Sources:
1. Press Information Bureau (PIB) / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)
2. The Outlook for India’s Economy in 2026 amid A New US Trade Deal - Goldman Sachs, Feb’26
Your Directors have pleasure in presenting the Nineteenth Annual Report of Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited (the ‘Company’), together with the audited financial statements and the auditors’ report thereon for the financial year ended 31st March 2026 (FY26).
OUTLOOKMacroeconomic Outlook
India’s macroeconomic environment during FY26 remained resilient and broadly supportive for long-term financial institutions, despite a challenging global backdrop marked by trade disruptions, policy shifts in advanced economies, geopolitical conflicts and volatile capital flows. Real GDP growth is estimated at 7.6% for FY26 which was largely driven by strong domestic demand, highlighting the economy’s ability to withstand global headwinds while sustaining momentum through internal drivers and ongoing structural reforms.
Private consumption was a key driver of growth, supported by fiscal measures that enhanced household disposable incomes and boosted urban demand, while rural consumption remained resilient on the back of healthy agricultural output. Monetary easing, with the Reserve Bank of India cumulatively reducing the repo rate by 100 basis points between April and December 2025 to 5.25%, alongside a benign inflation environment, further supported purchasing power, credit growth, and long term financial planning1,2.
Fiscal discipline and policy credibility continued to underpin confidence, positioning the economy well, amid a complex global environment.
Despite turbulence, capital markets continued to play an increasingly important role in supporting capital formation and financialization. Over the medium term, a structural shift in household savings toward market-linked instruments and rising individual equity ownership has supported long term savings and protection products offered by life insurers.
Against this backdrop, global growth is expected to moderate in the near term amid elevated energy costs and geopolitical uncertainty. Technology led investment, particularly in artificial intelligence, continues to provide an important offset by supporting productivity, business confidence, and economic resilience across major economies. While inflationary
pressures have temporarily resurfaced following energy price shocks, these are expected to ease as conditions normalise.
Despite global headwinds, India remains relatively well- positioned due to strong macroeconomic fundamentals and policy flexibility. India’s GDP outlook for FY27, has been moderated to a range of 6.2%-6.9%, reflecting pressures from elevated fuel and food prices amid uncertainties linked to the West Asia conflict. Even as growth is projected to soften modestly, India is expected to remain one of the fastest growing major economies, with FY27 growth forecast still ahead of global average-underscoring its structural strength and long-term growth potential.
Outlook for the industry
The Indian life insurance industry witnessed decent growth in FY26, following the relatively subdued growth in the previous year Individual Weighted Premium Income (WPI) grew by 10% to '1,32,666 crore, with private players strengthening their share to 72%, reflecting the industry’s continued focus on sustainable growth and financial inclusion.
This evolving landscape continues to present a significant long-term opportunity. Supported by favourable demographics, rising protection and retirement needs, and increasing adoption of digital platforms, the industry is gradually transitioning towards sustainable, quality- led growth. Regulatory initiatives, including higher FDI limits and emerging platforms such as GIFT City, along with GST exemption on individual life insurance premiums from September 2025, have significantly strengthened the ecosystem by improving affordability and enhancing access.
Aligned with this evolving landscape, your Company continues to focus on customer-centric growth, digital enablement, and distribution expansion to capture long-term opportunities.
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE
FY26 marked a significant phase in the evolution of India’s insurance regulatory and governance framework, particularly for insurers operating in an increasingly digital, customer¬ centric and market-linked environment. The regulatory focus during the year continued to be aligned with the broader vision of “Insurance for All by 2047”, while simultaneously strengthening governance standards, policyholder protection, operational resilience, and market conduct expectations across the sector.
The regulatory environment for insurers is now increasingly characterised by a principle-based and outcome-oriented supervisory framework, with enhanced accountability being placed on Boards and Senior Management for ensuring effective governance, fair customer outcomes, prudent risk management, and sustainable business practices. Regulators have continued to emphasise that growth must be accompanied by strong governance, robust controls, responsible sales practices, and effective oversight mechanisms.
A landmark reform during the year was the amendment to the Insurance Act enabling up to 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, subject to applicable safeguards and conditions. This reform is expected to strengthen long¬ term capital availability, support innovation and technology adoption, deepen insurance penetration, and enhance the sector’s ability to meet evolving protection and retirement needs of the Indian population.
FY26 also witnessed continued regulatory focus on implementation effectiveness of the extensive reforms introduced by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) over the last few years. Key supervisory themes included policyholder protection, governance standards, solvency oversight, expenses of management, conduct risk, outsourcing governance, product suitability, claims management, and strengthening of compliance frameworks.
