Indian Insurance and Bank Stocks Tumble on Fee Cap Proposal

PB Fintech Ltd. led a slide in shares of Indian insurance companies, distributors and lenders on Thursday, after the country’s insurance regulator proposed caps on commissions and tighter management expenses.

PB Fintech plunged by a record 30%, its worst day since its November 2021 debut. Max Financial Services Ltd. slumped as much as 13%, L&T Finance Ltd. slipped by 10% and HDFC Life Insurance tumbled as much as 8.5%.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India late Wednesday proposed measures that could slash insurance fee income for banks and digital brokers by as much as 90% in high-margin categories, according to analysts. The proposals aim to enforce long-term industry discipline and rationalize distribution cost.

“This proposal pushes the sector in uncharted waters by almost cutting the oxygen (commission) supply,” Avinash Singh, an analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd., wrote in a note. However, final regulations are likely to be less strict, he said.

The risks are higher for fintech platforms including PB Fintech and Turtlemint Fintech Solutions Ltd. as the proposed 10% cut in new business commission rates translates to 10-12% fall in their earnings, according to Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Turtlemint shares slumped as much as 20%.

A representative for PB Fintech did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

India is proposing bringing back product-specific commission limits for insurance amid growing public concern over rising premiums and the country’s low insurance penetration. Under the proposals, third-party motor insurance payouts would be cut to nearly zero, while fees on first-year individual health policies would be capped at 15%.

“The present distribution architecture has evolved in a manner that rewards premium collection more than consumer value, market expansion or operating efficiency,” IRDA said in the consultation paper. The regulator has asked for feedback last date for submission of comments to the regulator is Oct. 25.

The proposals have emerged as an additional headwind for banks, which account for about a third of the NSE Nifty 50 Index. Financials were among the worst performers on the benchmark gauge on Thursday.

Among large private banks Axis Bank Ltd. and HDFC Bank Ltd. are more exposed than ICICI Bank Ltd. and Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd., given insurance fee income’s larger contribution to revenue and profit before tax, according to Macquarie Capital Securities India Pvt.

Axis Bank shares fell as much as 4.2%, most since July 20, while HDFC Bank dropped 2%.

Shares of Life Insurance Corp. posted a modest decline, falling just 0.3%. The state-owned giant relies more heavily on individual agents than on banks and fintech platforms to sell policies. India has more than 3 million such agents, many of whom depend on insurance sales for their livelihood.

“Multiple changes in the proposed regulations will call for significant overall changes in the way businesses are carried out across products and channels,” Prayesh Jain, an analyst at Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd., wrote in a note.

Top photograph: Stock information displayed outside the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai; photo credit: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg