Financial Services
Bima Trinity: Streamlining India’s insurance journey
01 Jul 2024
This applies perfectly to insurance. Think of it like this: imagine facing a surprise medical bill - it hits you like a ton of bricks! Having insurance is like taking a daily vitamin to avoid that financial ER visit. India, a nation with a vast and diverse population, faces unique challenges when it comes to financial security. Unexpected medical bills, property damage, or loss of income can significantly impact families' well-being. This is where insurance plays a crucial role. However, traditional barriers like limited access in rural areas, complex products, affordability concerns, and lack of awareness all contribute to low insurance penetration in India. According to Swiss Re, the overall insurance penetration was just 3.8% in FY24 as compared to 6.5% globally. A significant portion of the population walks the tightrope of financial risk with no safety net. Having insurance offers peace of mind, but there can still be challenges, such as managing costs, limited coverage options, and navigating the claims process. Recognizing this gap, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) plans to launch the Bima Trinity initiative in 2024. This visionary program aims to make "Insurance for All by 2047" a reality with a clear vision: to increase the three As i.e. availability, affordability and accessibility of insurance products to the larger Indian population. This would be achieved through a three-pronged strategy: Bima Sugam, Bima Vistaar and Bima Vahak.
Let’s say Rajesh is a farmer in a remote village. Bima Vahak program will play a crucial role in bringing insurance awareness, access and inclusivity to rural communities through their women centric insurance distribution channel, which has the potential to employ 2.6 lakh women across the country. If Rajesh has an access to a smartphone and internet, Bima Sugam which is an online portal will present various plans from different companies for him to compare and choose. Once Rajesh decides to opt for an insurance, instead of a standalone insurance policy, he will have an option to purchase Bima Vistaar plan which is a bundled policy including a health coverage offered by a reliable insurer player through a Bima Vahak agent. Thus, the arrival of Bima Trinity is poised to dramatically transform the insurance sector in India. IRDAI foresees Bima Trinity as a potential ‘UPI moment’ for insurance, akin to the digital payment system revolutionizing transactions in India. This initiative isn’t just about improving insurance accessibility for the public, it's a revolutionary move that has the potential to revamp the entire insurance value chain.
Bima Trinity aims to address inefficiencies at every stage of the insurance value chain as follows:
Insurance value-chain

  • Customer acquisition: Rural areas often have limited access to insurance agents and lacking awareness about available products. Here, Bima Vahaks, deployed in gram panchayats, will act as local points of contact for educating customers on different insurance products and resolving their queries. They can educate villagers about Bima Vistaar plans and resolve their queries. Buying insurance often involves approaching individual agents or company branches, making comparisons difficult. Here, Bima Sugam acts as an online marketplace where people can browse plans from various insurers, compare features and premiums side-by-side, and purchase directly. Even after having awareness and access, existing insurance products might be complex or expensive, deterring potential customers. Here, enters Bima Vistaar which offers a bundled product with multiple coverages (health, life, property, etc.) at a potentially lower overall cost. Bima Vistaar plans, sold by Bima Vahaks, will cater to those who might not be able to afford separate plans and makes insurance more appealing.
  • Risk management: While Bima Trinity doesn't directly affect the risk management process itself, it can play a significant role in setting the stage for smooth underwriting process. Bima Sugam, the online portal, can provide applicants with clearer information about eligibility requirements, health questionnaires, and claim processes leading to better risk assessment during underwriting. Bima Vahaks can guide villagers through the application process and answer questions about health history and lifestyle habits. This can improve the quality of applications submitted, making the underwriter's job easier. With a defined set of coverages and parameters, insurers could potentially develop standardized underwriting rules for Bima Vistaar.
  • Customer service: Lack of readily available information and difficulty reaching customer service representatives are some of the key challenges in insurance customer servicing. Bima Sugam’s centralized platform underscores the critical importance of exceptional customer service. Having personalized & trusted point of contact for issue resolution creates customer delight. On the other hand, insurers will also benefit from reduced call centre workload. Bima Vahak, acting as first point of contact for customer service enquiries, will also lead to a more informed customer base, potentially reducing the number of claim rejections due to lack of clarity about policy coverage.
  • Claims management: A true UPI like breakthrough moment for insurance will likely arise from making the insurance claims settlement faster. While insurers are mandated to settle claims within 30 days of notification, this period may extend up to 90 days depending on the complexity of the investigation required. Time isn’t the only problem. The process to file a claim is cumbersome. In life insurance, for example, the claimant has to contact the insurance branch office, fill out a claim form, collect a death certificate and other supporting documents and visit the nearest branch office to submit the lot. Bima Sugam aims to cut this process short for life insurance by linking death registries directly to the platform. A policyholder will just need to visit the platform, use their consent to pull their policy and the death certificate. Then, the back-end system will process the claim within 6-8 hours. There are plans to extend this system to general insurance with health records data and property data being digitized by the states on an ongoing basis. Standardized claim procedures will also ensure that customers have a clear understanding of what’s needed and when.
As the Indian insurance sector is moving towards innovation, Bima Trinity is at the forefront of shaping this future. Bima Trinity empowers both consumers and insurers with knowledge and accessibility. Consumers gain a user-friendly platform, clear product options, and potentially lower costs. Insurers benefit from streamlined processes, wider reach, and potentially better risk management. By dismantling traditional barriers and fostering a more inclusive environment, Bima Trinity paves the way for a future where financial security is not a privilege, but a reality for all Indians.


Author: Vishal Bhave, Practice Leader, Financial Services, Praxis Global Alliance
Co-author: Mit Parag DesaiSenior Manager, Praxis Global Alliance

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