The implementation of customer-centric reforms under the IRDAI Master Circular on Protection of Policyholders’ Interests (PPHI), including Bima-ASBA and premium collection post underwriting acceptance, represent a significant operational and governance transition for the industry. These reforms are expected to further strengthen transparency, customer consent architecture, and fair treatment standards across the insurance lifecycle.
The industry also continued to progress towards the proposed Risk-Based Capital (RBC) framework, with insurers participating in Quantitative Impact Study (QIS)-2 as part of the transition towards a more risk-sensitive and globally aligned prudential solvency regime. The proposed framework is expected to strengthen capital efficiency, risk measurement capabilities, and enterprise-wide risk governance practices across the sector.
With the listing of the Company’s equity shares during FY26, the regulatory landscape applicable to the Company has further expanded to include enhanced governance, disclosure, and compliance expectations applicable to listed entities under the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 and other applicable securities laws. This includes increased focus on transparency, investor communication, insider trading controls, related party governance, ESG disclosures, and stakeholder engagement.
The regulatory environment also continued to evolve rapidly in the areas of technology, digital governance, and data protection. The notification and implementation progress of the Digital Personal Data Protection framework, together with increasing supervisory focus on cyber resilience, information security, AI governance, digital consent architecture, and operational resilience, have reinforced the importance of strong technology governance and responsible use of data by financial institutions.
Further, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other financial sector regulators continued to examine conduct and customer protection risks in distribution arrangements, including third- party product solicitation by banks, with increased emphasis on suitability assessment, customer awareness, transparency, and prevention of mis-selling practices.
FY26 also witnessed a significant taxation reform for the life insurance sector with exemption of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on individual life insurance products. This landmark reform is expected to improve affordability and accessibility of life insurance products, strengthen the overall customer value proposition, and support deeper insurance penetration across customer segments. The exemption is also expected to provide a meaningful long-term growth impetus to the industry by encouraging higher adoption of protection, savings, and retirement solutions, aligned with the broader national objective of enhancing financial security and insurance inclusion.
The new labour codes introduced during FY26 are expected to further streamline compliance requirements and enhance workforce welfare.
Against this evolving regulatory backdrop, your Company continued to strengthen its governance framework, compliance architecture, risk management practices, digital controls, and policyholder-centric processes. Your Company remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency, ethical conduct, and regulatory compliance, while proactively adapting its systems, processes, and operating model to align with emerging regulatory expectations and industry best practices.
ABOUT YOUR COMPANY Company Performance in FY26
During FY26, your Company delivered a strong performance, improving its ranking to 9th among private life insurers, reflecting sustained growth momentum and increasing competitive relevance.
Individual Weighted Premium Income (WPI) grew by 19%, significantly ahead of private sector growth of 12% and industry growth of 10%, demonstrating consistent outperformance. Over FY21 to FY26, your Company has delivered a 20% CAGR in Individual Weighted Premium
Financial Performance
The key financial parameters for the financial year ended 31st March 2026 are summarized below:
|
Particulars
|
FY26
|
FY25
|
|
A) New Business Premiums
|
|
|
|
First Year Premium
|
2,585
|
2,173
|
|
Single Premium
|
1,332
|
948
|
|
B) Renewal Premiums
|
|
|
|
Renewal Premium
|
6,129
|
4,906
|
|
Total Premium Income
|
10,046
|
8,027
|
|
Profit before tax
|
141
|
128
|
|
Profit after tax
|
127
|
117
|
|
Net Worth
|
1,605
|
1,517
|
|
Other key parameters
|
|
|
|
Individual number of policies (in numbers)
|
208,220
|
194,121
|
|
Persistency Ratio - 13th month
|
85.4%
|
82.5%
|
|
Asset under management
|
46,118
|
41,166
|
|
Expenses of Management ratio
|
18.7%
|
18.7%
|
|
Annualized premium equivalent
|
2,799
|
2,339
|
|
Value of New Business
|
627
|
446
|
|
VNB Margin
|
22.4%
|
19.1%
|
|
Embedded Value
|
7,233
|
6,111
|
|
Solvency Ratio
|
190%
|
206%
|
Income (WPI), compared to 16% for the private sector and 12% for the industry.
Market position strengthened further, with your Company’s industry market share at 2.0% and private sector market share at 2.7%, reflecting increasing customer acceptance and strengthening brand equity.
Your Company continues to strengthen its position as a fast¬ growing, customer-focused and digitally enabled insurer, with a scalable and increasingly diversified business model.
