Key idea
The sum insured is the ceiling on what your insurer will pay in a policy year. Knowing how it behaves, and refills, matters more than the headline figure.
The sum insured is the maximum your health policy will pay in a year. A ₹10 lakh cover means the insurer will pay up to ₹10 lakh of eligible bills across that year, after which you are on your own until renewal.
Two features that change its real value
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Restore / refill benefit | Refills the sum after a claim exhausts it |
| No-claim bonus | Raises your cover for claim-free years |
| Sub-limits (see next lesson) | Cap payouts for specific items |
Why the refill matters
Imagine a ₹10 lakh cover used up by a mid-year hospitalisation. Without a restore benefit, a second unrelated illness that year is uncovered. With one, the sum insured refills, giving you fresh cover for the new event. For a family floater especially, this feature quietly doubles the protection in a bad year.
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