18-06-2011, 11:28 AM
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INSURANCE INDUSTRY
1.1 MEANING OF INSURANCE
Insurance may be described as a social device to reduce or eliminate risk of loss to life and property. Insurance is a collective bearing of risk. Insurance is a financial device to spread the risks and losses of few people among a large number of people, as people prefer small fixed liability instead of big uncertain and changing liability. Insurance can be defined as a “legal contract between two parties whereby one party called insurer undertakes to pay a fixed amount of money on the happening of a particular event, which may be certain or uncertain.” The other party called insured pays in exchange a fixed sum known as premium. Insurance is desired to safeguard oneself and one’s family against possible losses on account of risks and perils. It provides financial compensation for the losses suffered due to the happening of any unforeseen events.
1.2 IMPORTANCE OF INSURANCE
Insurance constitutes one of the major segments of the financial market. Insurance services play predominant role in the process of financial intermediary. Today insurance industry is one of the most growing sectors in India. There is lot of potential in the Indian Insurance Industry. There are many issues, which require study. The scope of the study of insurance industry of India would be very great as there are ongoing developments in the industry after the opening of the sector. The major issue right now is the hike in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment)limit from 26% to 49% in the insurance sector. Government may in near future allow 49% FDI in Insurance. This would lead to more capital inflow by foreign partners. Another major issue is the effects on LIC after the entry of private players in the market. Though market share of LIC has been affected, it has improved
in terms of efficiency. There are number of other hot topics like penetration of Health Insurance, Rural marketing of insurance, new distribution channels, new product ranges, insurance brokers’ regulation, incentive scheme of development officers of LIC etc. So it offers lot of scope for studying the insurance industry. Right now the insurance industry has great opportunities in a country like India or China which huge population. Also the penetration of insurance in India is very low in both life and non-life segment so there is lot potential to be tapped.
Before starting the discussion on insurance industry and related issues, we have to start with the basics of insurance. So first we understand what is insurance? How the word ‘insurance’ is different from the word ‘assurance’? etc