Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) has recently released its Annual report for 2017-2018. Based on the annual report, I had listed down Top 10 Best best Life Insurance companies. The criteria for the selection is Individual Death Claim Settlement Ratio 2017-18.
What is Death Claim Settlement Ratio w.r.t Life Insurance?
Claim settlement is one of the most important services that an insurance company can provide to its customers. Insurance companies have an obligation to settle claims promptly. For instance, if a life insurance company receives 100 death claims and settles 94 of them, the claim settlement ratio of that company would be 94%. We can also calculate Claim Settlement Ratio based on benefit/claim amount paid.
Based on IRDA’s annual report 2018, I have collated some important points as below;
Life Insurance Business in India in 2017-18
- At the end of March 2018, there are 68 insurers operating in India; of which 24 are life insurers, 27 are general insurers, 6 are Standalone health insurers exclusively doing health insurance business and 11 are re-insurers including foreign reinsurers branches and Lloyd’s India.
- In life insurance business, India is ranked 10th among the 88 countries, for which data is published by Swiss Re. India’s share in global life insurance market was 2.76 percent during 2017.
- The life insurance penetration had gone up from 2.15 percent in 2001 to 4.60 percent in 2009. Since then, it has exhibited a declining trend up to the year 2014. There was a slight increase in 2015 reaching 2.72 percent, remained same in 2016 and increased to 2.76 in the year 2017.
- Life insurance industry recorded a premium income of Rs 458809.44 crore during 2017-18 as against 418476.62 crore in the previous financial year, registering growth of 9.64 percent
- The Private sector insurers posted 19.15 percent growth (17.40 percent growth in previous year) in their premium income, LIC recorded 5.90 percent growth (12.78 percent growth in previous year).
- Single premium products continue to play a major role for LIC as they contributed 33.48 percent of LIC’s total premium income (32.71 percent in previous year). In comparison, the contribution of single premium income in total premium income during 2017-18 was 15.58 percent for private insurance companies (14.89 percent in previous year).
- Unit-linked products (ULIPs) registered a growth of 22.72 percent premium from Rs 52845.26 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 64850.90 crore in 2017-18. On the other hand, the growth in premium from traditional products was at 7.75 percent.
- On the basis of total premium income, the market shares of LIC decreased from 71.81 percent in 2016-17 to 69.36 percent in 2017-18. The market share of private insurers has increased from 28.19 percent in 2016-17 to 30.64 percent in 2017-18.
- During the financial year 2017-18, the life insurance industry reported a profit after tax of Rs 8511.99 crore as against Rs 7727.89 crore in 2016-17. Out of the twenty-four life insurers in operations during 2017-18, nineteen companies reported profits. The LIC of India
- reported a profit after tax of Rs 2446.41 crore i.e. an increase of 9.62 percent over Rs 2231.74 crore in
- 2016-17.
Individual Death Claims Data (2017-18)

- In the year 2017-18, the life insurance companies had settled 8.28 lakh claims on individual policies, with a total pay-out of Rs 14623.82 crores. The number of claims repudiated/rejected was 9286 for an amount of Rs 532.21 Crores.
- The Claim settlement ratio of LIC was at 98.04 percent as at 31.03.2018 when compared to 98.31% as at 31.03.2017.
- For private insurers, settlement ratio had gone up by 1.52% at 95.24% during the financial year 2017-18 when compared to 93.72% during the previous year.
Latest IRDA Claim Settlement Ratio 2017-18 data
Below is the latest Life insurance death claim settlement ratio based on IRDA’s 2017-18 annual report;

How to read above Claim Settlement Ratio Table?
Let me now explain on how to understand the numbers given in the above table. Let us consider Sl.No. 1 which has data regarding LIC. During the period 2017-18 the total number of claims (no of policies) received by LIC of India are 7,39,082. This is inclusive of last period’s pending claims (if any) and this period’s (2017-18) claims that are booked or intimated.
7,24,596 policies out of total 7,39,082 policies were settled during the period 2017-18. This translates into a death claim settlement ratio of 98.04% for LIC.
The total claim amount (Benefit Amount) paid on LIC policies during 2017-18 was Rs 11,379.40 Cr. Out of which Rs 10,747.53 crore worth of claims were settled.
As per the above explanation LIC gets 98.04/100. So, what happened to 1.96% (100-98.04%) of claims (no of policies)?
These claims fall under the category of claims repudiated or pending or written back. (Repudiated means Claim rejected. Pending are yet to be settled and Written back claims are ‘sent back for more information.)
Top 10 Best Life Insurance Companies based on Claim Settlement Ratio 2017-18

