INSURANCE
IRDAI approves two proposals for owning 100% stake in general insurance vehicles after FDI reforms
Jul-01-2026

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) chairman Ajay Seth has said that the sector watchdog has approved two proposals for owning 100% stake in general insurance vehicles since the government opened up the space for 100% foreign direct investment (FDI). He added that the much-awaited BIMA Sugam platform will be launched by the end of September.

Pointing to a recent proposal where a foreign entity has shown keenness to enter India with a substantial stake, he said apart from these two licences on the general insurance front, where there is a perception of higher market opportunity, there is also interest on the life insurance front. He said there is also interest among existing foreign promoters to increase stake in their joint ventures started with local partners, and added that one proposal has been approved and there is another pending with the IRDAI. Last year the government had announced that foreign entities will be able to own 100% in insurance companies under the automatic route, as against the 74% cap earlier.

Conceding that the BIMA Sugam project, which entails to launch zero commission policies to cut costs of protection, is behind schedule, Seth explained that the project entails creating a market infrastructure institution where insurance companies have to connect their technology solutions and also making some investments. He added that motor, health and term plans will be prioritised for sale on the Bima Sugam platform to start with.

Meanwhile, regarding suitability of products for savers and how to protect them from possible misselling, Seth said the Irdai is likely to come up with a distribution reforms consultation paper in July to address the same. He added that Irdai has also created a Rs 50 crore fund for awareness, which will be working alongside the industry’s efforts to deepen the penetration.

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