Wednesday, May 14, 2008

IRDA panel moots changes in distribution set-up

13/May/2008

The Committee on Distribution Channels, constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda), has recommended that banks should not have referral arrangements with more than one life insurer and a non-life insurer.

The committee also recommended a drastic reduction in the capital required for a corporate agent from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 1 lakh. Irda, which constituted the committee on September 21, 2007.

In its 60-page report, the 10-member committee constituted under the chairmanship of NM Govardhan, former chairman of LIC, stated that urban cooperative banks, regional rural banks, microfinance institutions registered with the RBI and non-government organizations registered as trusts should be permitted to distribute micro insurance policies.

The committee also recommended direct marketing and web-based selling of all insurance products. These should be developed as channels to reach out to the mass market with simple products requiring limited or no advisory.

The report also stated that a customer who buys through the telecalling mode should be provided a printed copy of the caller's questions and the resultant responses. In case of e-mail interactions, encryption should be used to protect the target person's privacy.

The committee has made over two dozen recommendations on retail products with the intention of increasing the penetration of general insurance in the country.

Max New York Life Insurance Company emphasized that banks should be permitted to sell products of more than one life insurer. This would be in the interest of the customer and has also been strongly recommended by the Indian Banks Association.

Source: www.insuremagic.com

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