India continues to grapple with a significant life insurance protection gap—one that has risen from 83% in 2019 to 87% in 2023, according to a December 2023 NIA study(i). The gap is even more pronounced among those aged 18–35, exceeding 90%. This growing vulnerability poses a serious threat to families’ financial security and aspirations.
To address the challenge of penetration, the Insurance Awareness Committee representing all life insurers in India, has launched the next phase of its national campaign, Sabse Pehle Life Insurance. The initiative will continue to motivate every Indian, with renewed vigour, to make life insurance the foundation of their financial journey, turning rising awareness into meaningful action.
At its core, the campaign challenges the common habit of prioritising savings and investments while neglecting basic financial protection. It reaffirms that life insurance should be the starting point of any secure financial plan—providing a strong foundation for long-term goals like children’s education, homeownership, and retirement.
Through authentic storytelling and emotionally resonant narratives, the campaign brings to life everyday moments that highlight what’s truly at stake. The campaign positions life insurance not just as a contract, but as a life tool—safeguarding dreams, supporting families, and offering peace of mind.
The campaign is planned as a year-long initiative to drive behavioural change among consumers and increase awareness and penetration of life insurance solutions. To ensure reach and recall, it will be executed across multiple media platforms including Television, Digital, Print, Outdoor etc.
Member, Insurance Awareness Committee (IAC-Life), said, “Sabse Pehle Life Insurance is not just a slogan—it’s a clarion call to rethink how we approach financial planning. We often treat protection as an afterthought in the endeavour to build wealth. This campaign aims to change that mindset. It is about putting protection first, about securing dreams before chasing them. Just as every structure needs a strong foundation, we should place every financial plan on the bedrock of life insurance. Our goal is to turn awareness into action, ensuring that no Indian family remains financially exposed.”
The campaign aims to shift life insurance from a good-to-have option to a must-have-first component of financial planning. As part of this phase, the Insurance Awareness Committee has also elevated the digital knowledge hub https://www.sabsepehlelifeinsurance.com/, which serves as a key component of the campaign. The portal will provide simplified and valuable resources that will enable people to assess coverage needs and make informed choices.
The initiative aligns with broader efforts to reduce the protection gap, including IRDAI’s 2024 mandate requiring life insurers to cover at least 10% of lives in 25,000 Gram Panchayats(ii). These efforts will complement the industry-wide improvements that are improves trust and reinforces positive perceptions. The IRDAI, in its Handbook on Indian Insurance Statistics 2023-24, revealed that India’s insurers, cumulatively, settled 96.82% of life insurance policy claims for FY 2023-24, within 30 days(iii). The industry, currently growing at 9.5% CAGR(iv) and projected to grow at 10.5%(v)over the next decade, is also performing better than most global economies.
As India moves forward in its quest to become a $5 trillion economy, the Insurance Awareness Committee remains committed to encouraging every Indian to protect their family’s future by making life insurance the first step.
Watch the campaign here:
Child Plan https://youtu.be/pjmHJhGzWwQ
Retirement Plan https://youtu.be/x-w3cCmAn48
Term Plan https://youtu.be/8dKkV-yaFIk
