Irda relaxes eligibility requirements for agents

Taking into account the difficulties faced by insurers in recruiting agents, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) has decided to reduce the pass percentage bench mark to 35% in Agents Pre-recruitment Examination. Till now, the pass percentage was 50%. In a circular to the chief executives of all insurance companies, Sudhin Roy Chowdhury, Member (Life) of Irda said that the Authority has been receiving representations from various stakeholders expressing the practical difficulties involved in Recruitment of Insurance Agents. He added that the concerns raised have been examined keeping in view the present market scenario.   http://www.myallagents.com/Irda-relaxes-eligibility-requirements-for-agents/details.html

HNI To Be Benefitted With Additional Services From Insurance Companies

Alike banks, who gives priority banking to its preferred customers, insurance companies have also come out with the plan to provide specialized services to its High Net Worth Individual (HNI) customers. This plan comes under two categories viz: gold and silver. Under this, in addition to giving of personal advices and services to its customers, insurance companies will also give specialized products to these individuals. However this facility is available if a customer’s renews the policy without any break. 
http://www.myallagents.com/HNI-To-Be-Benefitted-With-Additional-Services-From-Insurance-Companies/details 

With the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s steps to arrest the slide of the rupee leading to tight liquidity conditions, the retail investor is once again being drawn to short-term bank fixed deposits (tenures of less than a year). In the past few weeks, lenders such as HDFC Bank and YES Bank have raised interest rates on select maturities and it is expected others would follow in the near future.

With the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s steps to arrest the slide of the rupee leading to tight liquidity conditions, the retail investor is once again being drawn to short-term bank fixed deposits (tenures of less than a year). In the past few weeks, lenders such as HDFC Bank and YES Bank have raised interest rates on select maturities and it is expected others would follow in the near future.    http://www.myallagents.com/Liquidity-squeeze-Shortterm-fixed-deposits-draw-investors/details.html

Regulatory intervention, high inflation cripple insurance industry

The agent count at Reliance Life Insurance has fallen 26,000, or 8% to 1.24 lakh at the end of March 31, 2013 since 2012 when it sold a 26% stake to Nippon Life which valued the company at three times its embedded value. In January this year, INGGroup of the Netherlands sold 26% stake at a 25% loss to its JV partner ExideBSE 1.28 %after a decade-long battle trying to make sense out of the Indian Life Insurance marke That simply is the tale of sliding fortunes of the Indian life insurance industry which until a few years ago was considered to be a sunrise industry promising decades of uninterrupted growth and loads of profits for shareholders.  http://www.myallagents.com/Regulatory-intervention-high-inflation-cripple-insurance-industry/details.html

Complaints Against Insurance Companies On A Rise

The Central system of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority that keeps the data of complaints of policy holders against all the insurance companies, for the year ending March 2013, posted a figure of 3.41 lakhs complaints against the life insurance companies. Majority of these complaints were against insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation of India, Birla Sunlife and Bajaj Allianz and were related to issue like unfair business practice, alleged mis-selling by insurance companies etc.   Further the complaint cell stated that most of the complaints (more than 30%) pertained to unfair business practice. Of the total 3.41 lakhs complaints, 168,482 complaints were of unfair trade practices    http://www.myallagents.com/Complaints-Against-Insurance-Companies-On-A-Rise/details.html

Bajaj Allianz Expects General Insurance Business To Increase 5 Folds In Next 5 Years

Inspite on economic crisis, delay in increase of FDI to 49%, Bajaj Allianz, which is a joint venture between Bajaj Finserve Limited and Allianz SE, expects its company to grow at 20% in next five years. At present the company is growing at 6 - 7%. The company is planning its expansion in the rural areas of the country.

Justifying the expansion and increased growth, Mr. Tapan Singhel – Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company said that business in rural area is vibrant with car sales and FMCG products are on a rise. Rural areas will be a key factor in attaining growth of a general insurance company. In addition to the above, he added that, insurance penetration being very low in rural areas, will also throw up a huge opportunity to expand the business.

