New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- Picture a scene that plays out in thousands of Indian households every renewal season. A 62-year-old retired teacher, tired of chasing her insurer over a delayed claim and stung by another premium hike, decides she has had enough. A friend tells her about porting - carrying the policy and waiting periods to a better insurer. She fills the forms, digs out all her policy papers and sits through a medical test. Six weeks later, a politely worded letter arrives: application declined. She renews with the old insurer, because at her age, what choice does she have?

Health insurance portability was introduced in 2011 with a simple promise: you should not have to stay married to an insurer that treats you badly. Switch at r...