Life insurers' new biz grows 22% in Apr-Nov

The new businesses of the life insurance companies grew 22 per cent to Rs 55,355 crore in the first eight months of the current fiscal, compared to the corresponding period last year.

The industry mopped up Rs 45,337 crore during the same period last fiscal, according to an Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) data.

The market share of LIC among 23 players in the sector jumped to 66 per cent at Rs 36,448 crore during the first eight months of 2009-10, from Rs 25,219 crore during the same period last fiscal.

However, the private life insurance industry has registered a decline of 6 per cent. The 22 private insurers have collected Rs 18,905-crore first year premium during April-November this fiscal, compared to Rs 20,116 crore during the same period last year.

Private insurer ICICI Prudential was the worst hit as its premium declined 28 per cent at Rs 3,031 crore in the first eight months of the current fiscal from the corresponding period last year.

The insurer mopped up first year premium of Rs 4,246 crore in the corresponding period last year.

The country's largest private life insurer SBI Life garnered a first year premium of Rs 3,523 crore compared to Rs 3,290 crore last year, registering a 7 per cent growth.

In the first eight months of the current fiscal, non-life or general insurance industry grew 9.40 per cent in premium collection, with state-run players performing better than the private ones.

During April-November period this year, four public insurers registered a growth of 11.05 per cent by mopping up a premium of Rs 13,127 crore compared to Rs 11,821 crore during the corresponding period last year.

New India managed to mop up the highest premium at Rs 3,929 crore in the first eight months of this fiscal.

On the other hand, private players grew 7.1 per cent during April-November period this year by collecting Rs 9,075 crore premium.

The worst hit was ICICI Lombard among the private players registering a degrowth of 13.6 per cent and collecting Rs 2,135 crore premium in the first eight months of the current fiscal.

Another big player Bajaj Allianz's premium also declined by 11 per cent. The general insurer mopped up Rs 1,603 crore premium during April-November period this year compared to Rs 1,801 crore in the corresponding period last fiscal.