BENGALURU/NEW DELHI (Sept 24): Shares of insurance distributors and lenders with sizeable insurance distribution income fell on Thursday after India's insurance regulator proposed sharp curbs on commission payouts.
PB Fintech, parent of insurance distribution platform Policybazaar, Turtlemint and Max Financial Services, led losses, plunging 30%, 20% and 10.6%, respectively. HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC First Bank and IndusInd Bank fell 1%, 4.6%, 3.9% and 3.6% respectively.
The proposals, in a consultation paper released late on Wednesday, would reintroduce commission caps across life, health and motor insurance, which the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) had scrapped in 2023.
Under the proposed rules, banks and non-bank lenders would be barred from compulsorily bundling insurance with loans, and life insurance commissions would be staggered over the life of a policy rather than paid largely upfront.
While the reforms are aimed at lowering policy costs and curbing mis-selling, analysts said they could disrupt existing distribution models, weighing on growth in an industry that relies heavily on agent and bancassurance channels for business.
India is the world's 10th-largest insurance market, with premiums of 11.93 trillion Indian rupees (US$124.42 billion) in fiscal 2025 and about 60 insurers with global players such as Prudential Plc, Sun Life Financial and AIG currently operating through joint ventures with local firms.
Macquarie described the proposed commission cuts as "steep" and likely to hurt near-term growth as insurers and distributors recalibrate business models.
The brokerage said PB Fintech appears the most exposed given its sensitivity to commission rates, while Axis Bank and HDFC Bank face greater risk than peers from a potential hit to insurance fee income.
Emkay Global said the proposals could "redefine" insurance distribution economics, potentially rendering some business models unviable if implemented in their current form.
Top life insurers HDFC Life and ICICI Life Insurance slumped 6.7% and 4.4%, respectively. Life Insurance Corp of India and SBI Life traded higher, climbing nearly 1% and 0.2%, respectively, while non-life insurer ICICI Lombard was up 4%.
Analysts at JPMorgan said in a note that the impact of the proposed reforms could be "topline negative" in the near term for insurers, though medium term impact could be "constructive" as it may lead to better product proposition for customers.
The proposed changes are part of planned reforms after New Delhi opened the sector to 100% foreign ownership earlier this year and as IRDAI seeks to bring coverage closer to global levels.
The consultation paper invites comments from the public until Oct 25.
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