Non-life insurers' premium income grows 86% in September

Non-life insurance companies posted an 86.18 per cent jump in their gross direct premium income underwritten (gross premium income) at Rs 14,950 crore in September as against Rs 8,029.62 crore in the same month last year due to higher sales in crop insurance, motor and health insurance products.

According to data compiled by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), private sector general insurers' gross direct premium income underwritten in September stood at Rs 5,322.97 crore, up by 62.74 per cent from Rs 3,270.77 crore in September last year.

The same for public general insurers in the last month was at Rs 5,626.69 crore, registering a 51.67 per cent growth, from Rs 3,709.78 crore.

Standalone private health insurers' gross direct premium income underwritten was at Rs 462.93 crore in September from Rs 312.42 crore in the year-ago month.

"Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana scheme combined with higher demand for motor and health insurance have contributed to the surge in gross premium income of general insurance companies in the last month. Usually, health insurance grows by around 30 per cent. Higher sales of motors insurance products and crop insurance fuelled such growth," General Insurance Council's Secretary General R Chandrasekaran told IANS.

A total of 29 non-life insurers reported a 28.33 per cent increase in their gross direct premium income underwritten to Rs 60,270.98 crore in the first six months (April-September) of the current financial year, as compared to Rs 46,965.84 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Public general insurers have 54.54 per cent market share while private players capture 45.46 per cent upto September, IRDA data added.