Severe respiratory and cardiac cases push treatment costs up 11%: Report

Pollution-linked illnesses now account for over 8% of total claims, surging sharply in the weeks after Deepavali every year, indicated a report by an Indian insurance and financial aggregator Policybazaar which mapped how air pollution has turned from an environmental crisis into a health emergency.

The report found that claims were linked to air pollution-related ailments— from respiratory infections and cardiac complications to skin and eye allergies. Claims data further reveal that air pollution impacts multiple organ systems, not just the respiratory tract. Frequent claim categories include asthma, COPD, arrhythmia, hypertension, eczema, conjunctivitis, pregnancy complications, and allergies/sinusitis.

The financial toll of pollution-related illnesses is increasing steadily— from FY2