Smog's Heavy Toll: Kids' Respiratory Illnesses Soar, Insurance Claims Spike Across India

• Worsening air quality in Indian cities is causing a significant rise in respiratory issues, particularly among school-going children.
• Diagnostic labs like Redcliffe Labs, Agilus Diagnostics, and Orange Labs report a surge in tests for asthma, allergies, and lung function.
• Health insurers ManipalCigna Health Insurance and Policybazaar confirm a sharp increase in pollution-linked hospitalization claims.
• Respiratory claims surged over four-fold (2020-2024); pollution-linked illnesses are over 8% of all claims, with children as the largest affected group.
• Children (under 14) and the elderly (over 60) are most vulnerable, with spikes seen in urban areas like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.

Why It Matters: India's smog crisis: Children and elderly bear the brunt of rising respiratory illnesses and insurance claims.