Source: BL
Why in News?
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has issued clarifications on investment norms for insurers in Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), allowing greater flexibility while tightening safeguards on overseas investments.
Key Clarifications
1. Restriction on Overseas Deployment of Policyholder Funds
- Insurers cannot deploy policyholder funds abroad through AIFs.
- Investments made using insurers’ capital must remain within India.
2. Aggregation of Exposure Limits
- Insurers must comply with single AIF exposure limits by combining:
- Direct investments in AIFs, and
- Indirect exposure through Fund of Funds (FoFs).
- Ensures accurate assessment of total risk exposure.
3. Greater Investment Flexibility
- While tightening safeguards, IRDAI has provided more operational clarity and flexibility for insurers investing in AIFs.
Objective of the Move
- Protect policyholder funds from overseas risk exposure.
- Improve transparency in investment limits.
- Strengthen prudential regulation of insurer investments.
- Balance investment flexibility with financial stability.
