GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

It is difficult for us to pick out the best insurance providers in the market without having in-depth knowledge about the company. You should not choose your insurance company by merely watching their advertisements in the media or by what your agent suggests. Always get in-depth knowledge about the credibility of the insurance company, its financial strength and stability, and the capability to support you financially in times of need.

Here are a few key ratios that will help you better understand an insurance company and which you should consider before buying insurance.

1. Claim Settlement Ratio:
This is the first and foremost ratio you should consider when choosing your insurance company. It denotes the number of claims settled by the insurance company per 100 claims it receives.
Even if an insurance company with a low CSR offers you a policy at a lower premium than others, you should avoid buying it. After all, such savings can be futile if your company rejects your claim during a medical emergency. The whole purpose of buying an insurance policy is forfeited in such a case. Hence, the company with the highest CSR should be given preference.

2. Liquidity ratios: Liquidity ratios tell you how capable the company is of meeting its financial obligations and claims raised by the policyholders. An insurance company should have good liquidity and be able to fulfill its payment obligations in case a huge number of unexpected claims come up suddenly at any point in time. This can happen in catastrophes such as floods and earthquakes when many people may raise insurance claims in a short period.
It also provides information on an insurance company's capability to meet its current liabilities from its liquid assets. A ratio of less than one will mean that the company may have to sell its long-term investments or borrow money to meet its current liabilities. This can be a worrying situation for the company and the people buying its insurance policies.

3. Solvency ratios:
Put theoretically, a company's solvency ratio measures its capacity to meet its debt obligations and other financial commitments. The current solvency ratio prescribed by the IRDAI for insurance companies is 1.5 in India. A ratio lower than 1.5 is a cause for concern for insurance buyers. It may result in bankruptcy risk if the company faces many sudden claims.

4. Earnings ratios:
The following two important earnings ratios ascertain the profitability of the insurance company and its competitive strengths.
Combined ratio:
There are several operating expenditures, commissions, and claims that an insurance company has to meet. Their cumulative total should be less than the total premium earnings for that period. A lower value of the combined ratio is advisable.
Return on net worth:
This ratio tells us the profit-earning capacity of an insurance company concerning its net worth. It considers the profit earned by the company after tax and indicates the overall return on equity of the insurance company. A higher ratio is better and preferable.

It is an arduous task to choose the best insurance company in the market, especially when so many big companies operate in the field of general insurance. A buyer should carefully review the above ratios and rate the available options accordingly. Before buying its policy, a good understanding of the insurance company is of utmost importance.

A policy buyer should be confident that his decision to choose one insurance company over another is sound and backed by statistics and numbers. After all, the insurance company should stand by his side and provide him hassle-free financial assistance in times of real need and emergency.

Click HERE to buy the best general insurance that keeps you financially safe.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

While purchasing a car is a huge deal, that is not all. You also need to invest in the upkeep and maintenance of your vehicle to increase its longevity. The car manufacturers have a set of rules and regulations regarding the servicing and maintenance of your car, like the distance limit before the first servicing, availability of the original parts, the fittings, etc.

Do you need clarification on authorised service centres and local garages to ensure your car is in its best condition? Here’s all you need to know.

1. Professional mechanics:
Authorised service centres provide you with the best-seasoned persons and specialised mechanics to service a particular company or type of car. These mechanics can have a closer look and understand any unusual issue that might pop up in your vehicle. They can provide the best insights and the accurate method to rectify the problem.
Local garages have mechanics, but their professionalism might require validation. They have a reputation for using the quickest methods or resolving issues using trial and error without actually having a deeper understanding of the working and what consequences the current problem might have. Lack of proper servicing can lead to a decrease in the life of the car, hefty costs of damage repair, and cause more troubles in the functioning of your vehicle.

2. Latest gears and equipment:
The authorised service centres always ensure that they have the latest equipment as prescribed by the companies for various models of their cars. As the brands are manufacturing vehicles with advanced technologies and upgrading their features, the spare parts and other gears should be upgraded without meddling with the warranty, even if there is a problem with your vehicle.
Whereas, with local garages, this is a massive issue. Usually, they do not have the latest manufacturer-recommended parts for repair, which might end up voiding the warranty and causing further damage to the circuits and other systems of the car.

3. Time consumption and quality of services:
Authorised service centres take complete responsibility for customer care and quality services. While this is a massive plus against the local service garages, the waiting time is quite a factor that acts as a con for these service centres. There is a huge waiting list and a time taking procedure you must go through before you can get your car back in good shape.
If you approach a local garage to fix the issue with your vehicle, you will get your car back in no time. However, regarding the quality, even if it is a coat of paint on a small area that was hit against a harsh surface, you will be able to mark the difference between the fixtures of an authorised centre compared to the local garage.

While local garages provide quick, budget fixes to your issues, it is very evident that the authorised service centres are the smarter option of the two. Your vehicle is a massive investment, so it is wise not to cheap out regarding the maintenance, servicing, and compromising its safety. And you might end up in consequential trouble, which burns a hole in your pocket due to your reluctance to opt for quality service.

So always make an intelligent decision, one of which is to ensure that you purchase the best car insurance in India to stay financially stress-free during any unfortunate situations that might cause damage to your car. You can now buy the best car insurance in India, which is suitable for your needs, from the comfort of your home.

Click HERE to learn more about purchasing the best car insurance in India.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Ever since the world reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic, people have been making the most of their lives by travelling to different places and quenching their thirst for "wanderlust."