Financial Strength and Operational Excellence
Value of new business (VNB) for FY 26 stood at ' 627 crore, reflecting a 41% growth. New business margin for the year stood at 22.4%. Your Company successfully managed to contain the impact of GST-related regulatory changes. Embedded Value (EV) stood at ' 7,233 crore as on 31st March 2026, with an operating return on EV of 20.7% for FY26.
The Company reported stable financial performance, delivering its 14th consecutive year of profitability with profit after tax of ' 127 crore, while retained earnings increased to ' 530 crore. The operational efficiency remained robust, with an expense ratio of 18.7%.
Assets Under Management (AUM) grew by 12%, crossing ' 46,000 crore, reflecting growing customer trust and increasing scale of operations.
This combination of profitability, efficiency, and scale is enabling operating leverage and positioning the Company to deliver sustainable long-term value for stakeholders.
Strengthening distribution footprint
To support its growth, your Company is transitioning towards a diversified, multi-channel distribution model. While bancassurance remains its key strength, supported by access to 18,356 bank branches and over 120 million customers, your Company is expanding into other distribution channels.
The launch of the Agency channel marks a key milestone, with ~500 distributors onboarded and ' 14 crore of Individual Weighted Premium Income (WPI) generated in the initial phase. Expansion across partnerships, brokers, and digital platforms is further enhancing reach and access to new customer segments.
This transition is expected to create a more resilient and future-ready distribution model for your Company, improving growth visibility, enhancing penetration, and reducing concentration risk.
Listing of the shares of the Company
During FY26, your Company’s equity shares were listed on National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on 17th October 2025, with an oversubscription of ~2.3x, pursuant to an Initial Public Offer (IPO) comprising 23,75,00,000 equity shares of face value of ' 10 each, offered through an Offer for Sale by Canara Bank - 13,77,50,000 equity shares and HSBC Insurance (Asia- Pacific) Holdings Limited - 47,50,000 equity shares and by Punjab National Bank - 9,50,00,000 equity shares.
The listing enhances visibility and reinforces your Company’s commitment to governance and transparency, while also providing access to capital markets to support future growth. It represents a significant step in your Company’s evolution towards building a scalable, institutionally backed franchise.
As a result, the Company ceased to be a subsidiary of Canara Bank during FY26.
ISO CertificationISO 9001:2015 (a globally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems)
During FY26, your Company successfully completed the surveillance audit II as per ISO 9001:2015 standard. This further establishes your Company’s vision of keeping customer interest at its core with a constant endeavour to enhance the quality management system in its product design and development, customer service and operations.
ISO 27001:2022 (a globally recognized standard for Information Security Management Systems)
During FY26, your Company successfully completed the surveillance audit I for ISO 27001:2022 certification. This is a key milestone in your Company’s ongoing efforts to strengthen data security, enhance risk management practices, and drive continuous improvement across the organization. The surveillance process involved a comprehensive evaluation of the Company’s information security policies, procedures, controls, and monitoring mechanisms, ensuring alignment with international best practices. This accomplishment positions your Company to better manage evolving cyber risks and further supports its strategic objective of delivering secure, resilient, and responsible business operations.
Building a Customer-First Delivery Model
Your Company remains firmly committed to delivering a superior and consistent customer experience by ensuring seamless service across all customer touchpoints. Recognising the evolving preferences and behaviours of customers, your Company continues to prioritise a frictionless and intuitive experience throughout a policy lifecycle.
This commitment is embedded in every customer interaction from initial engagement, through ongoing servicing, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of service quality.
Your Company has instituted structured mechanisms to regularly capture customer feedback and align internal processes, thereby enabling it to meet and exceed customer expectations. Continuous improvement in service delivery remains a key focus area.
By leveraging advanced technologies and adopting innovative solutions, your Company proactively anticipates changing customer needs and responds with agility, reinforcing its customer-first philosophy and strengthening long-term customer relationships.
Key Customer Experience Initiatives
During the year under review, your Company further strengthened its customer service capabilities by building upon its digital ecosystem and integrating advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI, to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement.
Your Company introduced an option to login claims through the Customer App. This has streamlined the customer experience by reducing turnaround time for straightforward claims.
Your Company witnessed strong growth in digital adoption by customers during the year. Customer registrations on the Customer App increased to 5.5 lakh, with 1.88 lakh new registrations added during the year, compared to 1.16 lakh registrations in the previous year. This reflects increasing customer preference for digital self-service channels.
