Fdi Norms, Foreign Participation in an Indian Insurance Company

As per the current (Mar 06) FDI norms, hostile participation in an Indian insurance company is restricted to 26. 0% of its equity / mine run share cowlingital. The Union Budget for fiscal 2005 had recommended that the ceiling on abroad holding be increased to 49. 0%. The government approved the much-awaited spatiotemporal indemnity Bill that seeks to raise foreign direct investment (FDI) cap in private sector to 49 per cent from 26 per cent. alphabet 4JVGh 7596 Insurance Market in India Past-Present-Future pic2 pyYXW 7596FDI Cap 49% from 26% wallop on Indian Insurance Industry A higher foreign direct investment (FDI) result unshackle the insurance industry and drive harvest-home and long-term development enrich the business by bringing beginning(a) business practices and processes expand distribution capabilities and deepen market penetration. Over US$ 2 billion of foreign capital could flow into the country if the presidential term were to pass the Insurance Amendment Bi ll that raises the FDI limit. moving-picture show 1 Change in waive do revenue enhancement on micro insurance productsThe gain of the outlandish insurance industry necessitates a waiver of the service revenue enhancement, which shortly stands at 10. 3 per cent, including education cess. This tax is detrimental to the growth of the rural insurance industry and insensitive to the plight of rural populace which lacks case healthcare and is vulnerable to numerous perils, including illness, accidental death and disability, loss of airplane propeller due to theft or fire, agricultural losses, and disasters of both the natural and artificial varieties.Rural insurance has an enormous potential for growth and a service tax waiver will make micro insurance products more cheap for the rural populace, and will drive pan-India penetration of this market. Scene 2 modification on Service tax on small transactions in that location is an urgent need to increase the threshold for the lev y of service tax on policies. The present notification exempts small transactions involving premium of little than Rs 50 (except motor insurance) from the ambit of service tax.The threshold limit of Rs 50 which was fixed in 1994 needs urgent revision. Small transactions involving premium up to Rs 1,000 should be exempt from service tax which will receipts the under-privileged sections of our society. Insurance premium for covering small and medium enterprise risks should be exempt from service tax. For other insurance products, we would like a diminution in the service tax by at least 3-4 per cent. Scene 3 Exempting personal insurance from service taxThere is an overwhelming demand crossways all players in the industry that individual health insurance policies should be totally exempt from service tax. Exemption of health insurance from the service tax will make health cover affordable and hearty for the layman. Consequently, cheaper health insurance will increase its pan-Indi a penetration. Additional IT exemption for householders policies and concessional IT place will give a fillip to home insurance and will also reduce the burden on the government in the slip of catastrophes. Scene 4 Exemption for profit on sale of investmentsTo hike general insurance players to be active participants in capital markets, on that point is a requirement for specific exemption from income-tax on profit on sale of investments. The issue of admissibility of UPR (unexpired premium reserves) as per IRDA regulations rather than as per Insurance Act only, for IT deductions. The UPR is at present restricted to the extent of limits specified in rule 6E of the Income Tax rules due to which insurance companies need to pay tax beyond their profit disclosed in their audited accounts. Hence, the UPR created as per IRDA regulations should be allowed as per rule 6E.