Aathira Varier

In a press release following its 134th board meeting, the regulator said it had granted certificates of registration to one reinsurer and one general insurer

Life insurers' new business premiums grew nearly 18% in February 2026, led by LIC's strong performance on a favourable base, while non-life insurers posted about 10% year-on-year premium growth

Women CEO in three insurers, zero in banks

State-owned reinsurer GIC Re withdraws marine cargo war cover for facultative reinsurance contracts in several high-risk maritime zones amid rising tensions near the Strait of Hormuz

Analysts warn Bihar's proposed microfinance regulation could disrupt lending operations, weaken borrower credit discipline, and delay recoveries for NBFC-MFIs, banks and small finance banks

RBI data shows a strong shift in lending patterns after policy easing, with loans priced below 9% rising sharply as PSBs led credit growth and monetary transmission became more visible

Gold loan disbursements nearly doubled in Q3 FY26 as borrowers favoured gold-backed credit, with NBFCs leading growth and PSBs contributing the largest share, Equifax data shows

The Australian insurer will fully own the general insurance company after acquisition of 51% stake

However, the industry faces supply limitations and is affected by attrition in the segment

To smooth the transition, Irdai has proposed parallel reporting under both Ind AS and Indian GAAP during the first year of implementation

Several global reinsurers, including GIC Re, have withdrawn marine hull war cover as West Asia tensions escalate, sharply increasing premiums and raising operational risks for exporters

Reinsurer withdraws marine hull war risk cover across key global hotspots, including West Asia and parts of the Black Sea, citing rising geopolitical tensions

Additionally, the share of gold loans in overall retail loans of banks has now doubled to 6 per cent (January 2026), from 3 per cent as of January 2025

At a two-day workshop with 60 banks, RBI called for stronger governance, better internal controls and greater tech adoption to counter rising cyber-enabled financial frauds

Experian data shows secured loans growing 42% in Q3FY26, led by strong demand for gold loans, even as unsecured lending rebounded and home loans maintained steady momentum

Credit card spending eased to Rs 2 trillion in January after festive highs, though outstanding cards rose to 116.65 million as issuers recalibrated amid tighter norms and shifting customer profiles

Irdai Chairman Ajay Seth flags acute actuarial talent shortage, says capacity building critical as India adopts risk-based capital norms and aligns with IFRS standards

IFSCA will approach the Centre for approval to set up an SPV-based framework enabling investments in insurance-linked securities such as catastrophe bonds, aiming to broaden risk-sharing mechanisms

Narayana Health's Devi Prasad Shetty says hospitals launching insurance arms could reduce friction with insurers, improve affordability and expand healthcare access in the coming years

Outward remittances under RBI's LRS fell 4.12% YoY in Apr-Dec FY26 to $21.36 bn as travel and education spends moderated, though remittances for investments and property purchases surged