Page 4 - Insurance Sector

HDFC Life Q2 in line; Analysts see margin pressure but maintain 'Buy' calls

On the bourses, HDFC Life share price tumbled up to 4.61 per cent to hit an intraday low of ₹726.15 per share.

ICICI Lombard Q2: Mixed growth, motor weak; health & fire support Buy call

ICICI Lombard's combined ratio rose to 105.1 per cent, up 68 basis points Y-o-Y, though excluding catastrophe (CAT) losses, it stood at 103.8 per cent, according to Nuvama.

ICICI Lombard General Insurance's Q2 net profit up 18% at ₹819 crore

The combined ratio of ICICI Lombard stood at 105.1 per cent in Q2FY26 as against 104.5 per cent in Q2FY25

AIIEA opposes govt's move to open top PSU posts to private sector

AIIEA says allowing private executives to head PSU insurers undermines nationalisation and could demoralise staff, while experts see scope for merit-based reforms

Cashless facility suspension at hospitals: Keep cash, credit access ready

Submit claims promptly with invoices and receipts to reduce risk of delays, rejection

NeSL in talks with insurers to launch surety bonds in digital format

Although the volumes for surety bonds continues to be low, issuance in a non-paper manner will ease a lot of administrative work for the insurers and could also help in increasing volumes

Life insurers firms plan to approach regulator for relief after ITC removal

This comes after the industry passed the entire benefit of lower GST rates to policyholders to increase affordability

No major rise in insurance sales despite zero GST, say distributors

The industry, however, believes that it is too early to see a proper trend

GST 2.0: Pent-up demand behind spike in insurance sales on day one

The insurance industry has passed on the full reduction in GST to customers without changing product prices for now

Insurers to pass on GST cut, expect slight demand rise in policies

Insurers will implement GST-free rates from Monday and pass on the full benefit to policyholders, though withdrawal of input tax credit may impact margins over time

GST rejig: No input tax credit for insurers on brokerage, CBIC clarifies

The CBIC has clarified that taxes paid on inputs like brokerage and commission for individual life or health insurance policies cannot be claimed as ITC

Insurance Amendment Bill likely in Winter session, says FM Sitharaman

Insurance Amendment Bill, which proposes 100 per cent FDI in the insurance sector, is likely to be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Winter session, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said. The winter session of Parliament generally commences in the second half of November and concludes before Christmas. "I hope to", she told PTI when asked if the bill to further liberalise FDI in the insurance sector can be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Winter session. The finance minister, in this year's Budget speech, proposed to raise the foreign investment limit to 100 per cent from the existing 74 per cent in the insurance sector as part of new-generation financial sector reforms. "This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified," she had said. So far, the insurance sector has attracted Rs 82,000 crore throug

Insurance policy renewals see delay ahead of GST reforms' implementation

Fresh issuances stay steady as customers weigh renewal options before GST reform

Policybazaar reports 60% offline growth in West Bengal insurance sales

Insurance broker Policybazaar on Wednesday said its offline business in West Bengal was growing at 60 per cent and made up nearly 30 per cent of its total policy sales in the state. The company, which has a presence in at least 80 cities, opened 15 offices and point-of-sale outlets across the country last fiscal, an official said. "Offline sales are picking up fast for Policybazaar, and already account for about one-third of our business in Bengal. The growth will be around 60 per cent, and we expect to maintain the traction," said Gaurav Surana, Deputy Vice President (East) Life Insurance at Policybazaar. West Bengal has emerged as a key market for term insurance, contributing 26 per cent of the overall policy count in FY'25, he said. He said that the GST waiver on insurance will further boost growth. Surana said educated and salaried customers form the bulk of insurance buyers in West Bengal. "Graduates and above make up 80.1 per cent of policyholders in Bengal, higher than the

Bima Sugam to roll out in phases for insurers, intermediaries, customers

Bima Sugam India Federation said the digital insurance marketplace will launch in phases this year with pilot insurer integrations and gradual customer onboarding

Input tax credit removal blunts impact of GST waiver on insurance

While the GST exemption on health and life insurance premiums will lower costs for consumers, insurers will absorb some impact due to the removal of input tax credit (ITC)

GST relief aids insurers; HDFC Life, Star Health among winners, says JM Fin

While the market was anticipating a cut in GST rates for term and health policies, analysts at JM Financial said, the exemption on savings-oriented life products came as a positive surprise.

Govt draft norms to ease compliance for foreign investment in insurance

The draft norms for foreign investment in insurance propose easing compliance by scrapping residency requirements for directors and KMPs while retaining key leadership conditions

Bima Sugam Phase I likely to launch in December after slight delay

Bima Sugam, the Irdai-backed digital insurance marketplace, is expected to launch Phase I in December with e-KYC and initial products, sources said, after missing earlier timelines

No insurer can ignore bancassurance channel, says India First Life MD

Will have 96 branches & 10,000 agents by year end, says Rushabh Gandhi