The article discusses the importance of claim settlement ratio when it comes to life insurance, as it helps policyholders understand how likely an insurer is to honor their claims. The claim settlement ratio is the percentage of claims that an insurance company pays out of the total claims received. A higher claim settlement ratio is generally preferred, as it indicates that the insurer tends to honor most claims quickly and effectively.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) releases an annual handbook of Indian Insurance Statistics, which provides claim settlement ratios for all life insurers in the country. The data for 2023-2024 shows that the overall claim settlement ratio for the life insurance industry in India was 96.82%, with individual private life insurers having a higher claim settlement ratio of 99%.
The article also examines the claim settlement ratio of individual life insurers, with some companies, such as Kotak Mahindra, Ageas Federal, Future Generali, and Aviva, having a 100% claim settlement ratio. Other insurers, such as LIC, Axis Max Life, and HDFC, also have a high claim settlement ratio, with 96.42%, 99.79%, and 99.97%, respectively.
In addition to the claim settlement ratio, the article also discusses the claim settlement ratio by benefit amount, which measures the percentage of total claim benefit amount paid out within 30 days. HDFC has the highest claim settlement ratio by benefit amount, with 99.98%, followed closely by Axis Max Life with 99.97%.
In conclusion, the claim settlement ratio is an important factor to consider when choosing a life insurance company, as it indicates the likelihood of the insurer honoring claims. While a high claim settlement ratio is generally preferred, it is important to consider other factors such as coverage and premium payable as well.