Aathira Varier

Distributor commission revamp could raise policyholders' returns: Experts

Industry executives say revising life insurance distributor commissions could improve policyholder returns by lowering acquisition and operating costs, even if premiums remain unchanged

Risk-based deposit rules may dent bank profits by up to ₹12k cr: ICRA

ICRA says the new risk-based deposit insurance premium framework, effective April 2026, could reduce bank profitability by up to ₹12,000 crore a year, though stronger banks may see gains

NBFCs put artificial intelligence to work across lending value chain

Bajaj Finance, L&T Finance and Tata Capital are embedding AI and GenAI across the lending chain-from acquisition to servicing-to enhance growth, efficiency and risk oversight

Life insurance firms propose deferment of frontloaded commissions

Industry players meet Irdai chief; upfront payouts may be deferred to reduce acquisition costs

LIC sets sights on sustained 60%-plus market share: MD & CEO R Doraiswamy

Doraiswamy says policy sales have gathered momentum after the goods and services tax (GST) rationalisation on individual life insurance premiums, increasing affordability for customers

Don't see major impact of proposed mis-selling norms: Axis Max Life MD, CEO

Sumit Madan talks about RBI's proposed guidelines on mis-selling and their likely impact on the company and the sector, the firm's business plans going forward, among other issues

RBI's new loan recovery norms: NBFCs may incur extra cost to train agents

From a customer perspective, the stricter norms are welcome, industry executives said

RBI's proposed mis-selling norms may hit credit life business of insurers

RBI's draft rules on bundling and consent could dent credit life insurance and bancassurance income, though insurers say overall impact will be limited

Reserve Bank of India moots rules to rein in harsh debt recovery

The proposed norms will come into effect from July 1, 2026. Feedback on the draft may be submitted by March 4, 2026

India's outbound FDI moderates to $3.42 billion in January, shows RBI data

India's outward FDI stands at $3.42 billion in January 2026, easing from December levels, with equity, loans and guarantees showing mixed trends

India Inc's ECB and FCCB intent hit FY26 peak in December 2025

Indian companies filed ECB and FCCB proposals worth $4.43 billion in December, the highest monthly amount in FY26, led by NBFCs and infrastructure-linked borrowers

RBI proposes to raise unsecured loans to 20% of total for urban co-op banks

RBI has proposed raising the unsecured loan cap for urban co-operative banks to 20 per cent of advances, revising norms on unsecured lending and housing loan tenors

Life insurance premiums jump 21.5% in Jan; non-life insurers up 15%

Both life and non-life insurers reported strong January premium growth, supported by a favourable base effect and the GST exemption on individual life and health insurance premiums

ESAF SFB to apply for universal banking licence after 2 years, says MD

Thrissur-based ESAF Small Finance Bank will wait at least two years to seek a universal banking licence as it pivots to secured lending to improve asset quality and profitability

Surge in gold loans not a cause for concern, says Reserve Bank of India

Banks are shifting from unsecured loans to gold-backed lending amid rising gold prices, but RBI says low LTVs and limited exposure pose no systemic risk

Unclaimed deposit payouts jump to ₹1,000 crore a month, says RBI

Targeted RBI campaigns and incentives have sharply increased the pace of unclaimed deposit settlements, pushing monthly payouts to over Rs 1,000 crore, compared with Rs 100-200 crore earlier, RBI said

RBI to roll out risk-based premium model for deposit insurance from April

The Reserve Bank of India will replace the flat-rate deposit insurance premium with a risk-based framework from April 2026, aiming to reward stronger banks and encourage better risk management

ULIP traction rises in Q3FY26 as equity markets outperform year-ago period

Private life insurers reported stronger demand for ULIPs in Q3FY26 as equity markets gained sharply. Customers also shifted towards higher sum assured plans with protection-linked riders

LIC's Q3 net profit up 17% in Q3 due to higher premiums, investment income

LIC's Q3 profit rose 17% on strong premium and investment income, while higher VNB margins and lower cost ratios supported overall performance

Commission expense ratio of life insurers rises to 6.86% in FY25

Life insurers saw commission costs rise in FY25, driven by higher payouts by private players, even as LIC cut agent commissions and insurance penetration slipped