Page 25 - Aathira Varier

First phase of Bima Sugam project likely to be rolled out mid-2025

Initially proposed for Jan '23 launch, project missed many deadlines

Life insurance Dec new biz premium falls 21.7% to Rs 30,218.71 crore

LIC's premium fell 41.15 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 13,523.87 crore, while private insurers reported 7 per cent Y-o-Y growth in NBP to Rs 16,694.85 crore

Uncertainty looms over launch of Irdai's ambitious Bima Sugam project

Industry players, who are also investors in the project, say it is unlikely the project will meet the announced launch date of April 2025, with few updates on its progress

Recovery agents are in demand as banks' unsecured loan stress rises

In July 2024, the total strength of outsourced staff in the BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance) space was 77,000, out of which 6,000 were recovery agents

PhonePe partners with ICICI Lombard to offer Maha Kumbh Mela insurance

The Maha Kumbh Mela, expected to commence on January 13, 2025, and continue till February 26, 2025, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

LIC's Bima Sakhi scheme crosses 50,000 mark within a month of launch

The initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 9

Draft DPDP rules: Task cut out for banks as operational challenges loom

Banks engage in cross-selling financial products from their subsidiaries and third parties to their customer base

Q3 results preview: Irdai's revised norms to weigh on life insurers' margin

Higher claims and operating expenses to impact non-life insurers' combined ratio

Non-life insurers report dip in Dec premiums under Irdai's revised norms

Even in Q3, their premium growth slowed down to a meagre 1 per cent year-on-year

Banks' profitability likely to moderate in FY26, says India Ratings

Estimates 13.5% loan growth in FY25

Muted deposit and credit growth sends PSB stocks into a tailspin

While state-owned Union Bank of India reported a 2.2 per cent sequential growth in advances in Q3FY25, its deposits shrank by 2 per cent during the same period

Brokerages bullish on SBI Card on hopes of credit cost moderation

Analysts at Nuvama expect the credit cost to remain flat in Q3FY25 and then start improving from Q4FY25

HDFC Bank to acquire up to 9.5% in Kotak Mahindra and AU, Capital SFBs

RBI has given approval to HDFC Bank and its group companies to collectively acquire up to 9.5 per cent of paid-up share capital or voting rights in Kotak Mahindra Bank, AU Small Finance Bank

RBI clears National, Cosmos Co-operative Bank merger, effective January 6

The branches of The National Co-operative Bank, Bangalore (Karnataka), will function as branches of Cosmos Co-operative Bank Limited (Maharashtra) with effect from January 6, 2025

Securitisation volumes top Rs 68,000 crore in Q3 FY25, says ICRA

ICRA estimates say private sector banks account for Rs 25,000 cr, NBFCs for remaining Rs 43,000 cr

Ulips will grow as Indians have faith in stock mkts: PolicyBazaar.com CEO

Singh spoke about the major trends that dominated the insurance space in 2024 and the trends to look forward to in the new year

Insurers to double down on technology, rural expansion for growth in 2025

Industry will also focus on strengthening distribution networks and human capital

Karur Vysya Bank's Q3 FY25 business rises 15% to Rs 1.82 trillion

The lender's advances increased by 13.96 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 82,842 crore, while deposits grew by 15.75 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 99,155 crore as of the end of December 2024

VFS Capital seeks small finance bank licence from RBI under 'on-tap' scheme

VFS provides loans to individual female members mainly from rural areas in a joint liability group (JLG) with each group consisting of five members

Looking ahead: Slowing credit growth, margin pressure await banks in 2025

Resource mobilisation was a key challenge for banks over the past two years, as deposit growth lagged credit uptake