Insurers may get nod to sell related services, products

Auto repair from your car insurer and fire extinguishers courtesy your home insurer? Not outlandish ideas, but part of the government's plans to allow insurance companies to sell related products and services.

- Subhash Narayan

The government may allow general insurers to bundle their core insurance products with non-insurance products and services to increase insurance penetration and allow companies to offer competitively priced insurance products, two persons aware of the plans said. The plan, if rolled out, will allow the sale of gym memberships and basic healthcare by health insurers; vehicle repairs, diagnostic services and roadside assistance by car insurers; and safety consultations, fire extinguishers and safety alarms from home insurers.

The thinking is that insurers would provide comprehensive risk mitigation solutions that would help reduce the incidence of losses for them, resulting in better-priced products and lower overall risk for the nation, one of the two persons cited above said on the condition of anonymity.