During the year, your Company further strengthened and scaled its Generative AI-powered Underwriting (UW) Co-Pilot, reinforcing its digital transformation agenda and underwriting excellence.
Your Company continues to see high and sustained adoption of self-service features across its digital platforms. Over 80% of all service requests available on your Company’s Customer Portal and App are now being initiated and completed through Do-it-yourself (DIY) options. This has resulted in faster turnaround times, reduced dependency on manual intervention, and enhanced customer empowerment.
These initiatives collectively reinforce your Company’s customer-first approach by enhancing accessibility, transparency, and engagement across the service lifecycle. By combining digital automation with active customer feedback mechanisms, your Company continues to strengthen service quality, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance, while delivering a superior customer experience.
Your Company achieved a Transactional Net Promoter Score (TNPS) of 80 during FY26, the highest ever, reflecting the effectiveness of its customer-centric strategy and its sustained focus on delivering service excellence.
Details of benefit payouts during the year and those outstanding at year-end are provided below:
|
S.
No
|
|
|
|
Benefit Claim Payouts (survival claims)
|
|
|
Claims
|
Death
Claims
|
Maturity
|
Survival
Benefit
|
Annuities/
Pension
|
Surrender
|
Other
Benefits
|
|
1
|
Claims outstanding at the beginning of the period
|
0
|
3579
|
3904
|
5488
|
646
|
1412
|
|
2
|
Claims reported during the period
|
15131
|
7364
|
39158
|
72938
|
27846
|
13603
|
|
3
|
Claims settled during the period
|
15074
|
7294
|
35955
|
49835
|
27873
|
12674
|
|
4
|
Claims repudiated during the period
|
57
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
5
|
Claims rejected during the period
|
-
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
6
|
Claim transferred to unclaimed account
|
-
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
7
|
No. of claims settled during last financial year but paid during the current financial year
|
-
|
3276
|
1493
|
4787
|
166
|
468
|
|
8
|
Claims outstanding at end of the period
|
-
|
3649
|
7107
|
28591
|
619
|
2340
|
Product Portfolio
During the year under review, your Company continued to advance its product strategy with a clear focus on sustainable growth, disciplined innovation, and long-term customer value creation. The product portfolio was further strengthened to identify and address white-space opportunities, enhance our relevance across customer life stages, and enable resilient growth in new business. Product development remained closely aligned with customer insights, distributor feedback, and market competitiveness, ensuring your Company is responsive to evolving protection, savings, retirement, and wealth trends in the life insurance market.
Your Company continues to maintain a balanced mix across traditional savings plans, unit-linked solutions, retirement and annuity offerings, and pure protection plans. This balanced approach supports stable profitability, effective capital management, and the ability to serve customers across varying risk profiles and financial aspirations.
During FY26, your Company introduced a suite of new products and modifications aimed at deepening its presence in the savings-to-wealth continuum and strengthening retirement and income-led propositions:
• Promise4Life, a participating traditional life insurance plan, was launched to address long-term financial security needs through a combination of assured income and participation in surplus. The product is positioned to support disciplined savings, family protection, and inter-generational financial planning, while reinforcing your Company’s presence in the par savings segment.
• IncomeNow was introduced to meet the growing demand for guaranteed income solutions. Offering assured income along with life insurance cover, the product supports customers seeking certainty in cash flows for wealth preservation and retirement income planning, thereby strengthening your Company’s income-oriented portfolio.
• Legacy Builder was launched as a retirement and post-retirement solution, enabling customers to build a retirement corpus and generate income thereafter, with the potential for equity participation during accumulation. The product is designed to provide long-term capital growth, addressing the evolving retirement planning needs of customers.
• Promise4Wealth, a unit-linked individual life insurance plan, was introduced to provide life cover combined with flexible investment choices. The product enables customers to pursue long-term wealth creation, retirement planning, and legacy objectives through market-linked growth, reinforcing your Company’s product value proposition.
Alongside new product introductions, your Company undertook focused initiatives to refresh, refine, and future-proof
its existing portfolio. Select traditional savings and retirement products were enhanced with improved features and customer-centric benefits to maintain competitiveness and attractiveness. Your Company also continued to strengthen its protection and rider portfolio, enabling modular and comprehensive coverage solutions that are adaptable to customer needs across life stages.
Your Company remains committed to continuous innovation, driving growth through enhanced product offers and prudent portfolio management, ensuring that its product suite remains relevant, competitive, and well-aligned with customers’ evolving financial goals, while supporting sustainable long-term growth and profitability.
As at the end of the FY26, your Company’s product suite held 9 unit linked, 2 participating and 13 non-participating products, along with 8 products on the Group platform and 3 rider options.
