Macro Economy Blooms the Life Insurance Companies in India: An Overview

Abstract

In India, Insurance has been synonymous with LIC. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) was created as an entity in 1956 through LIC Act. The presence of new players in the market has no doubt resulted in enhanced product innovation, distribution models, better services and value added benefits. The significant components of expansion in the life sector have been the enormous growth in unit linked insurance plans and allied services. Though LIC of India require time to adopt themselves to the competitive environment and the associated contemporary structural changes, the post-deregulation period has seen greater diversification in the product offerings with added emphasis on marketing and distribution strategies. Now, insurance is driving the infrastructure sector by increasing investments each year. Further, insurance has boosted the employment scenario in India by providing direct as well as indirect employment opportunities[1]. The insurance market depends on a variety of economic and non-economic factors, and the future performance is difficult to predict. It has been observed that there is a significant relationship between the demand for life insurance and various macroeconomic variables. High growth of GDP induces an economic effect through higher per-capita and disposable income and savings, which in turn create a favourable market demand for life insurance. On the other hand, life insurance also gives support to the capital market and savings of Indian life insurance business. Data pertaining to Indian life insurance and macroeconomic variables broadly indicate a close relationship and interdependence between economic variables and life insurance demand.
Keywords: GDP, GDS, Individual Agents, Inflation, Investment, Macroeconomy, Population, Premium.