What will happen to policy holders if LIC’s money is sunk in the stock market, the government told in Parliament?
Life Insurance Corporation of India, an insurance company of the Government of India, has been making risky investments for some time. He has invested huge amount in the stock market. Apart from this, we have also invested in Yes Bank, which has been closed due to losses at the behest of the government. The question is what will happen to the policyholders if the money of LIC is drowned in the stock market or investment like Yes Bank.
Shri Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Finance, Government of India has given the answer to this question in Lok Sabha on Saturday, 20 September 2020. He has stated that, ‘The Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 includes provisions for sovereign guarantee on life insurance policies issued by the Life Insurance Corporation of India’. In fact, Darshana Vikram Zardosh, a member of Lok Sabha from Surat in Gujarat, sought to know from the Finance Minister whether the government thought of giving sovereign guarantee on the policies given by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
If LIC is closed, then who will pay the sum assured and bonus of the policy
He also questioned whether the government would give sovereign guarantee on its policies even after the reported disinvestment of LIC.
According to section 37 of the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, all policies issued by the corporation will be insured and if any bonus is payable, its cash payment will be guaranteed by the central government.
Thakur said the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) reviews the functioning of all insurance companies through offsite and onsite monitoring mechanisms. The performance of LIC is also assessed through the Statement of Intent given by the insurance company to the government every year. Along with this, the annual report of the functioning of the corporation is kept in both the houses of Parliament. Various standing committees of Parliament review the functioning of the Life Insurance Corporation.
He said that in order to secure the money of the policyholders, the premium received from the policy holders is prudent investment as per the provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938 and Irdai (Investment) Regulations, 2016. In addition, LICs maintain higher levels than the solidity ratio set by IRDAI.
Earlier in February, Thakur told the news agency ‘PTI’ that the government would protect the interests of LIC by policyholders. He had said that listing of LIC would help in ensuring better transparency, public participation.
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