Section 126
Section 126: deduction for health insurance premium
Section 126 is the Income-tax Act, 2025's version of the deduction long known as "80D" - it lets an individual or HUF deduct amounts paid for health insurance, preventive health check-ups, and (for senior citizens without insurance) medical expenditure, for themselves, their family, and their parents.
What qualifies, and the limits
For an individual, Section 126(2) allows four separate buckets of payment, each with its own cap:
| Payment for | Cap |
|---|---|
| Health insurance / CGHS contribution / preventive check-up - self or family | ₹25,000 (₹50,000 if a senior citizen) |
| Health insurance / preventive check-up - parent(s) | ₹25,000 (₹50,000 if parent is a senior citizen) |
| Medical expenditure on self or family (only if no health insurance was taken) | ₹50,000 in aggregate, combined with the row above |
| Medical expenditure on a parent (only if no health insurance was taken for the parent) | ₹50,000 in aggregate, combined with the row above |
Key conditions
- Within the self/family and parent buckets, preventive health check-up payments are capped at ₹5,000 in aggregate - they don't get an additional limit on top of the ₹25,000/₹50,000 figure.
- "Family" for this section means the assessee's spouse and dependant children only - it does not extend to parents, who are covered separately.
- The medical-expenditure route (as opposed to insurance premium) is only available where no health insurance was taken out for that person - it exists mainly for senior citizens who may not be insurable.
- For a Hindu Undivided Family, the deduction covers health insurance and medical expenditure for any member of the HUF, capped at ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 respectively (₹50,000 instead of ₹25,000 if that member is a senior citizen).
- Preventive health check-up payments may be made in cash; every other payment under this section must be made by a mode other than cash to qualify.
Frequently asked questions
Is Section 126 the same as what people call "80D"?
It covers the same idea - health insurance premium and related medical costs for self, family and parents - but under the Income-tax Act, 2025 it is numbered Section 126, not 80D.
Can I claim both insurance premium and medical expenditure for the same person?
No. The medical-expenditure deduction for a person (self, family member or parent) is only available if no health insurance premium was paid to cover that specific person for the year.
What is the maximum possible deduction under Section 126?
Up to ₹1,00,000 in a year is possible in the most favourable case - ₹50,000 for self/family (if a senior citizen is covered) plus ₹50,000 for senior-citizen parents.
Can I pay the preventive health check-up amount in cash?
Yes - it is the one payment under this section that is specifically allowed to be made in cash; all other payments must be non-cash.
Related sections
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Plan your Section 126 health insurance deductions with our tax teamLast updated 9 September 2026