Policyholders’ Bonus
The Company announced policyholders’ bonus, including regular reversionary and cash bonuses, interim bonus and terminal bonuses, for participating policyholders.
Reversionary Bonus amounting to ' 242 crore was allocated to the participating policyholders for the year ended 31st March 2026. In addition, a payment of ' 29 crore was made towards interim, terminal and cash bonus during the financial year.
Policyholder Claims
The Company continues to make steady progress on its strategic priority of digitally transforming the claims journey, with a clear focus on enhancing customer experience, improving transparency, and reducing turnaround time.
Real-time claim status visibility has been enhanced, improving transparency and customer engagement. Straight-through processing (STP) capabilities have also been expanded, supported by end-to-end digital workflows, resulting in reduced manual intervention and faster claim settlements.
These initiatives position the Company to deliver a scalable, efficient, and customer-centric claims experience, while reinforcing operational discipline and governance.
Aligned with its Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) philosophy, the Company remains committed to providing timely and effective support to policyholders and their families, with a focus on a seamless and hassle-free claims experience.
During FY26, the settlement ratio for individual death claims was 99.52% and at an overall basis (including group business), was 99.62%.
Rural and Social Sector Obligations Rural Sector: Your Company has covered 2,23,694 lives against a target of 1,70,594 lives. The Company has achieved the target of 15% in 192 Gram Panchayats allocated by IRDAI.
Social Sector: Your Company has covered 21,68,498 lives (including both retail and group business) against a target of 12,02,475 lives (comprising 10% of the total of Group Lives and Retail Policies).
Brand update
During the FY26, your Company strengthened its brand equity and expanded its reach through high-impact, insight- led marketing initiatives, reinforcing its positioning as a trusted and contemporary partner to help fulfil promises for customers’ families.
A key milestone was the onboarding of India’s premier cricketer Jasprit Bumrah and sports presenter Sanjana Ganesan, as the Company’s first-ever celebrity brand ambassadors. Their association brought alive the brand’s core values of trust, discipline, reliability and commitment, enabling deeper emotional resonance across customer segments. The integrated brand campaign featuring the ambassadors was rolled out across television, digital, social and outdoor platforms, delivering large-scale reach and strong engagement, improving brand awareness by 17 points. The campaign exceeded the targeted TV Gross Rating Points and overall reach in the target segments (TV Digital).
Your Company continued to leverage emotion-led, digital- first storytelling to build meaningful connections. Purpose- driven campaigns anchored in real-life conversations, family dynamics and financial responsibility resonated strongly with audiences. Social media platforms witnessed sustained traction, supported by a content mix focused on education, topical relevance and employee advocacy, enhancing brand authenticity and credibility. Company’s social community grew considerably with LinkedIn achieving 1 lakh followers, Instagram reaching 60,000 (2x) followers and
YouTube grew to 2 lakh subscribers (an increase to 5x) during the year, reflecting increasing preference for long-form, value- led insurance education and awareness content.
Innovation continued to be central to our marketing vision. The adoption of Al-led capabilities such as AI-generated videos, virtual avatars, and automated content workflows, enabled faster turnaround, regional customization and improved consistency across channels. Technology- led customer omnichannel communication initiatives, delivered higher engagement rates and improved customer experience outcomes.
A notable highlight was the launch of Promises Forever, a public interest financial awareness initiative, highlighting the belief that our promises should endure beyond one’s lifetime. It addressed the issue of unclaimed financial benefits in India and encouraged families to start an open conversation around financial details. Built on a social experiment format and supported by a digital pledge movement, the campaign achieved 17.5 million views.
Marketing efforts supported multiple successful launches across protection, savings, pension and unit-linked segments. Integrated 360-degree campaigns, combining digital amplification, distributor enablement and on-ground activations, ensured strong visibility and traction.
Your Company also deepened stakeholder engagement during its IPO through sustained public relations and outreach efforts, resulting in strong share of voice, extensive national and regional media coverage, and enhanced visibility for senior leaders.
Through these integrated efforts, your Company reinforced its promise of long-term protection, trust and partnership. By combining emotional storytelling, technology-led innovation and purpose-driven communication, the brand remains well positioned to support sustainable growth while staying firmly anchored in a customer-first philosophy.
Investments
FY26 proved to be a challenging and transitional year for Indian equity markets, shaped largely by external shocks rather than domestic macro weakness. After several years of strong outperformance, Indian equities went through a phase of valuation reset and heightened volatility, resulting in muted to negative benchmark returns for the year.
