,"position":5},"title":"Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is reportedly considering acquiring a stake in ManipalCigna Health Insurance.","author":"Team Small News","date":"December 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is in talks to acquire a significant stake in ManipalCigna Health Insurance, a joint venture between India-based Manipal Education & Medical Group and US-based Cigna Corporation. The proposed deal would value the health insurer at approximately Rs35bn-37.5bn ($408m-437m) and would mark LIC's entry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Insurance"","block_context":{"text":"Insurance","link":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/category\/insurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222429\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smallnews.in\/insurance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}