INTRODUCTION

THE HISTORY OF INDIAN INSURANCE INDUSTRY

The story of insurance is probably as old as the story of mankind. The same instinct that prompts modern businessmen today to secure themselves against loss and disaster existed in primitive men also. They too sought to avert the evil consequences of fire and flood and loss of life and were willing to make some sort of sacrifice in order to achieve security. Though the concept of insurance is largely a development of the recent past, particularly after the industrial era past few centuries yet its beginnings date back almost 6000 years.

Life Insurance
In 1818 the British established the first insurance company in India in Calcutta, the Oriental Life Insurance Company. First attempts at regulation of the industry were made with the introduction of the Indian Life Assurance Companies Act in 1912. A number of amendments to this Act were made until the Insurance Act was drawn up in 1938. Noteworthy features in the Act were the power given to the Government to collect statistical information about the insured and the high level of protection the Act gave to the public through regulation and control. When the Act was changed in 1950, this meant far reaching changes in the industry. The extra requirements included a statutory requirement of a certain level of equity capital, a ceiling on share holdings in such companies to prevent dominant control (to protect the public from any adversarial policies from one single party), stricter control on investments and, generally, much tighter control. In 1956, the market contained 154 Indian and 16 foreign life insurance companies. Business was heavily concentrated in urban areas and targeted the higher echelons of society. Unethical practices adopted by some of the players against the interests of the consumers then led the Indian government to nationalize the industry. In September 1956, nationalization was completed, merging all these companies into the socalled Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). It was felt that nationalization has lent the industry fairness, solidity, growth and reach.

Some of the important milestones in the life insurance business in India are:
1912: The Indian Life Assurance Companies Act enacted as the first statute to regulate the life insurance business. 1928: The Indian Insurance Companies Act enacted to enable the government to collect statistical information about both life and non-life insurance businesses. 1938: Earlier legislation consolidated and amended to by the Insurance Act with the objective of protecting the interests of the insuring public. 1956: The market contained 154 Indian and 16 foreign life insurance companies.

General Insurance
The General insurance business in India started with the establishment of Triton Insurance Company Limited in 1850 at Calcutta. In 1907, the first company, The Mercantile Insurance Ltd. was set up to transact all classes of general insurance business. General Insurance Council, a wing of the Insurance Association of India in 1957, framed a code of conduct for ensuring fair conduct and sound business practices. In 1968 the Insurance Act was amended to regulate investments and to set minimum solvency margins. In the same year the Tariff Advisory Committee was also set up. In 1972, The General Insurance Business (Nationalization) Act was passed to nationalize the general insurance business in India with effect from 1st January 1973. For these 107 insurers was amalgamated and grouped into four companys viz., the National Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance Company Ltd., the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd., and the United India Insurance Company Ltd. General Insurance Corporation of India was incorporated as a company.

Some of the important milestones in the general insurance business in India are:

1907: The Indian Mercantile Insurance Ltd. set up, the first company to transact all classes of general insurance business. 1957: General Insurance Council, a wing of the Insurance Association of India, frames a code of conduct for ensuring fair conduct and sound business practices. 1968: The Insurance Act amended to regulate investments and set minimum solvency margins and the Tariff Advisory Committee set up. 1972: The General Insurance Business (Nationalization) Act, 1972 nationalize the general insurance business in India with effect from 1st January 1973. 107 insurers amalgamated and grouped into four companies viz. the National Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance Company Ltd., the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. and the United India Insurance Company Ltd. GIC incorporated as a company.

MAJOR POLICY CHANGES

Insurance sector has been opened up for competition from Indian private insurance companies with the enactment of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 (IRDA Act). As per the provisions of IRDA Act, 1999, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was established on 19th April 2000 to protect the interests of holder of insurance policy and to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the insurance industry. IRDA Act 1999 paved the way for the entry of private players into the insurance market which was hitherto the exclusive privilege of public sector insurance companies/ corporations. Under the new dispensation Indian insurance companies in private sector were permitted to operate in India with the following conditions:

Company

is

formed

and

registered

under

the

Companies

Act,

1956;

The aggregate holdings of equity shares by a foreign company, either by itself or through its subsidiary companies or its nominees, do not exceed 26%, paid up equity capital of such Indian insurance company;

The company's sole purpose is to carry on life insurance business or general insurance business or reinsurance business.

