YouTuber Ravish Kumar is now doing a neat backflip. Earlier, he warned that GST on life and health insurance was crushing the common man. Now that the Modi government has made these premiums tax-free, he suddenly discovers a dozen reasons why relief does not count. It is the kind of timing that would make a gymnast blush and a calculator cry.

In his latest video, the self-styled crusader of “truth” plays down the actual benefit to people. He tells viewers that premium amounts are complicated, as if this was a breaking revelation. The result is a strange show: a man who campaigned against GST on insurance now frowning because it has been removed. The punchline writes itself.

Ravish uploaded his video on Friday, 5 September, on his channel ‘Ravish Kumar Official’, right after the government announced zero GST on life and health insurance under the revised regime. Instead of welcoming the move, he leaned into nit-picking. He argued that the impact would be less than advertised, as if millions of households had secretly been praying for complexity, not relief.

According to him, “Health and life insurance now fall under the zero GST category, but does that really make premiums cheaper? How much cheaper will they actually get? Premiums are based on various factors, not just GST.” Then he stretches the point with an example: “if hospital bills go up due to medical inflation, insurance companies will raise their charges as well. Similarly, if someone takes a claim of five lakh rupees in a year, their premium may increase next year because the company will charge more from those who claim. So, while premiums may look cheaper on paper, the recovery of their charges can happen in other ways.”

It is amazing theatre. When GST existed on insurance, it was the villain. When GST is removed, the villain apparently moves to “other factors.” The audience is expected to clap either way.

What he claimed earlier when GST was imposed

This fresh lecture clashes with Ravish’s earlier stand, when insurance fell under the 18% slab. Back then, he was emphatic that GST made protection unaffordable, renewal difficult and sector growth weak. In plain words, tax was the problem and removing it was the solution. Today, removal has arrived—and suddenly the solution is “not enough.”

At the time, he said, “If insurance keeps getting expensive like this, the common man will not be able to arrange for his own safety. Removing or reducing GST on health insurance could give relief to people. This could also encourage more people to renew their policies. Because of this inflation, the insurance sector is not able to grow, as only a few people can afford to buy multiple policies.” (Earlier position quoted as documented.

So the contrast is not subtle. When GST was imposed, Ravish called it a heavy financial burden. Now that it is scrapped, he insists GST was only a side character and the plot is driven by many other heroes and villains. The double standard is not a footnote; it is the entire script.

These remarks followed the fresh announcement of GST 2.0

Here are the basic facts that frame this flip-flop. On Wednesday, 3 September, at the 56th meeting of the GST Council, the government decided to reduce GST on individual life and health insurance premiums to 0%. The Council meeting ran for about 10–10.5 hours, and the broader reform—popularly dubbed GST 2.0—moves to a two-tier structure while eliminating the 12% and 28% categories. The change becomes effective 22 September 2025, the first day of Navratri. (Council decisions and timeline: Indian Express; Times of India; Livemint.

Multiple business and policy reports confirm the same core point: no GST on individual health and life insurance from 22 September will lower the tax burden on households and is expected to help the middle class with lower outgo on essential protection. (ET explainer and ToI report.

The official communication echoes this intent—reduced indirect taxes on essentials, a simpler structure, and relief aimed at everyday consumers.

Against this backdrop, Ravish’s new skepticism lands oddly. For years, he warned that GST on insurance was hurting people. The Council finally wipes it off—and he pivots to arguing that premiums depend on a hundred other knobs. Of course premiums depend on age, claims history, and medical inflation. Everyone knows that. But when a flat 18% tax is removed, a real and immediate headwind disappears. That is not a minor footnote; it is a monthly bill becoming lighter.

And this is where the satire writes itself. Ravish once wanted the umbrella closed because it was leaking. Now that the umbrella has been fixed, he says the real issue is the rain. Convenient, but not convincing.

Bottom line: the policy change is documented, dated, and soon to be in force. The relief is real, even if other market dynamics exist. Ravish Kumar can keep changing lanes; the facts, however, are on record. (Decision details and effective date: ET, Indian Express, Livemint.