Most non-life insurance products have seen an increase in their pricing in the Q3 & Q4 of 2009. And according to a survey by Marsh, the rates are expected to move further northwards.
The report analysed 10 major commercial insurance lines across 42 countries, including India.

According to the report:
- Premium on property increased by up to 10 per cent during the second half as insurers ceased to offer high discounts.
- Premiums on healthcare and casualty increased by up to 10-20 per cent as it became unsustainable for players to discount it. Prior to detariffing, group mediclaim policies were doled out as freebies with fire and engineering policies.
- Premium on professional indemnity and directors’ and officers’ liability (D&O) increased by up to 10 per cent and up to 20 per cent respectively.

With Apollo DKV's Maxima and ICICI Lombard’s Health Advantage Plus have now started covering OPD expenses within their coverage heads.

This is being seen by many in the industry as a gradual shift towards inclusion of this most-common cost head in medical bills of patients.
OPD charges refers to the cost incurred by a policy holder where in the covered individual is NOT admitted. Typically most Health Insurance policies in the country have covered hospitalisation & related expenses & the OPD charges were borne by the policyholder on her own.

Most companies have feared large scale misuse when it comes to OPD charges. Hence even these plans come with some riders, mainly
1. The OPD claim can be done only once in the whole year
2. The Claim cannot be done within 90 days of policy commencement
3. There is a pre-defined cap on the OPD amount, that one can claim in such policies.

Hence we recommend that if you intend to go in for any of these polcies, do understand the OPD coverage (& the riders therein very clearly)