Before you start

An employer offer/contract — confirm whether group health insurance (Group Mediclaim) is included and from day one or after probation
Passport and local Bengaluru address proof (for hospital registration and any insurance you buy yourself)
An Indian mobile number and a UPI/credit card — most hospitals and TPAs run app/SMS-based check-in and payments

Step-by-step

1
Confirm and read your employer's group health policy
Most Bengaluru employers (legally required for 10+ staff) provide a Group Mediclaim policy covering you and usually spouse/children. Get the policy document and TPA (Third-Party Administrator) e-card, and check the sum insured, room-rent cap, maternity and pre-existing-disease waiting periods, and common exclusions (dental, optical, outpatient). Coverage ends the day you leave the job.
Via employerWho: You + HR; insurer issues an e-card via the TPAActive from joining date (or after probation — confirm)Usually employer-paid; family add-ons may be deducted from salary
2
Top up with private or international cover
Group cover is often thin (low ceilings, no portability, gone if you change jobs). Buy a personal top-up/super top-up from an Indian insurer, or an international plan (Cigna, Aetna, Allianz) if you want portability, outpatient and evacuation. International plans matter most if you travel or want care recognised when you leave India.
OnlineWho: You (broker or insurer website)1-2 weeks; pre-existing conditions have waiting periodsIndian super top-up from ~₹5,000-15,000/year; international plans from ~$500-3,000+/year
3
Register with a NABH/JCI hospital near you
Pick a multispecialty hospital close to home and do a first GP/health-check visit so you exist in their system. Strong options: Manipal (Old Airport Road), Apollo, Fortis (Bannerghatta Rd), Narayana Health (HSR), Aster CMI (Hebbal), Sakra World (Marathahalli). Save their 24x7 emergency numbers. Many pay out-of-pocket for routine care because it's cheap and faster than claiming.
In personWho: You (walk-in or app booking)Same-day for OPD; minutes to registerGP visit ~₹500-800; specialist ~₹800-2,500 (varies by hospital)
4
Know the emergency + cashless drill before you need it
For a real emergency call 108 (free government ambulance, Karnataka) or 112 (national emergency line). For planned or admitted care at a network hospital, ask the insurance/TPA desk for cashless pre-authorisation so the insurer pays the hospital directly; otherwise pay and file a reimbursement claim. Notify the TPA within 24 hours of any hospitalisation.
In personWho: You/family + hospital insurance desk + TPACashless pre-auth: ~2-6 hours; reimbursement: 2-3 weeksEmergency ambulance free (108); private ambulance ~₹1,500+

Documents you’ll need

Passport (+ visa/FRRO registration) for hospital and insurer KYC
Group health policy document and TPA e-card / member ID
Local Bengaluru address proof (rental agreement or utility bill)
Vaccination and prior medical records, plus a list of regular medications

Things most newcomers don’t know

Private is the default, not a luxury — foreigners can't use PM-JAY, ESIC or CGHS, so you're on private healthcare from day one.

People assume a government safety net exists. It doesn't for expats, which is exactly why the city's NABH/JCI-accredited private sector is the realistic path and why insurance gaps hurt.

Source: Feather Insurance (India expat guide)

Read your employer's group policy like a contract, then top it up.

Group Mediclaim often has a low sum-insured, room-rent caps, and excludes dental/optical/outpatient — and vanishes the day you leave the job. Most newcomers assume 'I'm covered' and discover the cap mid-claim, or lose all cover when changing jobs.

Source: Alea / Feather expat insurance guides

Out-of-pocket is often the smart move for routine care — a GP visit is ~₹500-800.

Western instinct is 'never pay without insurance'. In India the maths flips: small bills are trivial and the cashless paperwork for outpatient care isn't worth the friction — reserve insurance for hospitalisation.

Source: Feather cost data

Learn the cashless-vs-reimbursement split now.

At a network hospital, get TPA pre-authorisation so the insurer pays directly; off-network you pay and claim back — and you must notify the TPA within 24 hours of admission. Knowing this (and which hospitals are in your network) can save a ₹60,000 upfront deposit at 2am.

Source: TPA cashless claim guides

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming the job's group policy is enough — discovering a room-rent cap or exclusion only when you claim, or losing all cover the day you resign.
Forgetting dengue. Bengaluru has real seasonal (monsoon-peaked) dengue, with Whitefield/HSR/Koramangala/Marathahalli hotspots — use repellent, clear standing water, and get a same-day platelet check for a sudden high fever.
Drinking the tap water. Stick to filtered/RO or bottled water and be careful with street food early on — travellers' diarrhoea is the most common expat ailment.
Not pre-saving emergency numbers and your nearest hospital's 24x7 line — calling 108/112 cold during a crisis loses precious minutes.