Page 26 - Insurance Times October 2020

Insurers Motor Total Motor OD Motor TP Health Grand Total Growth %
Previous Year Sub Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3767.64

% Growth 33.49%
Industry Total 22253.68 8662.60 13591.08 22903.44 73968.16 3.59%
Previous Year Sub Total 26406.54 10480.58 15925.96 20274.11 71406.21

% Growth -15.7% -17.3% -14.7% 13.0% 3.59%
% Market Share 30.1% 11.7% 18.4% 31.0% 100.0%

Previous Year Market Share 37.0% 14.7% 22.3% 28.4% 100.0%

Recent Developments in Motor Insurance: Single Owner-Multiple Vehicles (SOMV) covers all vehicles

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed owned by an individual under one motor policy and provides
to make FASTag mandatory for buying new third-party motor the convenience of one document, one premium and one
insurance for your car with effect from April 1, 2021. renewal date.
Besides, the ministry is also considering making FASTag
mandatory from January 1, 2021 for four-wheelers sold The IRDAI in a circular on August 20, 2020, told companies
before December 2017. FASTags are prepaid rechargeable that a valid PUC certificate was mandatory for insurance
tags for toll collection that allow automatic payment renewal. As per the prescribed standards under 115 (2) of
deduction from the FASTag. They are normally affixed on the CMV rules 1989, all vehicles that are tested for PUC should
windscreen of your vehicle. With the help of a FASTag, you fall within the prescribed standards. For instance, for a four-
will not have to stop your vehicle at toll plazas to pay the stroke two-wheeler vehicle manufactured after March 31,
toll. As soon as the vehicle crosses the toll plaza, the toll 2000, the prescribed percentage of CO should be less than
fee will get deducted from the bank account/prepaid wallet 3.5%, whereas the hydrocarbon emissions - measured in
linked to the FASTag affixed on the vehicle's windscreen. PPM (parts per million) - should be less than 4,500.

The entire automobile sector was already facing a dip in
The IRDAI in June asked all general insurers to withdraw
from August long-term packages offering both third-party 2019-2020. New automobile purchases constitute a major
liability (TP) and own-damage (OD) motor insurance policies. portion of the premiums, and hence the lockdown and virtual
Scrapping of long-term package products (for private cars stoppage of business may aggravate the situation.
and two-wheelers) were basically done to reduce the Challenges faced by the motor insurance industry have also
insurance premium ticket size for the customer. increased. Lack of purchase of new vehicles is one of the
biggest challenges.
ICICI Lombard developed digital platforms and practices
even before the pandemic. In January 2020, ICICI Lombard Non Renewal of Motor Policy:

received approval under the regulatory sandbox for three Many people working from home and making minimal use
of its products. Prospective policyholders can buy products of their cars have decided not to renew their motor
with features that regular policies do not offer during a six- insurance policies. The Ministry of Road Transport and
month testing period. Highways had issued a notification that extended the validity
of vehicle documents, such as driving licence, permits, and
The company's first offering, Pay As You Use (PAYU) is an fitness certificates, till December, 2020. The General
OBD-based (On-Board Diagnostics) offering where the Insurance Council has, however, clarified this does not
premium charged is based on the number of kilometers include the insurance policy. Not renewing your motor
driven/opted for. The second option, Pay How You Drive insurance policy on time can lead to several problems.
(PHYU) is also an OBD-based offering where the premium Vehicle owners who have not made a claim for several years
charged depends on the driving behavior score as captured would have accumulated a no-claim bonus (NCB), which can
through the telematics device. The third product called go up to 50 percent of the premium for the own damage
The Insurance Times, October 2020