NORKA Care Plus Phase 2 Enrolment Opens: Check Deadline, Waiting Period

NORKA Care Plus: NORKA Roots has opened the second phase of enrolment for NORKA Care Plus, the Kerala government’s health and personal accident insurance scheme for Non-Resident Keralites, with the registration window closing on September 18, 2026. Unlike the scheme’s first enrolment round earlier this year, the second phase carries a standard 30-day waiting period, according to NORKA Roots.

The second-phase enrolment covers the remaining eight months of the current policy period, running from August 15, 2026, to April 14, 2027. Because the coverage term is shorter than a full year, the enrolment fee has been reduced proportionately, NORKA Roots said.

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NORKA Care Plus: What Changed From Phase 1

NORKA Care Plus was first rolled out in March 2026, with enrolment open from March 12 to April 12 and coverage taking effect from April 15, 2026. That round waived the standard 30-day waiting period entirely, allowing enrollees immediate coverage, including for pre-existing conditions.

The second enrolment phase does not carry that waiver. New enrollees signing up between now and September 18 will be subject to the standard 30-day waiting period before their coverage becomes active, per the terms published by NORKA Roots. NRKs already covered under a policy taken during the first phase are not affected by this change.

NORKA Care Plus: Coverage and Eligibility

NORKA Care Plus offers Group Mediclaim (GMC) health cover and Group Personal Accident (GPA) cover under a single scheme, with sum insured options ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore. The scheme is open to Non-Resident Keralites aged 18 to 80 who hold a valid NORKA Identity Card — Pravasi ID, Student ID, or NRK ID.

Enrollees who opt for plans of ₹10 lakh or higher can additionally include their parents or their spouse’s parents, up to the age of 80, under the same policy — a provision not available under the original NORKA Care scheme.

Cashless treatment is available at close to 24,000 empanelled hospitals across India, including more than 688 hospitals within Kerala, NORKA Roots said. The scheme also carries a continuity clause: NRKs who enrol while abroad remain covered even if they return to Kerala permanently at a later date.

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NORKA Care Plus: How to Enrol

Registration for the second phase can be completed through the official NORKA Roots portal (norkaroots.kerala.gov.in) or the NORKA Care Plus mobile app, available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Group enrolment is also available through NORKA-approved Pravasi organisations, while companies employing large numbers of Malayalees abroad can use a separate corporate registration facility.

Applicants must hold a valid NORKA Identity Card before they can register for the insurance scheme. Those without one can apply for the ID card through the same portal.

NORKA Care Plus: Timeline So Far

NORKA Care, the predecessor scheme, was launched in September 2025 with a one-month enrolment window and ₹5 lakh health cover plus ₹10 lakh accident cover. NORKA Care Plus followed in March 2026 as an upgraded version with significantly higher coverage limits and the parent/in-law inclusion option. The scheme’s second enrolment phase, which opened on August 18, was formally launched by Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan in Thiruvananthapuram.

NORKA Roots has not indicated whether a further enrolment window will follow after September 18. NRKs who miss the current deadline may need to wait for a subsequent phase, if and when one is announced.

The scheme has drawn sustained attention from Kerala’s expatriate-heavy diaspora hubs in the Gulf, with NORKA Roots officials undertaking outreach visits to the UAE and other GCC countries during earlier enrolment rounds to drive registrations through Pravasi associations and community forums. With Onam and the traditional peak travel season for NRKs coinciding with this window, NORKA Roots has flagged the September 18 deadline as a key date for expatriates planning to renew or newly enrol in the scheme.

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