The reduction in goods & services tax (GST) on individual life and health insurance premiums has been called a "landmark step" for making insurance affordable and inclusive. In a panel discussion at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025, Anup Bagchi, managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance; Mahesh Balasubramanian, MD & CEO of Kotak Life Insurance; Tarun Chugh, MD & CEO of Bajaj Life Insurance; and Ratnakar Patnaik, MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), listed what else the industry needs to reach more people.
The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
A large-scale international study published in the journal, Molecular Psychiatry, has been tracking over 7 lakh individuals and has shown that 34.6 per cent of mental disorders begin before the age of 14 years, 48.4 per cent before 18 years and 62.5 per cent by the age of 25 years.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
With medical inflation hovering at around 13-14 per cent annually, policyholders must reassess their sum insured once every two years.
They are venturing into allied businesses, which range from starting talent management agencies to music labels to tap into every possible monetisable opportunity to appeal to investors.
Make sure the rider adds value rather than just adding to cost.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Younger customers should opt for increasing cover as their financial commitments are likely to rise in the future.
rediffGURU Shyam Jamalabad, a dentist with over four decades of experience, offers practical advice about how to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
'Non-compatible with Western Civilization' is about as vague and jingoistic as it gets and Trump saying this gives full license to his acolytes to go full throttle on making life as difficult and scary as possible for as many non-white people as possible,' notes Sree Sreenivasan.
Debutants, heat and distance shape mood ahead of 2026 World Cup draw
'Our problem is not a budget deficit but a trust deficit. We need to trust our institutions and industries to innovate and lead. That is the way forward for India.'
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Tips to avoid the heat, crowds, and travel risks, including incidents like the tragic Mufrihat accident that killed 45 Indian pilgrims.
'The question for the TMC is not whether it can hold its bastions, but whether it can expand effectively into regions where the BJP already possesses a good ecosystem.'
'It is high time to recognise that this is the greatest issue India is confronting.' 'Even the BJP should be raising concerns because polluted air suffocates everybody's child.'
The 100 per cent withdrawal provision and the 25 per cent minimum balance provision have led to some confusion.
Ask rediffGURU and PF, MF and insurance expert Purshotam Lal your mutual fund, insurance and personal finance-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Young investors with a higher risk appetite are better off with a combination of term insurance and equity funds.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
SEBI's blockbuster reforms are rewriting the rules of mutual fund investing -- faster growth, sharper transparency, and smarter safeguards that put investors first, explains Ramalingam Kalirajan.
Ask rediffGURU and PF and MF expert Janak Patel your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Reduction of GST on health insurance premium from 18% to 0% looks like a straight 18% reduction in what consumers pay. The truth, however, is...
Some products offer terrorism cover as part of the base offering, while in others it is an optional cover.
What are you going to watch on OTT this week? Sukanya Verma lists your options.
Stay firm yet respectful, and over time, they will have to adjust, advises rediffGURU Kanchan Rai, founder of the Let Us Talk Foundation.
Ranjani Srinivasan, a citizen and national of India, entered the United States on a F-1 student visa as a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Friday. It added that Srinivasan was "involved in activities supporting" Hamas, a terrorist organisation.
Watch out for vague relationship statuses, reluctance to share personal details or a pattern of disappearing on weekends and holidays, warns Ravi Mittal, CEO of QuackQuack, an online dating Website.
The systematic withdrawal plan stands out as a superior option, providing steady income despite market fluctuations and inflation, says Ramalingam Kalirajan.
'Some part could be used for consumption purposes, and the rest could be used to meet important financial goals.' 'The split can be 30:70 to 50:50, depending on one's situation.'
'If you invest in a rush at the last moment, you could compromise on selecting the best tax-saving options.'
India's e-commerce market alone is projected to reach $200 billion by 2026, making it a prime industry for ambitious entrepreneurs, explains rediffGURU Harsh Bharwani.
Rishi Piparaiya lists three simple steps to manage the impact of rising prices and protect your financial future
As opposed to term insurance that keeps you covered for a specific time period, opting for a whole life term plan means that you are covered for your entire life, says Santosh Agarwal.
Have a calm conversation with your parents, expressing your feelings for your boyfriend while being open about the current situation between the two of you. Sometimes, parents worry because they don't know the full picture, says rediffGURU Kanchan Rai.
Sukanya Verma gives you some great options to choose from.
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