Premium for the NoRKA Care cover for expatriate Keralites is raised sharply, and a rollback is sought

1 November 2026

The premium of the NoRKA Care health insurance scheme for expatriate Keralites has been raised steeply, and the Leader of the Opposition has asked the State government to roll it back. For a family floater policy with a cover of Rs 5 lakh, the premium has gone up from Rs 13,411 to a band between Rs 35,664 and Rs 77,773. Pinarayi Vijayan said in a social media post that the increase is an unbearable burden on low wage workers in the Gulf and on senior citizens who have returned home. The government has explained the rise by saying insurers were unwilling to continue the earlier agreement because of the value of claims filed. A provision in the scheme had allowed people with existing medical conditions to enrol, and that provision is now being pointed to as the source of the problem. The Opposition Leader argued that the government should negotiate with the insurers instead of accepting their terms. He said the hike could put the whole scheme at risk and asked that the rates be revised downward. Expatriate organisations have made the same demand.