Govt planning deeper penetration of non-life insurance products

23 Oct 2012 Evaluate

The government is planning to prepare a road map for improving penetration of non-life insurance products in a bid to revive the loss-making general insurance sector. Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that the major challenges before the non-life Insurance sector is how to increase its reach to the maximum number of people along with growth of investment in this sector. There is significant room for growth, as the penetration in non-life insurance sector (premium to GDP) is only 0.71% in 2011 which is far below the international benchmarks and much geography in the country are still untapped.

In a meeting with CMDs, CEOs and MDs of both the public and private sector Non Life Insurance Companies, the FM asked them to express their concerns about various factors hindering growth of this sector, as well as give suggestions to overcome the same.

The participating CEOs expressed various difficulties especially in the field of motor car insurance including third party insurance, health insurance, home, fire and group insurance among others. They informed that motor vehicle insurance, which has 41% share in the non-life insurance sector, faces major challenges because of regulated tariff, unlimited liability, non-jurisdiction restriction for filing the claim and underinsurance among others.

They further suggested detariffing of motor TP premium and cap on liabilities etc among others.  As regards health insurance, it was suggested that a proper mechanism be put in place whereby an appropriate pricing mechanism for group health insurance is adopted, which takes into consideration the existing ICR (Incurred Claims Ratio), management expenses, medical inflation, cost of under-writing the business and other associated problems.

There were other suggestions made related to tax issue including non-applicability of MAT for non-life insurance sector at par with life insurance companies and zero rated service sector on crop insurance, tools, senior citizen policy, RSBY and other exempt categories.

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