With the advent of the hustling lifestyle, people have become distant from nature, which is why travel has become an essential part of our lives. The popularity of travel vlogging on various social media platforms is helping users to get information about different types and destinations for trips, tickets, luxurious hotels, and much more. Travel has also become a career for many folks who have grown tired of corporate life.

With such an advancement in this sector, different travel experiences serve the various interests of people. Are you looking to explore much more than your regular itinerary? Check out these unique tourism niches in 2023 in this blog. So, without any further delay, let's get started!

1. Agricultural sites have become popular:
Agro-tourism, which involves organised tours and trips to agricultural farms and other farming sites, has recently gained popularity. These trips provide insights into the cultivation world and serve an educational purpose for people of all ages. Organic farming and agro-tourism have proven worthwhile for people who believe in consuming organic produce, are intrigued by the culture, or are building their businesses in the same sector. Apart from the tours to farms, agro-tourism has multiple activities like the detailed study of flora and fauna, horse riding, cooking sessions, wine tasting sessions, and much more.

2. Stars will always amaze you:
The universe will never cease to mesmerise you. The night sky is a world of its own, with stars as its main characters. Stargazing tourism is one such activity that will always be on the bucket list of anyone who can dream of lying under the stars and gazing at the beauty of the universe, which is beyond our imagination. Hardcore travellers and explorers are huge enthusiasts of stargazing tourism. Places like Norway, Iceland, Spiti Valley, Rann of Kutch, and many more provide the perfect stargazing spots.

3. Making to this list are VR and AR:
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are part of a travel niche called "armchair tourism." Gaining its market during the pandemic, virtual reality provides you with the perks of travel without leaving your sofa. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the downfall of the travel industry called upon a revolution. To accustom themselves to this new reality, VR and AR became popular and provided the much-needed escape from the dreary and dark times as the entire world shut down. Several hotels and brands from the travel industry include a virtual tour to give a glimpse of what they offer their potential customers, along with igniting excitement.

4. Solo trips are a must:
Solo adventures, especially women's solo trips involving treks, adventure sports, ethnic tourism, etc., have become increasingly popular over the past few years. The newfound opportunity due to financial freedom and a much safer environment has encouraged people to travel independently and see the world through their perspectives. Organised solo trips have started exploring lesser-known destinations. They have popularised the culture of exploration as solo women also want to cater to their own choices for their adrenaline needs.

And as we discussed travelling in 2023, it is a wise choice to discuss securing your trip to combat the monetary stress of unprecedented situations that can disrupt your travel plans. Purchasing general insurance is an intelligent decision to ensure that you stay stress-free in the financial aspect while travelling and enjoying it to the core. You can explore the options and extract a general insurance online quote, including all the details and the prices provided by different travel insurance providers. Plan and choose the one which best caters to your needs.

Click HERE to learn more about formulating a general insurance online quote and its benefits.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

You must have seen people around you discussing the rise in medicines, procedures, consultation fees, and expenses. The skyrocketing prices are justified due to the increasing costs of medicinal equipment and treatments. The costs of living have been escalating every year. And while living by yourself looks economically intimidating, creating a family and raising children drives up the cost, which could be scary for a single source of income in these times.

In this blog, we will discuss all you need to know about the impact of rising medical inflation on health insurance premiums. This information will answer all your questions about how the fluctuation in the price of health insurance affects your finances. So, without any further delay, let’s get started.

1. Let’s look deeper at the term “Medical Inflation”.
Medical inflation indicates the rise in average and per unit prices of healthcare assistance. There can be various factors that can influence the increase in the cost of medical services like technological progress, increase or decrease in the number of professionals in the healthcare industry, rising demand, price of materials, transportation costs for medical equipment, and increase in the cost of usage of healthcare services per person.

2. What do you mean by “medical healthcare demand”?
With the fast-food culture gripping the roots of our lifestyles and the hectic work life, people have become addicted to stagnancy, which has caused more harm to our health than ever. Humans have become vulnerable to severe health risks like diabetes, blood pressure issues, hypertension, anxiety, depression, etc., drastically affecting our lifestyle. Therefore, the demand for medical assistance is causing medical inflation in our country.

3. What is the current medical inflation scenario in India?
The inflation in India has been on a consistent ‘single-digit’ rise. However, medical inflation is inching toward double digits, which is a matter of concern. The affordability of health treatments and services would become heavy on the pockets of people and will potentially cause a significant dent in their savings.
Hospital beds, medical staff, conveyance, etc., reported inflation of 9.4% back in 2018-2019, while the cost of medications saw inflation of 7.2% during the same period. And in 2021, there was an unimaginable increase in the inflation rate by 14%.

4. What is the expected impact of the rising medical inflation?
As discussed in the previous point about the rising medical inflation rate, there is a direct influence on health insurance premiums. In some cases, the health premiums increased up to 30%, as reported in the financial year of 2022. The demand for healthcare assistance saw a rise of almost 25%, which indicates the necessity of these services in our country. Many health insurance policyholders have increased their insurance coverage to accommodate the rising medical inflation.
It is suggested that while you purchase your insurance to cover significant procedures and surgeries, you also include minor treatments and diagnostics. As a policyholder, you must watch out for the medical inflation rates to adjust your policy and avail the provisions to expand your coverage accordingly. It would be best to always account for inflation before finalising your health insurance policy.

We hope that the insights proved helpful. To ensure that any medical emergencies in your family can be handled stress-free in the monetary aspect, you need to purchase the best health insurance policy that would cater to your needs in an optimum way and allow you to focus on the recovery of the patient and have no worries about the expenses.

Click HERE to learn more about health insurance and its benefits.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.