Mr.K V Dipu - Senior President & Head - Operations & Customer Service, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd

Every few decades, India pulls off a digital transformation that the world takes note of—be it Aadhaar, UPI, or FASTag. Insurance is now queuing up for its own breakout moment, and Bima Sugam is the platform that could make it happen. The industry has built trust, reached crores of customers, and handled everything from pandemics to natural disasters. Now it’s ready for its digital inflection point.

 Bima Sugam takes what insurers, agents, and regulators have already achieved and puts it on rails that are faster, simpler, and more connected. Imagine one digital highway where every life, health, motor, travel, or crop policy can be bought, renewed, or claimed, without repeating KYC or navigating multiple apps. That’s not a disruption of the system; it’s an upgrade of confidence.

The ambition is bold. A common platform where insurers, intermediaries, and customers transact seamlessly, using shared data pipes and standard formats. Claims that once took weeks could close in minutes if hospitals, insurers, and customers interact in real time. A policy purchased in Pune could be serviced in Patna without the customer lifting a file or calling an agent twice. Instead of replacing the ecosystem, Bima Sugam connects its dots.

The numbers make the case. India has over 57 crore policies, and most insurers are already digital at the front end. What Bima Sugam does is stitch those digital islands into one mainland. It helps agents close faster, helps insurers cut servicing costs, and helps customers get transparency at every step. For MSMEs and rural families, this could become the gateway to their first insurance experience, not just their next.

 Yes, the build will be complex, which involves integrating insurers, aligning formats, and securing data. But the regulator has set the tone clearly: this is not an optional transformation. APIs are being standardised, consent frameworks are in motion, and insurers are preparing their digital plumbing for a 2025 rollout. Far from resisting, the industry sees the long-term play as wider reach, lower friction, and higher trust.

The real story, however, will be human. When a policyholder files a claim from a hospital bed and gets approval before discharge, that’s when Bima Sugam will justify its promise. When a farmer in Satara or Shillong can renew a policy without travel or paperwork, the platform will stop being a project and start becoming a partner.

Insurance in India has always delivered in adversity. Bima Sugam gives it the digital wings to deliver in real time.