Understanding Insurance
There are many questions like " how does the whole system of insurance works" , " how insurance companies manage to pay all the losses that happen to their customers" etc.
Let's get the answers to all such questions.
When you buy an insurance policy from an insurance company, you have to pay a certain sum of money regularly to the company. These payments are termed as "premiums". In order to continue the insurance policy and use it when required the premiums need to be paid on time. So here we have the answer to the question of where do insurance companies arrange money to compensate our losses.
Insurance companies have a lot of customers and each and every customer is bound to pay a certain sum of money called premiums. So these companies are able to arrange money from these premiums. Whenever any of their customers faces any kind of financial loss which is insured, then the companies compensate that customer.
It is quite unnatural that all the customers of the insurance company had an accident at the same time. Therefore these companies always maintain a good sum of money to use whenever needed.
It is very important to know your insurance policy type. It is life insurance, health insurance, home insurance, business insurance, auto insurance or any other. Always read all the terms and conditions thoroughly before signing an insurance policy.
Auto insurance is for your vehicle. If you met an unwanted accident then the damage of your vehicle would be compensated under auto insurance policy. If you get physical damage, it comes under health insurance. Business insurance protects your business, it cannot be used for vehicle damage or any health damage. So, always take an insurance policy according to your needs and wants.
A brief Overview of Insurance Sector
The Insurance Industry of India
The Indian insurance industry is separated into two types: life insurance and non-life insurance. Non-life insurance, often known as general insurance, is non-life insurance. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) regulates both life and non-life insurance (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India).
The IRDA's job is to keep a close eye on the whole insurance companies of India and to function as a protector of all insurance consumer rights. As a result, all insurers must follow the IRDAI's rules and regulations.
There are 57 insurance companies in India's insurance business. The life insurance carriers account for 24 of the companies, while the non-life insurers account for the remaining 33. There are seven public-sector firms among them.
Non-life insurance businesses cover our day-to-day activities such as travel, health insurance, automobile and motorcycle insurance, and home insurance, whereas life insurance firms cover our lives. Not only that, but our industrial equipment is also covered by non-life insurance carriers. Crop insurance for our farmers, cell phone insurance, pet insurance, and other insurance products are available from India's general insurance providers.
In recent years, life insurance firms have developed an investing prospectus with the goal of providing insurance while also growing your money. However, general insurance firms are hesitant to provide consumers with pure risk coverage.
The Insurance Industry in India's Past
A decade ago, LIC was the only life insurance provider in the Indian insurance industry. Non-life insurance, often known as general insurance, was provided in India by other public sector businesses such as National Insurance, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance, and New India Assurance.
In the year 2000, however, the insurance business in India gained traction with the arrival of new private sector enterprises. Currently, the Indian Insurance industry has the domination of about 24 life and 30 non life insurance companies.
However, many more insurers are awaiting IRDAI authorisation to begin operations in both the life and non-life insurance sectors in India.
The present scenario of the Insurance Industry in India in terms of the industry, LIC, National Insurance, New India, Oriental, and United Insurance are the only government-controlled companies that have a significant market share and contribute significantly to the Indian insurance business. Agriculture Insurance Company Ltd, which specialises in crop insurance, and Export Credit Guarantee of India, which specialises in credit insurance, are the two specialty insurers. Others are private insurers (both life and general) that have formed a joint venture with international insurers to begin their insurance operations in India.
Because of this partnership with global markets, India's insurance sector has only increased at a constant pace, with a large present market share. In 2000, India opened the insurance business to private companies and imposed a 26 percent FDI ceiling, which was expanded to 49 percent in 2014. The Insurance Laws Act, 2015, according to the IRDAI, elevates the international investment cap over an Indian insurance business from 26% to an explicitly specified limit of 49% yet maintaining Indian ownership and management.
Private insurers such as HDFC, ICICI, and SBI have been fierce competitors in India's insurance business, offering life as well as non life insurance policies.
India's Insurance Industry's Future
New private insurers are expected to boost both the life and non-life insurance industries in 2017 despite LIC's continued dominance of the Indian insurance market. Insurance policies with lower premiums are in tremendous demand right now. Because the Indian economy cannot expand rapidly, the insurance business is regulated to maintain a high level of growth.
The India's insurance industry will introduce rising trends such as multi-distribution, product innovation, better claims management, and regulatory changes in the Indian market as income rises and purchasing power and household savings grow exponentially.
The government also works hard to provide insurance to Poverty-stricken people through several initiatives.
The introduction of these plans would enable people from lower- and lower-middle-class in India to take good benefits of the new and advanced policies with less premiums.
With various legislative developments in India's insurance sector, the life insurance industry's future appears bright and prosperous. This would also result in a shift in how insurers handle their business and engage with their true customers.
Some demographic variables, such as increased insurance awareness, retirement planning, a growing middle class, and a young insurable population, would significantly boost the insurance sector's growth in India.
