SBILIFE - SBI Life Insuran

📊 NSE: SBILIFE 🏢 Finance & Investments 📅 Last Updated: 12/14/2025 12:57

💰 Financial Performance

Revenue Growth by Segment

Gross Written Premium (GWP) grew 4.4% to INR 84,985 Cr in FY25 from INR 81,431 Cr in FY24. New Business Premium (NBP) grew 17% YoY to INR 183.5 billion in H1 FY26. Individual rated new business premium grew 7% to INR 86.8 billion in the same period. Non-SBI bank channels grew at 29% in Q1 FY26.

Geographic Revenue Split

The company has a presence across all states and union territories in India, leveraging 27,500+ SBI Group branches and 1,110 of its own offices as of March 31, 2025. Specific regional percentage splits are not disclosed, but the network provides 100% national coverage.

Profitability Margins

Value of New Business (VNB) margin stood at 27.8% in FY25, a slight compression from 28.1% in FY24 and 30.1% in FY23. Return on Equity (RoE) improved to 15.1% in FY25 from 13.6% in FY24. Profit After Tax (PAT) for FY25 was INR 2,413 Cr, a 27.4% increase from INR 1,894 Cr in FY24.

EBITDA Margin

Operating expense ratio is the lowest in the private sector at 5.3% of gross premiums in FY25. VNB grew 7% YoY to INR 5,950 Cr in FY25. Net profit margin is supported by high persistency, with the 61st-month ratio improving to 62.7% in FY25 from 58.6% in FY24.

Capital Expenditure

Planned expansion included opening 44 new branches and increasing employee count by over 3,500 in H1 FY26 to support a 15-17% growth aspiration. Absolute net worth increased to INR 16,793 Cr in FY25 from INR 14,591 Cr in FY24.

Credit Rating & Borrowing

CRISIL AAA/Stable rating maintained. The company has zero debt obligations on its balance sheet as of March 2025. Financial flexibility is high due to its listed status and 55.38% ownership by SBI.

⚙️ Operational Drivers

Raw Materials

Not applicable for insurance services; primary 'inputs' are human capital (2.40 lakh agents) and financial capital (INR 16,793 Cr net worth).

Import Sources

Not applicable as the company provides financial services within India.

Key Suppliers

Not applicable; however, SBI acts as the primary corporate agent providing access to 27,500 branches.

Capacity Expansion

Current distribution capacity includes 2.40 lakh licensed agents (FY25) and 27,500 SBI branches. Planned expansion involves increasing agent productivity (currently INR 2.7 lakhs on individual NBP) and branch productivity (INR 4.6 million individual APE).

Raw Material Costs

Operating expenses increased due to the addition of 3,500+ employees and 44 new branches in H1 FY26. Commission expenses are linked to the 21% NBP contribution from the agency channel.

Manufacturing Efficiency

Operating expense ratio of 5.3% is the best-in-class among private insurers. 13th-month persistency of 87.4% in FY25 indicates high customer retention efficiency.

Logistics & Distribution

Bancassurance (SBI + RRBs) contributes 57% of total APE. Agency channel contributes 21% of NBP. Direct/Digital channels (including YONO) contribute to the remaining mix.

📈 Strategic Growth

Expected Growth Rate

15-17%

Growth Strategy

Aggressive focus on the protection segment to exceed 10% of APE, leveraging GST reductions to lower consumer costs. Expansion of the agency force (10% gross addition in FY25) and tapping synergies with 27,500+ SBI branches for cross-selling.

Products & Services

Life insurance policies including Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs), Participating (PAR) products, Non-Participating (Non-PAR) savings products, and Protection/Term insurance.

Brand Portfolio

SBI Life

New Products/Services

New protection product lines for agency and banca channels, including digital-specific products for the YONO platform, aimed at increasing protection share to >10% of APE.

Market Expansion

Targeting increased penetration in rural and semi-urban areas via 27,500 SBI branches and 1,110 own offices. Focus on non-SBI banca partners which currently contribute only 3% of individual APE.

Market Share & Ranking

Ranked #1 among private life insurers with a 22.8% market share in individual rated premium and 24.6% in new business premium as of FY24/25.

Strategic Alliances

Joint venture between State Bank of India (55.38%) and public shareholders. Corporate agency tie-ups with Indian Bank, UCO Bank, South Indian Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, and Yes Bank.

🌍 External Factors

Industry Trends

The industry is shifting toward protection and non-par savings. GST reduction on premiums is a major tailwind. Regulatory evolution regarding surrender values is forcing business model adjustments across the sector.

Competitive Landscape

Competes with HDFC Life, ICICI Prudential Life, and Max Life. SBI Life maintains the lead in private NBP market share at ~24.6%.

Competitive Moat

The primary moat is the exclusive access to SBI's 27,500+ branches and 500 million+ customer base, which ensures the lowest customer acquisition cost (5.3% OpEx ratio) in the industry. This is highly sustainable as long as SBI maintains a majority stake.

Macro Economic Sensitivity

Highly sensitive to Indian GDP growth and financial savings rates. Low insurance penetration in India provides a long-term structural tailwind for growth.

Consumer Behavior

Increasing financial awareness among the younger population is driving demand for protection products and digital-first insurance journeys.

Geopolitical Risks

Minimal direct impact as business is 100% domestic, though global market volatility affects the ULIP segment (46% of product mix).

⚖️ Regulatory & Governance

Industry Regulations

Subject to IRDAI regulations. Must maintain a 1.5x solvency margin (currently 1.96x). Recent regulatory changes include revised surrender value norms and policy taxation limits.

Environmental Compliance

Not disclosed as a material cost; focus is on digital paperless processing.

Taxation Policy Impact

Recent GST reductions on insurance premiums are expected to specifically benefit the protection segment. Changes in the taxation of high-premium policies impact the Non-PAR and ULIP segments.

Legal Contingencies

Not specifically detailed in the documents, though the company faces inherent regulatory risks associated with the evolving Indian life insurance sector.

⚠️ Risk Analysis

Key Uncertainties

Regulatory changes in surrender values could impact Embedded Value (EV) by 40-45 basis points. A decline in SBI's support or brand association would significantly impair distribution.