Bharti AXA General gets Irdai nod for two products under regulatory sandbox framework

Private non-life insurer Bharti AXA General Insurance on Tuesday said it has received nod from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) for its two products under the regulatory sandbox framework.

The two proposed products, usage-based motor insurance in the non-life insurance category and short-term health insurance in the health segment, have been shortlisted by the regulator for its sandbox framework, the company said in a statement.

Irdai has selected only 33 out of 173 applications under health, non-life and distribution segments for the regulatory sandbox, which allows insurers and technology companies to collaboratively experiment with new products along with unique customer proposition on a live audience under the supervision of the regulator, it said.

"As customers' needs are ever-evolving, there has always been a demand for flexible and 'Do It Yourself' coverages from partners and customers alike.

"We are cognisant of this and always put their needs at the forefront of our innovations. Our proposed products for the sandbox project cater to this requirement, and they are recent examples of our commitment towards customer centricity," said Sanjeev Srinivasan, chief executive officer, Bharti AXA General Insurance.

The proposed 'usage-based motor insurance' product charges premium based on pre-declared or promised vehicle usage distance along with the standard parameters, thus benefiting those who drive less, it said.

The company said the proposed 'short-term health insurance' product will provide short-term health insurance cover to customers, covering customisable waiting periods, and includes both indemnity and benefit.

While traditional health insurance is generally offered for the longer duration starting from a year, this product offers coverage for sachet (shorter) periods, and includes both indemnity and benefit, it added.

The insurance sandbox project has been launched mainly to help the regulator gauge and measure real-life acceptance of new customer propositions before giving them the regulatory nod for commercial launch. It also has immense potential to facilitate innovation and securely experiment with ideas to solve unmet customer expectations and raise efficiency levels in processes or manage risk better.