HowDoIIndia

Retirements

How to Apply for ESIC Online

Register for ESIC insurance as an employee or check employer seeding. IP number, Pehchan card, and portal login basics.

By HowDoI India TeamLast updated: 30 August 2026Reviewed: 21 September 2026

ESIC (Employees' State Insurance Corporation) provides medical care and cash benefits to eligible employees and their dependents. Most people do not "apply" like a consumer product. Your employer registers the company under ESI and adds you as an Insured Person. Your job is to confirm seeding, get an IP number, register on the portal, and keep family details updated.

Confirm you should be under ESIC

Ask HR:

  1. Is the establishment covered under ESI?
  2. Is your monthly wage within the ESI contribution ceiling currently notified?
  3. Have they already allotted an IP number?

IMPORTANT

If you are wrongly kept out of ESI while eligible, raise it with HR in writing. Contribution and coverage are employer obligations under the Act for covered units.

What to keep ready

Details for ESIC employee setup

0 of 6 ready · saved on this device only

Step 1: Employer registers you

Typically HR / payroll:

  1. Logs into the ESIC employer portal
  2. Adds employee demographics and Aadhaar
  3. Links you to the contribution record
  4. Shares IP number and sometimes a temporary Pehchan letter

If you never received an IP number after several contribution months, follow up. Without IP, hospital desks cannot pull your entitlement easily.

Step 2: Create employee portal login

  1. Visit the official ESIC website and open Insured Person / employee login links from there.
  2. Register with IP number, Aadhaar, and mobile OTP as guided.
  3. Set a strong password and save the user ID.

Avoid third-party sites that ask for IP credentials.

Step 3: Update family and download Pehchan

  1. Add spouse, children, and dependent parents as allowed.
  2. Upload photos if the portal requires them for dependents.
  3. Download e-Pehchan / card print option when available.
  4. Locate your nearest ESIC dispensary from the facility locator on esic.gov.in.

TIP

Carry Aadhaar plus Pehchan print for the first hospital visit. Some empanelled hospitals also ask for a referral slip from the ESIC dispensary for specialty care.

Step 4: Know the benefits at a high level

ESIC can include medical care, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, disablement benefit, and dependent benefit as per contribution conditions. Exact entitlement depends on contribution history and the type of claim. Ask the local ESIC branch or dispensary for claim forms when needed.

Common problems

  • IP number unknown: Check salary slip, Form 6 / contribution statement from HR, or ask payroll to print from the employer portal.
  • Aadhaar seeding failed: Fix demographic mismatch first, then ask HR to re-push KYC.
  • Hospital denies cashless care: Confirm contribution is active for the period and that the hospital is empanelled for your case type.
  • Left job: Coverage rules after exit depend on contribution weeks. Ask ESIC before assuming free treatment continues indefinitely.

Contribution and wage ceiling basics

ESI contributions are shared by employer and employee when wages fall under the notified ceiling and the establishment is covered. If your salary crosses the ceiling mid-year, ask HR how your coverage continues for that contribution period. Do not assume free ESIC treatment forever after a large raise without reading the current circular.

Keep an eye on payslip deductions labelled ESI. If the deduction appears but HR never shared an IP number, escalate. Contribution without a usable IP record is a paperwork failure you should not ignore until a hospital visit.

Dispensary first approach

For planned care, start at the allocated ESIC dispensary. Specialty referrals and empanelled hospital cashless care often need that route. Walking into a private hospital with only a Pehchan PDF can lead to cash payment even when you are insured.

Keep your IP record usable

Save your IP number, Pehchan PDF, and a screenshot of active contribution status. When you change jobs, ask the new employer to seed you again and confirm the same IP still shows on the employee portal. If Aadhaar KYC fails on the employer push, fix the name or DOB mismatch on Aadhaar first, then ask HR to retry.

If the ESIC portal is slow

Try early morning or late evening, use the official esic.gov.in domain, and avoid third-party "Pehchan download" sites. For hospital emergencies, call your ESIC dispensary with your IP number rather than waiting on a stuck login.

Need more help?

For more information, check out our Retirements guides, the EPF Help hub, or estimate savings with our PF Calculator.

Was this guide helpful?

Frequently asked questions

Who is covered under ESIC?
Employees of covered establishments under the wage ceiling notified for ESI are insured. Your employer registers the establishment and seeds employee details.
Can I self-register without my employer?
Coverage starts when your employer registers you and remits contributions. You can create a portal login after you have an Insurance Person (IP) number.
What is a Pehchan card?
It is the ESIC identity card linked to your IP number for medical treatment at ESIC facilities and empanelled hospitals.
Are family members covered?
Dependent family members can be covered as per ESIC rules once you add their details correctly in the member record.

Related guides

More in this category →
Recommended Site

Planning term cover for your family?

Policybazaar lets you compare term life plans alongside your PF and pension paperwork.

Compare term plans →

Planning for retirement?

Estimate your corpus, then check SCSS quarterly income or Post Office MIS monthly payouts for the safe-income slice.

Open Retirement Calculator