The Kashmir Pulse

A health insurance policy can have a tax benefit alongside its role in covering eligible healthcare expenses. Section 80D allows eligible taxpayers to claim deductions for specified health insurance premiums, preventive health check-ups, and certain senior citizen medical expenses. The amount depends on who is covered, their age, and the tax regime you use.

How Does Section 80D Work for Health Insurance?

Section 80D allows an eligible individual to claim a deduction for certain health insurance premiums paid for themselves, their spouse, dependent children, or parents.

The limits are divided into two broad categories. One applies to you, your spouse, and dependent children. The other applies to your parents.

So, where the ₹50,000 limit applies to both categories, the total deduction can go up to ₹1,00,000, subject to the conditions under Section 80D. A senior citizen, for this purpose, is a resident individual aged 60 years or above during the relevant previous year.

Can Preventive Health Check-Ups Be Included?

Preventive health check-ups also fall within Section 80D. The amount allowed for them is capped at ₹5,000, but this is not an extra ₹5,000 over the health insurance deduction.

For instance, you pay ₹22,000 towards an eligible health insurance premium and another ₹4,000 for a preventive health check-up. That adds up to ₹26,000. If your applicable limit is ₹25,000, the deduction remains restricted to ₹25,000.

The ₹5,000 check-up limit is therefore part of the overall deduction available under the relevant category.

What Should You Know About Payment Methods?

There is a small but important distinction in how you make these payments.

• Health insurance premiums generally need to be paid through a mode other than cash.



• Preventive health check-ups can be paid in cash, subject to the applicable conditions.



• If you pay a single premium for a health insurance policy covering more than one year, the eligible deduction is generally spread proportionately across the years covered.

Keeping your payment records can make it easier to establish the amount you have actually paid when preparing your tax return.

Does Your Tax Regime Affect the Deduction?

Section 80D deductions are available under the old tax regime, subject to the relevant conditions. They cannot be claimed under the new tax regime.

If you are comparing the two regimes, do not look at the health insurance premium in isolation. First check which regime you have selected, then see whether Section 80D applies to you.

What Details Should You Keep for Your Tax Return?

The Income Tax Department requires certain details when you claim a Section 80D deduction. These include the insurer’s name, policy number, and health insurance amount.

It is useful to keep the following records together:

• Premium payment records



• Policy details



• Information showing who is covered



• Preventive health check-up payment records, where relevant

These details can help you cross-check the figures before filing your return.

What Should You Check Before Claiming the Benefit?

Before you claim the deduction, check a few details:

• Who is covered: Identify the people for whom you paid the eligible premium.



• Age: Check whether the senior citizen limit applies to you or your parents.



• Payment method: Confirm that the premium was paid through an eligible mode.



• Tax regime: Check whether you have opted for the old or new tax regime.



• Deduction limit: Match the amount you paid with the limit that applies to your situation.

The Income Tax Department’s guidance for the relevant assessment year should be your reference if you need to confirm the current rules.

Conclusion

A health insurance premium can have a tax benefit, but the amount is not simply based on what you paid during the year. Section 80D sets limits according to the people covered and their age, while your chosen tax regime also matters. In 2026, this distinction is especially relevant because the deduction is available under the old tax regime, not the new one. Checking these points before filing can help you determine whether the amount entered in your return matches the rules that apply to you.

When you buy a health insurance policy, it helps to know where you can use the cashless facility. This is where network hospitals matter. They are hospitals that have an arrangement with an insurer to offer cashless treatment, subject to the policy terms and required process. Knowing which hospitals are on the network can help you plan where to seek treatment when needed.

What Are Network Hospitals in a Health Insurance Policy?

Network hospitals are hospitals that have an agreement with an insurer to provide cashless healthcare services to eligible policyholders. The insurer or its third-party administrator (TPA) coordinates with these hospitals for the cashless process.

If you receive treatment at a network hospital and the cashless facility is available under your policy, the insurer may settle the approved medical expenses directly with the hospital, subject to the policy terms and applicable authorisation process.

The key point is that being on the network list does not mean every hospital expense will automatically be paid through cashless treatment. The treatment and expenses still need to be considered under the terms of your policy.

How Does Cashless Treatment Work at a Network Hospital?

