The Union Cabinet's decision to raise the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector to 100 per cent is unlikely to significantly boost foreign investment as distribution remains a critical factor, requiring overseas players to partner with Indian businesses, experts said.
LIC said USTR's views are based on an incomplete understanding of Indian insurance regulation and LIC's functioning.
In Debasish Panda's last board meeting as chairperson of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai), the regulator approved the "R2" licence for Kamlesh Goyal and Prem Watsa-backed Value Attics Reinsurance, making it the first private-sector Indian reinsurer after GIC Re, the public-sector reinsurer. "The authority reviewed and approved the R2 application of Value Attics Reinsurance, making it the first private-sector reinsurer after GIC Re, the public-sector reinsurer.
The US Trade Representative noted that India's average applied tariff rate stood at 17% per cent, the highest of any major world economy.
Term insurance policy premiums are set to rise by 25 to 30 per cent with Munich Re, the largest reinsurer for the Indian insurance market, increasing its rates for underwriting portfolios of pure protection plans by up to 40 per cent. According to a senior executive of a private life insurance company, the global reinsurer has communicated its decision about increasing rates. About 8-10 insurance companies have been informed about the move, sources said.
Come October, life insurers may have to tighten their underwriting standards further for retail term plans at the behest of one of the largest reinsurers in the Indian insurance market, Munich Re. According to a source aware of the development, "Munich Re has been studying long-term mortality trends for the past few years, and has suggested some tightening in the underwriting process." "As far as financial underwriting is concerned, the reinsurer has suggested that insurers should ask for additional documents. "For example, apart from income proof, they can ask for bank statements of the prospective customer before issuing policies," added the source.
The merged entity will have a combined market share of 6.4 per cent in the non-life insurance industry with 308 branches in the country. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and the entire process is expected to be completed in nine months.
Life insurers, on the prodding of global reinsurers, are set to hike premiums on term plans because rising mortality after the second wave of the pandemic has led to an increase in the number of settlements. Some will do so next month while others may wait till January. Global reinsurer Munich Re had nudged its insurance partners on the hike in September and insurers have been engaged in negotiations with the reinsurer on the amount of the increase. Term plan prices in India were among the lowest in the world for a long period but in the past couple of years, they have been increased a few times.
It is not just the financial turmoil that consumed billions of dollars but also natural catastrophe, and such disastrous incidents resulting in global economic losses to the tune of $50 billion this year.
Amid the financial crisis scourging the global markets, troubled insurance giant AIG's chief executive salary has been restricted to a nominal $1 for 2008 and 2009, while there would be no pay hikes for its top executives through 2009.
Australia-based Insurance Australia Group is in advanced talks to buy a 26 per cent stake in HDFC Chubb General Insurance, following the buyout of Chubb's stake by HDFC.
After Llyod's, many reinsurers keen to start ops in India.
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