Hike in FDI cap on cards for insurance sector

27 Sep 2012 Evaluate

Soon after rolling out foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and aviation, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, continuing reforms juggernaut, has now shifted focus to insurance sector and is keen on raising the FDI cap in the sector to 49 per cent from the existing 26 per cent limit.

This move of the government, which off lately seems to be on fast forward mode on reform front, assumes significance as at the insurance summit earlier this week, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) Chairman J Hari Narayan besides stressing the need for larger investments for growth of the sector also underscored that a hike in FDI limit would be welcome.

Working in speed towards this development, the Cabinet is likely to soon consider hiking the FDI limit in the sector, with finance ministry again holding a meeting with the insurance sector regulator today to deliberate upon the issues such as service tax and other tax relief measures for the industry.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister P Chidambaram already held a meeting with IRDA chairman on Sept 26 to take on board issues that could spur insurance penetration. Ways to ease investment norms to channelize more funds into the infrastructure sector, bancassurance and process of approval for opening offices in Tier-II and below towns were among the issues taken for discussion in the meeting. 

Further, in the meeting, sensing the need to increase insurance penetration and for reaching basic insurance cover to the rural areas, the ministry and the regulator also agreed upon designing insurance products with low insurance premiums and basic cover.

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