Plea in Kerala High Court against hike in Norka Care insurance premium

A group of non-resident Indians has knocked on the doors of the Kerala High Court against the steep hike in premiums for the 'Norka Care' health insurance scheme run by the Kerala government. According to a Gulf News report, this writ petition has been filed by the Kerala chapter of the Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC) along with two existing beneficiaries. The Kerala state government, Norka department, Norka Roots, and the insurance company have been made respondents in this petition. The applicants' main objection is against the drastic change in the insurance premium structure, where premiums are now determined based on age.

According to the Gulf News report, during the year 2025-26, a family, which included a Norka ID holder, spouse, and two dependent children, received a family health cover of ₹ 5 lakh for a premium of just ₹ 13,411. However, under the new system, for the same ₹ 5 lakh cover for 2026-27, those aged 51 to 60 will have to pay ₹ 35,664 and those aged 61 to 70 will have to pay ₹ 44,718. This increase is approximately 166 percent and 233 percent higher, respectively. The applicants state that this is not a normal annual change, but a major overhaul in the scheme's fundamental pricing structure.

PLC Dubai President T.N. Krishnakumar stated that this sharp increase particularly affects middle-aged and senior expatriates the most, who rely on continuous health insurance coverage. The petition also emphasizes that despite such a large increase in premiums, the insurance cover amount has been kept stagnant at ₹ 5 lakh. Furthermore, the previous arrangement provided coverage for up to 60 days post-hospitalization, which has now been reduced to 30 days.

Additionally, the issue of the timeline is also very serious. According to Krishnakumar, the previous insurance system required at least 45 days' advance notice for renewal. However, the official announcement of the new premium structure was made on October 28, 2026, while the existing policy was expiring on October 31 and the new policy came into effect from November 1. This did not give existing members enough time to understand the new rates, arrange for the additional premium, or explore other insurance options. The petition also alleges that the mathematical basis, claim ratio, or other financial details behind such a large increase have not been disclosed to the beneficiaries.

PLC fears that due to the sudden increase in costs, many expatriate families, especially elderly members, will be forced to leave the scheme, which will jeopardize the continuity of their insurance protection. The organization has requested the High Court to protect the interests of the existing beneficiaries and order a transparent and fair review of the premium structure. Krishnakumar emphasized that Norka Care was started as a welfare scheme for the expatriate community and it should remain affordable for those it was created for.

Norka Roots is an agency of the Kerala government responsible for the welfare of Kerala citizens living abroad. The Kerala government introduced the 'Norka Care' scheme in September 2025, which came into effect from November 1, 2025. The key feature of this scheme was that it provided coverage for pre-existing diseases from the very first day and there was no waiting period. The original scheme included a ₹ 10 lakh personal accident insurance cover in addition to the ₹ 5 lakh family floater cover.