The global backdrop was marked by elevated geopolitical uncertainty, and rising trade frictions. These factors together weighed on risk appetite across emerging markets, with India-given its premium positioning-experiencing sharper corrections during risk-off phases. The most dominant headwinds during FY26 stemmed from external macro and geopolitical developments. The escalation of tensions in West Asia led to a sharp increase in crude oil prices, reviving concerns around inflation, current account dynamics, and fiscal stability. This resulted in heightened global risk aversion and periodic spikes in market volatility through the year.
Alongside geopolitics, global trade challenges emerged as a significant additional drag on sentiment mainly characterised by higher tariffs and tightening of non-tariff barriers & increased protectionist policies across major economies.
In India, fixed income markets were supported by benign inflation trajectory, stable macro fundamentals and active liquidity support by the Reserve Bank of India. However, the pace of yield compression moderated compared to the earlier phase of the cycle, as markets balanced expectations of incremental policy easing against Government borrowing requirements for FY27 and evolving geopolitical dynamics. During FY26, the benchmark 10-year Government of India bond yield traded within a range of 6.20% and 6.78% from April 2025 through February 2026, as domestic inflation remained contained and monetary policy expectations stayed broadly stable. However, yields moved sharply higher towards the end of the fiscal year, with the benchmark closing at 7.035%, driven by heightened global risk aversion following an escalation of geopolitical tensions, which led to a spike in crude oil prices and a corresponding reassessment of inflation and macro-stability risks.
High returns are generated by buying assets when fear drives prices down, while low returns follow buying during euphoric, high-priced markets. Emotional discipline, or avoiding the herd, is key to capitalizing on these cycles. From an investment perspective, FY26 reinforced the importance of discipline, valuation sensitivity, and quality bias. Domestic institutional flows remained a stabilising force through the year, helping cushion market declines during periods of intense foreign selling. The correction during the year helped create more reasonable entry points across several high-quality businesses, improving the medium-term risk-reward profile for long-term investors. As macro visibility improves and global uncertainties recede, Indian equities remain well-positioned to benefit from long-term structural growth drivers.
Your Company offers a diversified range of traditional and unit-linked products to support customers in achieving their financial goals and continues to expand its fund offerings and introduce competitive savings and protection solutions during the year. Investments are managed in accordance with the Investment Policy, Asset-Liability Management Policy and respective fund objectives, with a prudent and well-diversified approach within the defined risk-reward framework to support long-term sustainable performance.
Your Company continues to focus on prudent investing and disciplined risk management to deliver consistent long-term performance, safeguard policyholder interests and create sustainable value for its customers.
People & Leadership Development: A Strategic L&D Perspective
At the heart of sustainable organizational growth lies a robust People and Leadership Development strategy. Your Company’s commitment to nurturing talent is reflected in its structured approach to capability building, with a strong emphasis on developing high-potential individuals and strengthening the leadership pipeline.
Your Company fosters a people-centric culture rooted in inclusivity, empowerment, and performance and emphasizes attracting, developing, and retaining talent through structured programs that value diversity across tenure, roles, education, gender, age, and background. It promotes a “For All” culture that spans hiring, onboarding, and continuous learning, with tailored benefits and development opportunities that support both personal and professional growth. By investing in continuous learning and leadership development, your Company enhances employee engagement, supports career progression, and significantly improves talent retention.
The Company’s consistent recognition as a Great Place to Work for five consecutive years, along with the notable achievements of being ranked among the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For in India 2026 and the Top 25 Best Places to Work in the BFSI sector, is a testament to the effectiveness of its people and culture initiatives and their positive impact on employee engagement and satisfaction.
STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF ADEQUACY OF INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROLS
Your Company has in place adequate internal financial controls commensurate with the size, scale and complexity of its operations. During the year under review, your Company had engaged an external firm to review adequacy and working effectiveness of internal financial controls within your Company, based on the requirements of the Companies Act, 2013 and the guidance note issued in this regard by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
As per the review conducted, the overall framework for internal financial controls was generally found to be effective. The results of the review were also placed before the Audit
Committee and the Board in their respective meetings held on 28th April 2026.
Further, the statutory auditors also provided an audit opinion on adherence to internal financial controls over financial reporting. As per opinion of our joint statutory auditors, the Company has, in all material respects, adequate internal financial controls over financial reporting in its financial statements and such internal financial controls were operating effectively as at 31st March 2026 based on Guidance Note on Audit of Internal Financial Controls Over Financial Reporting issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
CEO/ CFO CERTIFICATION
In terms of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 [Listing Regulations], the certificate by the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer on the financial statements and internal controls relating to financial reporting has been obtained and was placed before the Audit Committee and the Board on 28th April 2026.
RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
As your Company operates in the business of providing financial protection to its customers, a robust and well- embedded risk management framework is fundamental to its operations. Over time, your Company has strengthened its risk management framework to support sound governance across the organisation and to ensure that risk management remains an integral part of day-to-day decision-making and operations at all levels.
Effective risk management strategies and policies are essential to the Company’s success. Risk is inherent in all business operations, particularly in the financial services sector. The Company is exposed to a range of risks, and its risk management framework supports informed decision¬ making and timely mitigation, helping prevent any undue increase in risk exposure.
In line with section 134(3)(n) of the Companies Act, 2013, your Company has included a description of the risk management framework in the notes to accounts forming part of the financials statement for FY26, and also as part of the Management Discussion & Analysis Report, which forms part of the Annual Report.
FINANCIALS Transfer to Reserves
Your Company has made a profit after tax of ' 127 crore during FY26, which was carried forward to the reserves. Your Company had accumulated profits of ' 530 crore as on 31st March 2026.
Solvency Margin
Your Company has maintained a healthy solvency margin consistently with Solvency Ratio of 190%, as on 31st March 2026, well above the regulatory limit of 150%.
Share Capital
The issued, subscribed and paid-up share capital of the Company as at 31st March 2026 is ' 9,50,00,00,000 comprising of 95 crore equity shares having face value of '10 each.
Debentures issued during FY26
During FY26, the Company issued 25,000 rated, listed, redeemable, unsecured, subordinated, taxable, fully paid- up, non-cumulative, non-convertible debentures, as per the details given below:
|
Particulars
|
Issue details
|
|
Date of allotment of the securities
|
13th March 2026
|
|
Number of securities
|
25,000
|
|
Whether the issue of the securities was by way of preferential allotment, private placement or public issue
|
Private placement
|
|
Brief details of the debt restructuring pursuant to which the securities are issued
|
Not applicable
|
|
Issue price
|
' 1,00,000 per debenture
|
|
Coupon rate
|
8.15% per annum
|
|
Maturity date
|
13th March 2036, subject to exercise of any call option by the Company
|
|
Amount raised
|
' 250 crore
|
The funds raised by the Company through issue of non¬ convertible debentures, have been fully utilized towards augmenting the Company’s solvency margin and for general business activities.
Credit Rating
|
Type of
|
Name of the
|
Rating
|
Date of the
|
|
Instruments
|
Rating Agency Assigned
|
Letter
|
|
Unsecured, subordinated, listed,
|
CARE Ratings Limited
|
AA ;
Stable
|
23rd February 2026
|
|
rated, redeemable, non-cumulative, fully paid-up, non-convertible debentures aggregating to ' 250 crore
|
CRISIL Ratings Limited
|
AA ;
Stable
|
19th February 2026
|
During the year, CARE Ratings Limited re-affirmed the rating of AAA (Stable) on the general creditworthiness of the Company.
Dividend and dividend distribution policy
Your Company paid final dividend of ' 0.40 per equity share of face value ' 10 each for FY25 amounting to ' 38 crore.
The Board of Directors of your Company have recommended a final dividend of ' 0.40 per equity share of face value of ' 10 each, for FY26 in its meeting held on 28th April 2026, subject to approval of the members of the Company at their annual general meeting.
The Record Date fixed for determining entitlement of members to final dividend, if approved at the annual general meeting, is 14th August 2026.
Your Company has formulated a ‘Dividend Distribution Policy’ which has been approved by the Board. In terms of Regulation 43A of the Listing Regulations, the ‘Dividend Distribution Policy’ is hosted on the website of the Company which can be accessed by this link athttps://www.canarahsbclife.com/ investor-relations/policies-and-code-of-conduct.
Transfer of unclaimed dividend and shares to Investor Education & Protection Fund (IEPF)
Your Company was not required to transfer any amount towards the Investor Education and Protection Fund during FY26.
Particulars of loans, guarantees or investments
The provisions of Section 186(4) of the Companies Act, 2013, requiring disclosure in the financial statements of the full particulars of the loans given, investment made or guarantee given or security provided including the purpose for which the loan or guarantee or security is proposed to be utilised by the Company, are not applicable to an insurance company.
Public deposits
During the year, your Company has not accepted any deposits under Section 73 of the Companies Act, 2013.
