A commonly cited starting point for metro residents is a minimum of ₹10-15 lakh of cover per person, though this is a rough benchmark, not a precise formula — a single major hospitalisation for a serious illness in a metro private hospital can easily run into several lakh rupees, and a modest ₹3-5 lakh policy (common in older or employer-provided plans) can be exhausted quickly.
Rather than fixating on a single number, it helps to think about it in layers: a solid base individual or family floater policy, topped up with a 'super top-up' plan that kicks in once the base policy's cover is exhausted, often at a much lower additional premium than simply buying a larger base policy outright. This layered approach is usually more cost-effective than one large policy.
If your only health cover is what your employer provides, it's worth checking the actual sum insured and whether it covers your parents too — employer policies are often modest and disappear the moment you change jobs, which is exactly when you might need cover most.