Insurance

The following are some of the major investments and developments in the Indian insurance sector.

• ICICI Lombard and Airtel Payments bank have entered into a partnership for providing cyber insurance in February 2022.
• Probus Insurance receives US$ 6.7 million in funding from a Swiss impact fund in December 2021.
• Companies are trying to leverage strategic partnership to offer various services as follows:
• In November 2021, ICICI Lombard collaborated with Vega to provide a personal accident insurance cover with every online Vega helmet purchase to increase road safety awareness among customers.
• In November 2021, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance partnered with NPCI Bharat BillPay, a subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), to offer ClickPay feature to its customers.
• In November 2021, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved HDFC Life Insurance’s acquisition of 100% shareholding in Exide Life Insurance. The move is expected to strengthen HDFC Life’s position in South India.
• In November 2021, Willis Towers Watson acquired the remaining 51% shares in WTW India, taking the company’s holding in WTW India to 100%.
• In November 2021, Acko, a digital insurance start-up, raised US$ 255 million in funds, taking the company’s valuation to ~US$ 1.1 billion.
• In September 2021, ZestMoney raised US$ 50 million to enter new business opportunities in the insurance sector.
• In August 2021, PhonePe announced that it has received preliminary approval from IRDAI to act as a broker for life and general insurance products. As a result, the company can now offer insurance advice to its 300+ million users.
• In FY21, LIC achieved a record first-year premium income of Rs. 56,406 crore (US$ 7.75 billion) under individual assurance business with a 10.11% growth over last year.
• In India, gross premiums written of non-life insurers reached US$ 26.52 billion in FY21 (between April 2020 and March 2021), from US$ 26.49 billion in FY20 (between April 2019 and March 2020), driven by strong growth from general insurance companies.
• In August 2021, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance tied up with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to provide a unified payments interface autopay.
• In August 2021, ICICI Lombard General Insurance introduced extensive coverage for remote piloted aircraft, particularly drone operators. This product protects the drone, as well as the payload (camera/equipment) attached to it, against theft, loss, or damage, and third-party liabilities.
• In July 2021, MedPay, a Bengaluru-based B2B tech start-up, built an API infrastructure that connects healthcare service providers, standalone clinics, pharmacies, labs and insurance companies through its MedPay Connected Care Network (CCN).
• In June 2021, Bharti AXA Life Insurance reported a 10% renewal premium increase of Rs. 1,498 crore (US$ 200.64 million) in FY21.
• In June 2021, LIC Housing Finance announced plans to raise ~Rs. 2,334.69 crore (US$ 312.43 million) through preferential issue of equity shares to the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
• On July 1, 2021, the LIC introduced its Saral Pension Scheme, which is a non-linked, non-participating, single premium, individual immediate annuity plan.
• In July 2021, Gallagher announced plan to acquire 100% stake in India’s Edelweiss Gallagher Insurance Brokers.
• In June 2021, Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance announced the launch of a new Vision LifeIncome Plus Plan that will provide guaranteed regular income plus flexible bonus payouts to policyholders.
• In June 2021, Wardwizard Group ties up with Bajaj Allianz to offer insurance policies to Joy e-Bike customers.
• In May 2021, Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd. launched ‘Max Life Saral Pension’, a non-linked, individual immediate annuity plan.
• In March 2021, health insurance companies in the non-life insurance sector increased by 41%, driven by rising demand for health insurance products amid COVID-19 surge.
• In February 2021, Bharti AXA General Insurance launched its ‘Health AdvantEDGE’ health insurance scheme to provide holistic cover against accelerating costs associated with medical requirements and other healthcare facilities.
• In February 2021, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, a non-life insurance firm in the private sector, has been authorised by the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to establish an IFSC Insurance Office (IIO) in GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The Government of India has taken number of initiatives to boost the insurance industry. Some of them are as follows:

• In 2022, the Indian government plans to sell a 7% stake in LIC for Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 6.62 billion). This is the largest initial public offering (IPO) in India.
• In November 2021, the Indian government signed an agreement with the World Bank for a US$ 40 million project to advance the qualities of health services in Meghalaya, including the state’s health insurance programme.
• In September 2021, the Union Cabinet approved an investment of Rs. 6,000 crore (US$ 804.71 million) into entities, offering export insurance cover to facilitate additional exports worth Rs. 5.6 lakh crore (US$ 75.11 billion) over the next five years.
• In August 2021, the Parliament passed the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill. The bill aims to allow privatisation of state-run general insurance companies.
• Union Budget 2021 increased FDI limit in insurance from 49% to 74%. India's Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has announced the issuance, through Digilocker, of digital insurance policies by insurance firms.
• Under the Union Budget 2021, Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the initial public offering (IPO) of LIC will be implemented in FY22, as part of the consolidation in the banking and insurance sector. Though no formal market valuation has been undertaken, LIC’s IPO has the potential to raise Rs. 1 lakh crore (US$ 13.62 billion).
• In June 2021, the government extended a Rs. 50 lakh (US$ 66.85 thousand) insurance coverage scheme for healthcare workers across India until the next one year.
• In February 2021, the Finance Ministry announced to infuse Rs. 3,000 crore (US$ 413.13 million) into state-owned general insurance companies to improve the overall financial health of companies.
• Under Union Budget 2021, fund of Rs. 16,000 crore (US$ 2.20 billion) has been allocated for crop insurance scheme.