The minimum paid up equity capital for life or general insurance business is Rs.100crores. The minimum paid up equity capital for carrying on reinsurance business has been prescribed as Rs.200crores.

The Authority has notified 27 Regulations on various issues which include Registration of Insurers, Regulation on insurance agents, Solvency Margin, Re-insurance, Obligation of Insurers to Rural and Social sector, Investment and Accounting Procedure, Protection of policy holders' interest etc. Applications were invited by the Authority with effect from 15th August, 2000 for issue of the Certificate of Registration to both life and non-life insurers. The Authority has its Head Quarter at Hyderabad.

Changing face of Indian insurance industry:

Indian life-insurance market is the target market of all the companies who either want to extend or diversify their business. To tap the Indian market there has been tie-ups between the major Indian companies with other International insurance companies to start up their business. The government of India has set up rules that no foreign insurance company can set up their business individually here and they have to tie up with an Indian company and this foreign insurance company can have an investment of only 24% of the total start-up investment. Indian insurance industry can be featured by: Low market penetration. Ever growing middle class component in population. Application of information technology for business. Rebate from government in the form of tax incentives to be insured. Today, the Indian life insurance industry has a dozen private players, each of which are making strides in raising awareness levels, introducing innovative products and increasing the penetration of life insurance in the vastly underinsured country. Several of private insurers have introduced attractive products to meet the needs of their target customers and in line with their business objectives. The success of their effort is that they have captured over 28% of premium income in five years. The biggest beneficiary of the competition among life insurers has been the customer. A wide range of products, customer focused service and professional advice has become the mainstay of the industry, and the Indian customers forms the pivot of each companys strategy. Penetration of life insurance is beginning to cut across socio-economic classes and attract people who have never purchased insurance before. Life insurance is also now being regarded as a versatile financial planning tool. Apart from the traditional term and saving insurance policies, industry has seen the entry and growth of unit linked products. This provides market linked returns and is among the most flexible policies available today for investment. Now products are priced, flexible, and realistic and sustain so people in better position to understand the risk and benefits of the product and they are accepting these innovative products.

So it is clear that the face of life insurance in India is changing, but with the changes come a host of challenges and it is only the credible players with a long term vision and a robust business strategy that will survive. Whatever the developments, the future and the opportunities in this industry will surely be exciting.

Various types of life insurance policies: Endowment policies: This type of policy covers risk for a specified period, and at the end of the maturity sum assured is paid back to policyholder with the bonuses during the term of the policy. Money back policies: This type of policy is for periodic payments of partial survival benefits during the term of the policy as long as the policy holder is alive. Group insurance: This type of insurance offers life insurance protection under group policies to various groups such as employers-employees, professionals, cooperatives etc it also provides insurance coverage for people in certain approved occupations at the lowest possible premium cost. Term life insurance policies: This type of insurance covers risk only during the selected term period. If the policy holder survives the term, risk cover comes to an end. These types of policies are for those people who are unable to pay larger premium required for endowment and whole life policies. No surrender, loan or paid up values are in such policies.

Whole life insurance policies: This type of policy runs as long as the policyholder is alive and is covered for the entire life of the policyholder. In this policy the insured amount and the bonus is payable only to nominee on the death of policy holder.

Joint life insurance policies: These policies are similar to endowment policies in maturity benefits and risk cover, but joint life policies cover two lives simultaneously such as married couples. Sum assured is payable on the first death and again on the death of survival during the term of the policy.

Pension plan: a pension plan or annuity is an investment over a certain number of years but does not provide any life insurance cover. It offers a guaranteed income either for a life or certain period.

Unit linked insurance plan: ULIP is a kind of insurance plan which provides life cover as well as return on premium paid over a certain period of time. The investment is denoted as units and represented by the value called as net asset value (NAV).