Adding to the above, he revealed that the expansion in the rural area will be driven by low cost, high service model supported with latest technology. 

http://www.myallagents.com/Bajaj-Allianz-Expects-General-Insurance-Business-To-Increase-5-Folds-In-Next-5-Years/details.html 

 

Q2 advance tax payout of top 100 companies sees muted growth

UMBAI: In line with macro environment, the advance tax collections from the top-100 corporates from the financial capital showed a muted growth for the September quarter, with the outgoes increasing by only up to 8 per cent, a senior official said today.
"For the top-100 companies, the advance tax payments have increased by 7-8 per cent," the official said.
Cumulatively for the first two quarters till now, the advance tax collections from the Mumbai zone, which contributes over a third of the income tax collections nationally, have grown 11 per cent, the official said. 
http://www.myallagents.com/Q2-advance-tax-payout-of-top-100-companies-sees-muted-growth/details.html 

Chola MD launches truck insurance

Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company on Tuesday announced the launch of ‘Chola Protect for Trucks’ with 11 add-on covers that offers total protection for the trucks. This is one of the first value-added insurance products for truck owners in the country. The company also launched an ‘Emergency Road-Side Service’ for trucks. The new package product, with wide range of add-on covers, aims to offer complete protection with unique features like 100% depreciation waiver, reinstatement value in case of total loss, monetary compensation for loss of key, driving license, registration certificate, permit, payment for road tax, registration and insurance cost.

 

http://www.myallagents.com/Chola-MD-launches-truck-insurance/details.html  

health insurance tips for students travelling abroad

Unless the university makes it mandatory for you to buy the health cover it provides, you can waive it, especially if you are already covered as a dependant or want to purchase it privately. You can pick one from a local insurer in the country you are travelling to, or an Indian insurance company before you leave. 

Many students club the premium with the tuition fee for convenience, but the university may not offer the best deal, and it is wise to compare. Despite the online channel, it's not easy to buy a plan from a foreign insurer. So start by surfing the domestic plans. For some universities like MIT and Stanford, the plan must comply with their guidelines. If the prepackaged plan doesn't match the requirements, insurers are ready to tweak it.  

http://www.myallagents.com/5-health-insurance-tips-for-students-travelling-abroad/details.html   

AXA Assistance, iJet foray into Indian risk management market

NEW DELHI: Risk management solutions provider AXA Assistance and iJet International have announced their foray into India and are aiming to provide solutions to about 10 domestic firms this year in sectors such as IT.  The two global companies are targeting Indian corporate houses which send employees abroad and hire expats.  "Our aim this year is to tie up with at least 10 such companies," AXA Assistance Director Pradeep Bery told a new agency.  Both the firms have partnered to deliver combined security and medical response solutions in India.  "We have come together to provide comprehensive, integrated security and medial response solutions to corporates, expatriates and even students going abroad for education," Bery said.  However, he did not disclose the revenue sharing mechanism between the firms.     http://www.myallagents.com/AXA-Assistance-iJet-foray-into-Indian-risk-management-market/details.html

LIC close to seizing Unitech's Noida land

NEW DELHI: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has taken "notional possession" of a slice of real estate major Unitech's 350-acre land parcel in Noida after the company failed to repay a part of its nearly Rs 150-crore loan from the country's largest insurer.
In a 'Notional Possession Notice' issued, LIC cautioned the public against dealing with the land parcels in sectors 96, 97 and 98 in Noida, which is prime property along the expressway that connects the Delhi suburb with Greater Noida. Bankers said "notional possession" is a step short of taking physical control of an asset, although the property remains under the company's charge. The property can be handed back to the company once the accounts are settled 
.http://www.myallagents.com/LIC-close-to-seizing-Unitechs-Noida-land/details.html 

Air India and LIC triumph in All India public sector carrom

MUMBAI: Former World Champion RM Shankara of Air India & unseeded Kajal Kumari of Indian Oil won the men and women singles titles in the All India public sector carrom tournament organised by Air India Sports Club under the auspices of All India Public Sector Sports Promotion Board at badminton hall on Saturday. 
.http://www.myallagents.com/Air-India-and-LIC-triumph-in-All-India-public-sector-carrom/details.html

HNIs to benefit from RBI policy

High networth individuals (HNIs) will feel better after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s bi-monthly monetary policystatement. Reason: The RBI has increased the limit of investment from $75,000 to $125,000 per head (or Rs 75 lakh at the rate of Rs 60/$). This means ones travelling abroad frequently will be able to take advantage of this.  http://www.myallagents.com/HNIs-to-benefit-from-RBI-policy/details.html