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The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), GIC Re. and New India Assurance continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs), the insurance regulator said.

D-SIIs are being subjected to enhanced regulatory supervision, the.Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) said in a statement on Friday.

Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) refer to insurers of such size, market importance,  and domestic and global interconnectedness, whose distress or failure would cause a significant  dislocation in the domestic financial system. 

“Therefore, the continued functioning of D-SIIs is  critical for the uninterrupted availability of insurance services to the national economy,” the regulator said.

‘Too important to fail’

D-SIIs are perceived as insurers that are ‘too big or too important to fail’ (TBTF).

 This perception  and perceived expectation of government support may amplify risk-taking, reduce market  discipline, create competitive distortions, and increase the possibility of distress in the future. 

These considerations require that D-SIIs be subjected to additional regulatory measures to deal  with systemic risks and moral hazard issues.

Given the nature of their operations and the systemic importance of the D-SIIs, these insurers have  to carry forward their efforts to  raise the level of Corporate governance and identify all relevant risks and promote a sound risk management framework and culture,. IRDAI said.

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