Insights on Budget 2026 - Insurance sector by Mr. Narendra Bharindwal, President, Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI)
Below the Insights on Budget 2026 - Insurance sector by Mr. Narendra Bharindwal, President, Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI)
The Hon’ble Finance Minister’s Budget is a strong enabler for deepening insurance penetration by addressing the root causes of under-insurance, income volatility, informalisation, climate risk, and infrastructure gaps. The sustained thrust on capital expenditure, infrastructure creation, and urban renewal will directly expand the insurable asset base. Large-scale investments in roads, logistics parks, ports, renewable energy, and affordable housing automatically translate into higher demand for engineering, property, liability, motor, and workers’ compensation covers making insurance a natural companion to growth, not an afterthought.
The continued focus on MSMEs, Mudra-linked credit, and ease of doing business is equally significant. When credit penetration expands, insurance penetration follows. Credit-linked insurance, whether asset protection, health covers for entrepreneurs, or business interruption becomes integral to sustainable enterprise growth. This is where insurance moves from being “optional” to being embedded. Equally important is the emphasis on climate resilience, disaster preparedness, agriculture, and rural infrastructure. Investments in irrigation, climate-adaptive farming, and disaster mitigation open the door for wider adoption of crop insurance, parametric covers, and catastrophe protection, especially in regions that are currently underinsured but highly vulnerable.
The Budget’s commitment to digital public infrastructure and data-led governance will also improve insurance inclusion. Better data, faster verification, and digital rails reduce friction in underwriting and claims making insurance more affordable, accessible, and trustworthy for first-time buyers. Taken together, this Budget strengthens the foundations for achieving the national vision of “Insurance for All”, not through mandates, but by creating economic activity, assets, livelihoods, and confidence that naturally require risk protection. Insurance penetration rises most sustainably when growth is broad-based and resilient and this Budget clearly moves India in that direction.
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