Lok Sabha passes bill to raise FDI in insurance sector to 100 pc, Sitharaman highlights thrust on strengthening regulatory oversight

'The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025' seeks to amend key legislations, including the Insurance Act, 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) Act, 1999. The proposed amendments are aligned with the government's long-term vision of achieving 'Insurance for All by 2047' and improving ease of doing business in the sector.

Replying to a debate on the Bill in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the government wants the regulators to be more robust. Opposition parties strongly opposed the bill.

"We want the regulator also to be more robust and taken measures around this in the amendment Bill ranging from better regulatory oversight, ease of compliance, insurance intermediaries to provide uninterrupted services, and so on," Sitharaman said.

"We are also treating both intermediaries and insurance companies with a lot more standardized approach so that whenever they do anything, they will have to have a stakeholder consultation before they bring in any policy," she added.

The Finance Minister said that under the new arrangement, all the insurance companies and the intermediaries need to put the word "insurance" in their name for a better clarity of the customers.

"We are introducing suspension of intermediary license instead of direct cancellation because that will provide time for compliance and allow the intermediary an opportunity to strategize, streamline operations, bring in greater transparency."

The Bill proposes to raise the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in Indian insurance companies from the existing 74 per cent to 100 per cent.

She said the move is intended to attract stable, long-term foreign capital, facilitate technology transfer, and enhance insurance penetration and social security coverage across the country. (ANI)