'IRDAI in talks with govt to relax Rs 100-cr entry capital for insurers'

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has suggested the government to ease the minimum capital requirement of Rs 100 crore and permit the regulator to fix the amount depending upon business plans of the prospective company.

Doing away with the minimum capital requirement of Rs 100 crore would allow entry of small, specialised and niche players, which would help in increased insurance penetration and density in the country.

"Like in the banking system, we have microfinance institutions, regional banks, and small finance banks. So, we have all categories of banks then there are non-banking financial companies. In the insurance sector also, we should have different size players to come into the market so that they can operate in smaller geographies," IRDAI Chairman Debasish Panda told PTI in an interview.

Entry of smaller and specialised players would help in increasing insurance penetration and density, he said.

"So, in this context we are suggesting to