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Prudent Insurance Brokers, a prominent insurance broking firm in India, unveiled the third edition of its Annual Benefits Scorecard for 2025-26, powered byBenchmarkPro.This comprehensive report, leveraging data from 3,900 organisations and covering more than 50 lac+ employees based on Prudent’s internal data across 14 key industry sectors, provides unparalleled insights into the dynamic landscape of employee benefits in corporate India. With its in-depth analysis and forward-looking perspectives, the Annual Benefits Scorecard 2025-26 is a crucial asset for companies seeking to navigate and thrive in the evolving employee benefits sector.

Covering several industry sectors, the scorecard analyses benefits trends from 2024 to 2025 and offers a forward-looking perspective on emerging patterns. As employee expectations shift toward personalised and meaningful benefits, the report explores how organisations can design programs that are both comprehensive and engaging. A key focus this year is preventive care, highlighting OPD coverage and well-being initiatives as essential components of a robust benefits strategy.

Mr. Surinder Bhagat,Head- Employee Benefits, Large Account Practices, Prudent Insurance Brokers,said,“As organisations continue to adapt to the evolving needs of their workforce, the insights from this year’s Benefits Scorecard provide a roadmap for the future of employee well-being. With insights drawn from over 3,900 organisations and data from more than 50 lac employees, it’s evident that companies are moving towards benefits that focus on the overall well-being of their people and not just health insurance, but preventive care, mental wellness, and flexibility in how benefits are used.

Employees today want benefits that fit their lives, and organisations are recognising that supporting their workforce’s well-being directly impacts engagement, productivity, and retention. The growing use of wallet-based flex benefits also shows that people value the freedom to choose what works best for them.

At Prudent, our goal is to help organisations use this data to make smarter, more meaningful decisions about their employee benefits, ones that create a healthier, happier, and more resilient workforce.”

Major Trends in employee benefits are as follows:

SECTION 1 - Industry Benefits Benchmarking

SECTION 2 - Personalisation: The New Era

Organisations are moving from static, one-time enrolments to dynamic, choice-based benefit designs, often powered through wallet-based flexible programs. However, scaling brings challenges - participation inconsistencies, vendor fatigue, and limited bargaining power, especially for large and mid-sized employers. Companies resolving this through unified benefit ecosystems, continuous engagement, and data-driven insights are seeing stronger adoption. Tools like Lifestyle Management Accounts (LMAs) streamline insurance, wellness perks, preventive care, and mental health services into one integrated platform, helping employees access year-round benefits and boosting add-on adoption by 20 to 30%.

SECTION 3 - Out-Patient: Focus on Care

OPD benefits are becoming a major pillar of employer healthcare, shifting focus from hospitalisation to preventive, everyday care. Adoption has grown ~35% year-on-year, backed by a study of ~400 organisations, with ~95% preferring insurance-backed OPD models for smoother claims and compliance. Standalone OPD plans are also rising sharply, offering cashless consultations, diagnostics, medicines, and dental care. Median OPD cover has increased from INR 10,000 to INR 15,000 across several sectors, and voluntary top-ups are up ~30%, showing employees want personalised, modular care. Digital platforms streamline cashless claims, analytics, and pharmacy access, turning OPD into a strategic, preventive health tool rather than a reimbursement feature.

SECTION 4 - Trends Redefining Workplace Well-being

Workplace well-being is now strategic, not optional. Insights from 800+ organisations show strong investment in holistic care across five core pillars - physical, mental, social, financial, and DE&I. Preventive Health Checks lead adoption at 79%, followed by Health Awareness Workshops and on-site programs. Engagement is becoming data-driven: 53% use strategic communication, while 23% run unified digital platforms to drive participation. Wellness impact is measured through utilisation trends (70%), CSAT scores, health assessments, and wearable-driven analytics. As organisations expand support for parenting, LGBTQ+ inclusion, mental health, and lifestyle management, well-being is shifting from scattered perks to an integrated, measurable, long-term workforce strategy.

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