Niva Bupa Bets Big On Retail Health Growth

Niva Bupa Health Insurance is stepping up its retail health push as it looks to expand its customer base and strengthen its presence across India. In an exclusive conversation with Business Today Krishnan Ramachandran, MD & CEO, Niva Bupa Health Insurance, talks about the company’s growth strategy, new retail offerings and the opportunities in smaller cities. He also discusses how Niva Bupa is approaching profitable growth, rising medical costs, hospital partnerships and claims, as well as the role of technology and AI in underwriting, fraud detection and customer service.

In Q1 FY27, Niva Bupa’s Gross Written Premium rose 32% year-on-year to ₹2,150 crore, while Profit After Tax surged 93% to ₹138 crore. Retail health grew 47%, taking the company’s retail health market share to 11.1%. The insurer reported a 95.6% Claim Settlement Ratio and an improvement in its Combined Insurance Service Ratio to 100.2%. In FY26, Niva Bupa’s PAT grew 80% to ₹366 crore. With 210+ branches, 2.5 lakh agents and more than 26 million lives covered, Niva Bupa is looking to expand its reach while improving profitability and customer experience.