Deduction under section 80D in respect of health insurance premia.

80D. (1) In computing the total income of an assessee, being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, there shall be deducted such sum, as specified in sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), payment of which is made by any mode[, other than cash,] in the previous year out of his income chargeable to tax.

(2) Where the assessee is an individual, the sum referred to in sub-section (1) shall be the aggregate of the following, namely:—

(a)  the whole of the amount paid to effect or to keep in force an insurance on the health of the assessee or his family [or any contribution made to the Central Government Health Scheme] [or any payment made on account of preventive health check-up of the assessee or his family] as does not exceed in the aggregate fifteen thousand rupees; and

(b)  the whole of the amount paid to effect or to keep in force an insurance on the health of the parent or parents of the assessee [or any payment made on account of preventive health check-up of the parent or parents of the assessee] as does not exceed in the aggregate fifteen thousand rupees.

Explanation.—For the purposes of clause (a), "family" means the spouse and dependant children of the assessee.

The following sub-sections (2A) and (2B) shall be inserted after sub-section (2) of section 80D by the Finance Act, 2012, w.e.f. 1-4-2013 :

(2A) Where the amounts referred to in clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (2) are paid on account of preventive health check-up, the deduction for such amounts shall be allowed to the extent it does not exceed in the aggregate five thousand rupees.

(2B) For the purposes of deduction under sub-section (1), payment shall be made by—

 (i)  any mode, including cash, in respect of any sum paid on account of preventive health check-up;

(ii)  any mode other than cash in all other cases not falling under clause (i).

(3) Where the assessee is a Hindu undivided family, the sum referred to in sub-section (1) shall be the whole of the amount paid to effect or to keep in force an insurance on the health of any member of that Hindu undivided family as does not exceed in the aggregate fifteen thousand rupees.

(4) Where the sum specified in clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (2) or in sub-section (3) is paid to effect or keep in force an insurance on the health of any person specified therein, and who is a senior citizen, the provisions of this section shall have effect as if for the words "fifteen thousand rupees", the words "twenty thousand rupees" had been substituted.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, "senior citizen" means an individual resident in India who is of the age of [sixty-five years] or more at any time during the relevant previous year.

(5) The insurance referred to in this section shall be in accordance with a scheme made in this behalf by—

(a)  the General Insurance Corporation of India formed under section 9 of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 (57 of 1972) and approved by the Central Government in this behalf; or

(b)  any other insurer and approved by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority established under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 (41 of 1999).]