Detailed narrative
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) reported a robust performance for Q1 FY26, with key financial metrics showing positive year-on-year growth. The company's Total Premium Income increased by 4.77% to Rs.1,19,200 Crore, while Profit after Tax (PAT) grew 5.02% to Rs. 10,986 Crore. Assets Under Management (AUM) expanded by 6.47% to Rs. 57,05,341.44 Crore. The overall market share by First Year Premium Income stood at 63.51%, slightly down from 64.02% in the prior year, but showing an increase since the beginning of the financial year. Individual New Business Premium Income rose 5.42% to Rs.12,536 Crore, and Total Individual Premium Income (including renewals) grew 6.37% to Rs. 71,474 Crore.
A significant highlight was the improvement in profitability metrics, with the net VNB margin increasing by 150 basis points to 15.4% from 13.9% in Q1 FY25. Consequently, Net VNB grew by 20.75% to Rs. 1,944 Crore. This was largely attributed to a strategic focus on higher-margin non-par products, with the Non-Par share of Individual APE business growing to 30.34% from 23.94% YoY, and Non-Par APE itself increasing by 32.63% to Rs.2,142 Crore. The Solvency Ratio also improved to 2.17 as of June 30th, 2025, up from 1.99 a year ago.
Operational efficiency saw notable gains, with the Overall Expense Ratio decreasing by 140 basis points to 10.47%. This was driven by expense optimization, long-term persistency improvements (61st month persistency increased), and a stable mortality experience. The Bancassurance and Alternate Channels (BAC) demonstrated exceptional growth, with New Business Premium Income soaring 98.23% YoY to Rs. 861.92 Crore, now contributing 6.89% to Individual New Business Premium. Digital initiatives are also progressing, with the ANANDA app processing 3,47,958 policies, a 39.38% growth YoY.
During the Q&A, management provided guidance on several fronts. They proposed a dividend of Rs.12 per share for FY26, a significant increase from Rs.1.5 post-listing. The target solvency ratio is set between 1.8 and 2, aiming for a stronger financial position. The government's stake is expected to be reduced to 90% by 2027. While the number of policies sold decreased by 14.75% YoY, management attributed this to an increase in average ticket size, which rose by 23%. The company is also actively exploring options for entering the health insurance market, awaiting regulatory changes. Management expressed confidence in sustaining growth through strategic efforts, technological advancements, and an innovative approach to enhance financial performance and stakeholder value.