COMPANY PROFILE

METLIFE: MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (MetLife) is an affiliate of MetLife, Inc. and was incorporated as a joint venture between MetLife International Holdings, Inc., The Jammu and Kashmir Bank, M. Pallonji and Co. Private Limited and other private investors. MetLife is one of the fastest growing life insurance companies in the country. It serves its customers by offering a range of innovative products to individuals and group customers at more than 600 locations through its bank partners and company-owned offices. MetLife has more than 50,000 Financial Advisors, who help customers achieve peace of mind across the length and breadth of the country.

MetLife, Inc., through its affiliates, reaches more than 70 million customers in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe. Affiliated companies, outside of India, include the number one life insurer in the United States (based on life insurance enforce), with over 140 years of experience and relationships with more than 90 of the top one hundred FORTUNE 500 companies. The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, automobile and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance, reinsurance and retirement and savings products and services to corporations and other institutions.

ICICI PRUDENTIAL:
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company is a joint venture between ICICI Bank, a premier financial powerhouse, and Prudential plc, a leading international financial services group headquartered in the United Kingdom. ICICI Prudential was amongst the first private sector insurance companies to begin operations in December 2000 after receiving approval from Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA).

ICICI Prudential's capital stands at Rs. 23.72 billion with ICICI Bank and Prudential plc holding 74% and 26% stake respectively. For the first quarter ended June 30, 2007, the company garnered Rs. 987 crore of weighted retail + group new business premiums and wrote over 450,000 retail policies in the period. The company has assets held to the tune of over Rs. 18,400 crore.

ICICI Prudential is also the only private life insurer in India to receive a National Insurer Financial Strength rating of AAA (Ind) from Fitch ratings. The AAA (Ind) rating is the highest rating, and is a clear assurance of ICICI Prudential's ability to meet its obligations to customers at the time of maturity or claims.

For the past six years, ICICI Prudential has retained its position as the No. 1 private life insurer in the country, with a wide range of flexible products that meet the needs of the Indian customer at every step in life.

OBJECTIVES

Analysis of financial statements is an attempt to assess the efficiency and performance of an enterprise. For that there are some objectives which are described as under.
1. EARNING CAPACITY OR PROFITABILITY

The overall objective of a business is to earn a satisfactory return on the funds invested in it. Financial analysis helps in ascertaining whether adequate profits are being earned on the capital invested in the business or not. It also helps in knowing the capacity to pay the interest and dividend.
2. COMPARATIVE POSITION IN RELATION TO OTHER FIRMS

The purpose of financial statements analysis is to help the management to make a comparative study of the profitability of various firms engaged in similar business. Such comparison also helps the management to study the position of their firm in respect of sales expenses, profitability and using capital.etc.
3. EFFICIENCY OF MANAGEMENT

The purpose of financial statement analysis is to know that the financial policies adopted by the management are efficient or not. Analysis also helps the management in preparing budgets by forecasting next years profit on the basis of past earnings. It also helps the management to find out shortcomings of the business so that remedial measures can be taken to remove these shortcomings.
4. FINANCIAL STRENGTH

The purpose of financial analysis is to assess the financial potential of business. Analysis also helps in taking decisions; How much funds have been raised from external sources.
5.SOLVECNY OF THE FIRM

The different tools of analysis tells us whether the firm has suffucient funds to meet its short-term and long-term liabilities or not.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The limitations regarding the working of MetLife staff. Company image and acceptability of the products in the market. About the market position of Company in comparison with other Insurance companies.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is helpful to find out the sales trends of the MetLife products and its effect on consumers value. This study makes me understand how the challenging situations are handled. This study provides an insight to the company that what kind of strategy must be adopted in order to increase the sales, reduce the OTCR rejection rates and ultimately how to increase the market position of the company The project directly deals with interaction with the staff and few customers of the customers of MetLife Srinagar. So this project helps me to understand the corporate communication system.

SOURCE OF THE DATA COLLECTION

Primary Data: In research primary data is collected from all respective areas. In my report the primary data are collected from personal interview of the employee. questionnaire and

Secondary Data : In my report the secondary data are collection Internet and journels.