In a country like India, where financial literacy is still evolving, insurance awareness remains critically low. While term insurance offers a safety net for families and is a key tool in long-term financial planning, its adoption continues to lag behind compared to many developed and developing nations. So, what can India learn from other countries that have succeeded in making insurance a widely accepted and trusted financial product?
This article explores global best practices in term insurance awareness and adoption, and how India can adapt these strategies to close its protection gap.
Despite growing incomes and increasing financial inclusion, life insurance penetration in India stands at just around 3.2% (as per recent IRDAI data), significantly lower than in countries like Japan, the UK, or South Korea. For many, insurance is still seen as a tax-saving instrument or an optional expense, rather than a financial necessity.
Several factors contribute to this gap:
The consequence? Millions of people still don't have health insurance or don't have enough of it, which puts families in a bad financial situation when unexpected things happen.
In Japan, over 90% of households have life insurance. This remarkable figure isn’t due to aggressive marketing but because insurance is deeply embedded in the country’s culture. Schools, community centers, and even local clinics promote insurance education. People are introduced to the concept early in life — not as an option, but as a responsibility.
What India Can Do:
Introduce financial literacy programs in schools and colleges that include modules on risk protection, insurance benefits, and smart planning.
The UK insurance industry has embraced digital tools, transparent pricing, and customer-first policies. The product documentation is simplified, language is less technical, and there’s a strong emphasis on ethical selling.
What India Can Do:
Enforce stricter regulations on policy disclosures and encourage insurance apps and platforms to simplify customer journeys using vernacular languages.
South Korea launched nationwide awareness drives that used media, influencers, and government collaboration to demystify insurance. Their focus? Educating people about how insurance isn’t a luxury, but a necessity — just like savings.
What India Can Do:
Launch pan-India awareness campaigns under initiatives like Digital India or Jan Dhan Yojana, leveraging influencers, government channels, and private insurers.
Singapore’s success lies in integrating insurance with its national healthcare system (like MediShield Life). Residents are automatically enrolled in a basic health insurance plan and can opt for add-ons as needed.
What India Can Do:
Tie up with Ayushman Bharat, PM-JAY, and state-level health programs to create bundled or subsidized term insurance plans for low-income groups.
India doesn’t necessarily need to copy everything. In fact, it has already pioneered low-cost microinsurance models, especially for rural and unorganized workers. What’s lacking is scale and trust.
To improve this:
With India being one of the fastest-growing digital markets, InsurTech platforms are uniquely positioned to drive change. Startups like Acko, Digit, and PolicyBazaar are simplifying insurance access through mobile apps, WhatsApp bots, and AI-driven recommendations.
Term insurance is not just a financial product — it’s a social safety net and a tool for intergenerational progress. Countries that have embraced insurance as a public good are not only better prepared for personal loss but are also economically more resilient.
India has the tools, talent, and technology to close its protection gap. All it needs now is a united focus on awareness, education, and trust.
Let’s take inspiration from global leaders and build an India where every household understands and values insurance — not as an afterthought, but as a vital part of financial wellbeing.
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