Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman chaired a review meeting of Public Sector General Insurance Companies (PSGICs) yesterday. The Minister reviewed key performance indicators including premium collections, insurance penetration and density, and incurred claims ratios. It was noted that the total premium collected by PSGICs has witnessed a notable rise from around Rs 80,000 crore in 2019 to nearly Rs 1.06 lakh crore in 2025. The overall general insurance industry also reported growth, with total premium collections reaching Rs 3.07 lakh crore in FY 2024–25.

While general insurance penetration in India remains relatively low at 1% of GDP — compared to a global average of 4.2% in 2023 — insurance density has steadily improved, increasing from $9 in 2019 to $25 in 2023. The finance minister underscored the need for PSGICs to work towards improving both penetration and density to ensure wider financial protection.

Officials also presented a five-year analysis of the health insurance segment, showing consistent premium growth across Private Insurers, Standalone Health Insurers (SAHI), and PSGICs. Incurred claims ratios, which had peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic in FY21 (PSGICs at 126% and private insurers at 105%), have since declined. By FY24, these ratios had moderated to 103% for PSGICs, 89% for private insurers, and 65% for SAHI.