AU Small Finance Bank, India's leading small finance bank, and HDFC Life, one of India's leading life insurance companies, today entered into a corporate agency arrangement to solicit HDFC Life's insurance plans through a bancassurance business model.
This partnership would enable various customers of AU Small Finance Bank to access the full range of life insurance products offered by HDFC Life, thereby fulfilling their need for financial security.
The arrangement aims to further enhance the bank's life insurance offering by enabling its customers to access the digital platform and touch points of HDFC Life for servicing. With its legacy of 27 years, AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) has built nuanced understanding of customers in the rural and semi-urban markets and has developed products and services tailored to the needs of these segments. With the help of its digital outlook and innovative products and services, AU SFB is rapidly expanding its customer base, adding one million customers every year, supported by a growing distribution footprint of 1,000 touch points spread across 20 states and 2 union territories.
HDFC Life has a broad product portfolio designed to meet life-stage needs of customers and fulfill long-term financial goals such as protection, savings and investment, retirement, protection against critical illnesses, etc. with its innovative products and customer-centric approach, HDFC Life has secured over 54 million lives with an overall claim settlement rate of 99.6% in FY2022. India remains underpenetrated in terms of life insurance.
According to a Swiss Re report (2019), India has the highest protection gap of 83 percent compared to other insurance markets. As both companies believe in delivering the best to customers through innovation and consistency, this partnership would enable to deepen the reach of life insurance products and deliver value to customers.
Speaking on the partnership, Vibha Padalkar - Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, HDFC Life, said, "Life insurance is necessary for every individual with responsibilities. We at HDFC Life work with a clear objective of financially securing the Indian population. Our distribution network has been growing with time, as we build newer, long-lasting partnerships. We believe AU Small Finance Bank, with its vast presence, will further strengthen our efforts and contribute significantly towards financially securing a large number of individuals. We warmly welcome them to join HDFC Life's journey of over 22 years and look forward to creating new milestones as we walk ahead together."
Highlighting the customer benefits, Sanjay Agarwal - Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, AU Small Finance Bank, said, "Expanding our bouquet of financial services and customer value proposition, we wanted to associate with a life insurance partner who would add value to our existing range of products & services while helping our customers plan better. HDFC Life is a reputed brand with extensive experience in the life insurance segment, and we are delighted to welcome them as our valued insurance partner. With our distribution and HDFC Life's product bouquet, we are looking to build this partnership with a tech first approach, led by mobility solutions to enable easier access and simplified user experience. Customers stand to gain a great deal from this partnership as they will get need-based solutions and seamless services through both AU SFB and HDFC Life's expansive network and digital platforms."
About AU Small Finance Bank AU Small Finance Bank Limited (AU SFB) is a scheduled commercial bank, a Fortune India 500 Company and the largest Small Finance Bank (SFB) in the country. Starting its journey from the hinterlands of Rajasthan, today AU SFB is the largest Small Finance Bank with a deep understanding of the rural and semi-urban markets that has enabled it to build robust business model facilitating inclusive growth. With 27+ years legacy of being a retail focused and customer - centric institution, AU started its banking operations in April 2017 and has now established operations across 1,000 banking touch points while serving 33.3 Lakh customers in 20 States & 2 Union Territories with an employee base of 28,677 employees. As on 30th September 2022, the Bank has a Shareholders' Funds of Rs. 10,114 Cr, Deposit base of Rs. 58,335 Cr and Gross Advances of Rs. 52,452 Cr. AU Bank enjoys the trust of marquee investors and is listed at both the leading stock exchanges viz. NSE and BSE. It has consistently maintained a high external credit rating from all major rating agencies like CRISIL, CARE Ratings and India Ratings.
About HDFC Life HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited ('HDFC Life' / 'Company') is a joint venture between HDFC Ltd., India's leading housing finance institution and abrdn (Mauritius Holdings) 2006 Limited, a global investment company. Established in 2000, HDFC Life is a leading, listed, long-term life insurance solutions provider in India, offering a range of individual and group insurance solutions that meet various customer needs such as Protection, Pension, Savings, Investment, Annuity and Health. As on September 30, 2022, the Company has over 60 products (individual and group products) in its portfolio, along with optional rider benefits, catering to a diverse range of customer needs. HDFC Life continues to benefit from its increased presence across the country having a wide reach with branches and additional distribution touch-points through several new tie-ups and partnerships. The count of our distribution partnerships is over 300, comprising banks, NBFCs, MFIs, SFBs, brokers, new ecosystem partners amongst others. The Company has a strong base of financial consultants.
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