The process can vary between insurers and policies, but it generally involves these steps:

• Choose the hospital: Check the current network list before planned hospitalisation. In an emergency, you can check the hospital’s network status as soon as possible.



• Share your details: Provide your policy or health card details and the information requested by the hospital.



• Cashless request: The hospital sends the required details to the insurer or TPA for cashless authorisation.



• Treatment and settlement: If cashless treatment is authorised, the approved amount can be settled directly with the hospital, subject to the policy terms.

You may still have to pay amounts that are not covered or are outside the authorised amount, depending on the policy conditions.

What Is Different About a Non-Network Hospital?

A hospital outside the network may not offer the cashless facility under your policy. Depending on the policy terms, you may need to pay the hospital and then submit a reimbursement claim for eligible expenses.

This distinction is important because the payment process can be different even when you are receiving hospital treatment under the same health insurance policy.

What Should You Check in the Network Hospital List?

A long hospital network can sound useful, but the number alone does not tell you whether the listed hospitals are convenient for you. A better approach is to check whether the hospitals you are likely to use are actually included.

Before you need hospital care, check:

• Location: Look for hospitals in or near the areas where you live and work.



• Current status: Hospital arrangements can change, so check the latest list provided by the insurer.



• Hospital details: Make sure the name and location match the facility you intend to visit.



• Cashless process: Check the insurer’s current instructions for planned and emergency hospitalisation.



• Policy terms: Read the applicable conditions to understand how cashless treatment works under your cover.

Insurers are required to make their network provider lists available and keep them updated when changes occur.

Conclusion

You may never need to use a network hospital during the policy period. Still, knowing which facilities are available can save you from searching for basic information while arranging hospital care. The most useful network is not necessarily the one with the biggest number of hospitals. It is the one that includes facilities you can realistically reach and use when required. So, when reviewing a health insurance policy, give the network hospital list the same attention you give to the policy benefits and terms.

SRINAGAR — Cold storage facilities across Kashmir have been fully booked amid encouraging demand for apples this season, with growers hoping for better returns when the stored produce reaches the market in the coming months.

Growers said demand for Kashmiri apples has remained encouraging, raising expectations of favourable prices when the produce kept in cold storage is released for sale. Storing apples, they said, allows them to avoid selling their entire crop during peak harvesting, when large arrivals put pressure on market rates.

"Demand for apples has remained good this year, which has given growers some hope of better returns. If demand remains strong, it could benefit growers who have invested in storing their produce," Mohammad Yousuf, a grower from south Kashmir, told the news agency KNO.

Abbas Ahmad, a fruit grower from Sirhama Anantnag, said when a large quantity of apples reaches the markets at the same time, growers often have to sell at whatever rates are available. "By storing a portion of the crop, we can wait for the right time and avoid selling everything under pressure," he said.

Cold storage operators said many orchardists had begun arranging storage space months before the harvesting season, leaving little capacity for those who delayed.

Shahid Ahmad, a cold storage operator, said the experience of last season had prompted operators to pay greater attention to quality and grading. "Last year, some consignments contained mixed grades, and the quality of a portion of the produce deteriorated during storage. This resulted in losses for growers as well as operators. We are therefore insisting on properly graded and sorted apples," he said.

Another operator said cold storage can preserve good-quality apples but cannot improve fruit that is already damaged. "Growers need to ensure proper sorting, grading and packing before bringing their produce to the facilities," he said.

Growers said the rush for storage space was also linked to difficulties faced last season, when a large volume of fruit reached the markets within a short period and transportation disruptions added to the uncertainty.

An orchardist from Pulwama said access to storage facilities had become increasingly important as apple cultivation remains a major source of livelihood for thousands of families. "Apple cultivation involves substantial expenditure on fertilisers, pesticides, labour and transportation. After investing so much, growers naturally want a reasonable price. Cold storage gives us an opportunity to hold back some of the crop," he said.

Growers also pointed out that storing apples involves additional expenses, including storage charges, packaging and transportation, making it important for market prices to improve sufficiently to cover these costs. They said while cold storage can reduce the pressure to sell immediately after harvesting, it is not a guaranteed means of securing higher prices.

Growers said the increasing demand for cold storage highlighted the need to strengthen post-harvest infrastructure in Kashmir, calling for expansion of storage facilities, improved transportation connectivity and better market arrangements to help orchardists secure remunerative prices.