



Now that India has opened up its insurance market fully to FDI, over-regulation mustn’t play spoilsport
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s insurance sector has found renewed vigour, with two global players ready to expand their market presence and others exploring entry. On Monday, US-based Liberty Mutual Insurance announced a stake increase in its Indian venture Liberty General Insurance to 74% from a bit above 55%.A day earlier, UK-based Prudential said it will buy a 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance Company. Also, Germany’s Allianz has struck a 50:50 joint venture (JV) with Jio Financial Services.
Other major insurers are reportedly keen to enter. Earlier this month, India amended its foreign-exchange law to ease the path for 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in this sector, the 74% cap on which was lifted in February.While FDI for majority control was allowed five years ago, letting global insurers operate without local partners is expected to attract more of them—all the better to step up competition in a sector that needs more of it.Foreign players were first invited a quarter of a century ago. Although several JVs entered the field, Indians are still short of insurance cover.
According to a Swiss Re report, India’s market penetration is just 3.7%. New insurers vying for a slice of it could make a difference—so long as they have space to differentiate their game for a market edge. This could depend on the sector’s finer rules.
In this context, recent talk of tighter compensation norms for insurer CEOs assumes relevance. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, which regulates the sector, already has a set of guidelines for private insurers. Aimed at aligning pay packages with risk, these cover how the variable part must be awarded—tied to performance, i.e., but with such provisions as a
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