National, 16th August 2024: As Indians gear up to celebrate the 78th Independence Day, Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited (Formerly known as Max Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited) (“Niva Bupa”) launched a media campaign ” Sirf Chutti Mat Manao” to drive the adoption of health insurance.
Independence Day holds a special historic significance, and every Indian feels a sense of pride on this day remembering the sacrifices of our freedom fighters and saluting the bravery of our soldiers who guard us at the border. While the feeling of patriotism is at its peak on Independence Day, this day being a national holiday also allows people to enjoy it to the fullest and have a relaxing day with their family. Given that Independence Day falls on a Thursday this year, with the following Monday being Rakshabandhan, it becomes a lucrative option for people to plan an early and extended weekend. The campaign idea builds on this insight and nudges Indians to not just enjoy the extended weekend but also secure their freedom from unplanned medical exigencies.
Healthcare inflation in the country is one of the highest in the world[1] which places a significant burden on Indian families, making it difficult to manage expenses without adequate financial protection. However, despite this alarming situation, India exhibits significantly lower insurance penetration (measured by the total Gross Written Premium as a % of GDP) when compared to developed global economies. This campaign by Niva Bupa encourages Indians to get health insurance and access a holistic health ecosystem.
Talking about this campaign, Nimish Agrawal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer at Niva Bupa said, “Freedom is truly enjoyed when we take some concrete steps to secure it. Taking care of our health is the starting point to claim and enjoy our lives to its fullest. The rising cost of health care has made quality healthcare inaccessible to many, even the ones who think they can afford it. Health Insurance has become a basic necessity and yet many people do not consider the category because of sheer neglect.
The campaign idea struck us when we saw many people in our offices planning “sick leaves” for the 16th of August to avail of an extended weekend. We thought to ourselves what if these sick leaves excuses turned out to be true – is everyone adequately covered to take care of an unplanned medical emergency? We saw this as an opportunity to serve as a gentle reminder to our countrymen to take a responsible step of securing health insurance for themselves and their families.”
The campaign will be amplified using print and radio advertisements in addition to the company’s social media channels. Renowned actor, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub will lend his voice to the campaign. Speaking on this collaboration the actor said, “I instantly connected with the thought behind this campaign by Niva Bupa and when the lines were shared with me, it completely resonated with me. We tend to take many things for granted in our lives and independence is one such thing that perhaps people of our generation do not realize the value of. This independence has been achieved with great struggle and each one of us needs to protect this independence. Just as it is important for us to secure the freedom of our nation, it is also important for us to secure financial freedom from medical emergencies and costly hospitalization bills. Health insurance is the best way to safeguard not just our health but also our savings.”