- Max Life
- Life Insurance Coporation of India (LIC)
- TATA AIA Life
- ICICI Prudential Life
- HDFC Standard Life
- Bharati Axa Life
- Exide Life (Previously ING Vysya Life)
- SBI Life
- DHFL Pramerica
- Aditya Birla Sunlife
Important Points to ponder upon
- The claims settlement ratio does not talk about the type of policies i.e., whether the claims received were Term insurance plans or endowment or money back plans.
- Before buying any type of plan, do look at the company’s Claim Settlement Ratio. But kindly note that Claim ratio is just one of the factors and not THE factor when buying a Life Insurance Policy.
- Though Claim Settlement record is one of the important factors while choosing your life insurance plan, it is advisable to go for only Term Insurance. You can opt for a Term plan based on the claim settlement record. The other deciding factors can be cost of premium, features, optional riders, quality of service and your comfort level with the Brand. (You may like reading : Best Term Insurance Plans).
- In fact, you can buy a Life Insurance plan from any Insurer of your choice. But, do not hide any facts while filling the proposal form. This will ensure that your claim (in any unfortunate event happens) is settled.
- As per the recent amendment to Section 45 of the Insurance Act, If your policy is 3 yrs old, no matter what happens, the life insurance company will not be able to deny the claims. So, your life insurance company has only 3 years in hand to reject the policy based on any mis-representation or mis-statement. Once 3 policy years are completed then the life insurance company has to settle the claims and can not reject them.
Most of the insurance companies cite incomplete documentation or concealment of facts as a reason for rejecting the claims. Hence, while buying a life insurance it is of utmost importance that you furnish accurate information and ensure that all paper work is in place.
Continue reading:
- Top 5 Best Online Term Life Insurance Plans 2020 | Comparison & FAQs
- How much Term Life Insurance Cover do I need? | Online Insurance coverage Calculator
- Traditional Life Insurance Plan – A terrible Investment option?
- If Life is unpredictable, INSURANCE can’t be optional
(Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net) (Source & Reference : IRDA Annual Report 2017-18) (Post first published on 11-January-2019)
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Good one. Helps me a lot. I have already purchased two Term Plans each from HDFC and ICICI. Keep on guiding !!!
Thank you dear Sudipta..
You may go through this related article – How much Term Life Insurance Cover do I need? | Online Insurance coverage Calculator
Hello Mr. Reddy. When does the coverage starts after the payment of first premium in a Term plan? For example, if someone takes a term plan in the year 2019 and unfortunately dies in the next year. In this case will the company pay the sum assured?
Dear Shashwat,
The risk cover commences from the day your premium gets realized by your Insurer.
“the contract of insurance is complete when the offer made by the proposer or the policyholder is accepted by the insurer through adjustment of premiums or issuance of policy bond.”
Thank you
the coverage starts as soon as the policy is issued i.e. after 10-15 days of your first premium payment……. and yes, the company will pay full sum assured even if any kind of mis happening occurs the very next day of policy issuance.
Thank you. For explaining in layman term
kindly compare ‘average claim settlement amount’ also as only claim settlement raio doesn’t gives clear picture
Sir, how to get the claims settlement report, I mean I want a company who paid more claims like more than 1 crore? IRDA has only overall claims settlement report, not exactly which company paid more claims of 1 crore and more.
Dear Harshal,
Unfortunately, IRDA annual report does not provide that information. They should also give the information of settlement ratio based on type of Life insurance policy (say Moneyback, Term , Endowment, whole-life etc.,).
We can calculate the average claim amount based on the available information (total benefit amount / total claims)..
Sir, I heard max life is fraud company, is it true?
Dear Harshal,
I believe that Indian Insurance industry is a well-regulated one. Kindly do not have such apprehensions. Even, if they shut their business, other Insurer will acquire it. They cant just leave the existing customers in the lurch.
However, if you are not convenient buying an insurance policy from them, there are other Insurer as well..you may buy from any of them..
Dear Sree,
i must congratulate and thank u for making the people comprehend, the nuances of money management. Because of your expert opinion, I have purchased an online term plan recently.
Regards
Dear Rajan,
You are welcome!
Request you to share the knowledge that you have gained/gaining with your well-wishers..Thank you!
Sir
In term insurance(I am preferring Max or ICICI online term) , death due to Natural calamities like flood,lightning are covered or not?
Dear albin,
Yes, generally, Term Life Insurance policy covers death due to natural disasters such as severe weather conditions, earthquakes and lightning.
Kindly refer to the Policy wordings of respective Plans…
Thank you for immediate reply
Yes, Its covered. But just don’t go by % of Claim settled. go by amount of claim settled ratio. and in cases where the % of Number of cases is less than % of amount settled indicates that Term plan cases are getting repudiated.
Should I buy Edelweiss Tokio Zindagi Plus’ term plan?
Dear NR,
You may buy a Term plan from any Insurer of you choice!
But kindly make sure you provide all the required information in the Proposal form accurately and honestly!
Yes, I will provide the details but the concern is, I liked the Zindagi plan but no one is recommending me to go with the “Edelweiss Tokio”.
Everyone says, LIC,ICICI, HDFC, MAX Life etc…I understand this is based on no of claims handled and amount settled…
Please suggest what do you think of (just your personal opinion)
1. Zindagi Plus plan ?
2. Edelweiss Tokio ?
Dear NR,
Do note that –
As per the recent amendment to Section 45 of the Insurance Act, If your policy is 3 years old, no matter what happens, the life insurance company will not be able to deny the claims. So, your life insurance company has only 3 years in hand to reject the policy based on any mis-representation or mis-statement. Once 3 policy years are completed then the life insurance company has to settle the claims and can not reject them.
So, you may kindly go ahead with your choice/selection..
sure, Edelweiss is the No-1 Life Insurer in terms of Amount of claim settled.
Amazing information. Thanks for Sharing this Useful Article.
dear mr srikanth reddy kindly encourage growing agents like me i work for LIC and my contact no.9677107460. tks.
The given information is good but I wanted to know wether I should buy a life insurance policy scheme right now or should I wait for sometime?
Dear Jay,
Are you an earning member of your family? May I know if you have dependents and/or financial liabilities?
Your website is very good