Update on implementation of Ind-AS
On 30th March 2026, IRDAI issued the IRDAI (Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (“Amendment Regulations”) mandating preparation and reporting of financial statements in accordance with Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS), effective 1st April 2026, along with parallel reporting of financial information to IRDAI as per current reporting framework for two years. IRDAI also allowed transitional relief via forbearance for a period of one year for insurers.
Your Company’s Ind-AS implementation roadmap was aligned to the earlier notified intended timeline of 1st April 2027 and progressing accordingly. The Company has applied to IRDAI for forbearance for a period of one year.
The Ind-AS implementation programme is being managed through Steering Committee comprising of Chief Financial Officer, Appointed Actuary, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Investment
Officer and Chief Operating & Technology Officer. Progress updates are presented to the Audit Committee of the Board on periodic basis.
Particulars of contracts or arrangements with related parties
During the year, there were no material transactions with related parties, which were not in the ordinary course of business or not on an arm’s length basis. Accordingly, no disclosure is made in respect of related party transaction in Form AOC-2 in terms of Section 134 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Rules framed thereunder.
The Company has in place a Policy on Materiality of Related Party Transactions and Dealing with Related Party Transactions, and the same is reviewed annually and/or as and when need arises by the Audit Committee and the Board. It ensures proper approval and reporting of the concerned transactions between the Company and related parties.
As per Accounting Standard (AS) 18 on ‘Related Party Disclosures’, the details of related party transactions entered into by the Company are also included in the Notes to Accounts.
The details of difference between amount of the valuation done at the time of one-time settlement and the valuation done while taking loan from the Banks or Financial Institutions along with the reasons thereof
During the year under review, your Company has not availed any loan from any Banks or Financial Institutions and therefore, no valuation was carried out.
Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo
|
Particulars
|
FY26
|
FY25
|
|
Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo
|
|
|
|
- Earnings
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
- Outgo
|
163.8
|
37.6
|
AUDIT/ AUDITORS Statutory auditors
During the year, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) appointed M/s Brahmayya & Co. and M/s Raj Har Gopal & Co., as joint statutory auditors of the Company for the FY26. The joint statutory auditors hold office till the conclusion of the 19th annual general meeting.
Since the listing of the shares of the Company, the provisions of section 139(5) of Companies Act, 2013 do not apply to the Company and accordingly, the statutory auditors will now be appointed by the members at the annual general meeting, according to the provisions of section 139(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 and IRDAI (Corporate Governance for Insurers) Regulations, 2024.
The Board of Directors has approved and recommended the appointment of the following joint statutory auditors, subject to approval by the members at the ensuing annual general meeting:
- M/s Brahmayya & Co. and
- M/s Bhaskara Rao & Co.
Auditor’s report
Your Directors have examined the joint statutory auditors’ report on financial statements for FY26. The report is self¬ explanatory and does not call for any comments under section 134(3)(f) of the Companies Act, 2013 as the report carries no qualifications/ adverse remarks/ reservations/ disclaimers. There were no reportable frauds identified by the auditors during FY26.
Secretarial auditors
The members at their annual general meeting held on 25th September 2025, had appointed M/s Chandrasekaran Associates, Company Secretaries, to undertake the secretarial audit of your Company for a term of 5 (Five) consecutive years, to hold office from the conclusion of the 18th annual general meeting till the conclusion of the 23rd annual general meeting of the Company to be held in the financial year 2030-31.
The secretarial audit report issued by M/s Chandrasekaran Associates is hereby annexed as Annexure A and forms part of this report. There are no qualifications/ adverse remarks/ reservations/ disclaimers in the report.
Cost Records and Cost Audit
Maintenance of cost records and requirement of cost audit as prescribed under the provisions of the Section 148(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 are not applicable on the business activities carried out by the Company.
FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability
Giving back to society has been a core belief of your Company since its inception and continues to guide its approach to social responsibility. Your Company follows a long-term, shared-value approach to community and social investment to maximise impact and ensure sustainability of its initiatives. Its social and environmental projects are need-based, aligned with Government priority areas, and guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Your Company has a well-structured and comprehensive CSR programme. During FY26, its CSR initiatives were focused on three areas — Education & Skill Development, Environment, and Health. In line with its CSR objectives and Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013, your Company identified eight projects, of which seven were implemented in partnership
with like-minded NGOs and one was executed directly by the Company.
Through its diverse educational initiatives including strengthening infrastructure to ensure quality learning, your Company supported more than 3,300 children - covering children with disabilities, those from rural areas, urban slums, and migrant communities. These efforts enhanced access to education and promoted inclusion by offering remedial classes, creating student-friendly infrastructure, providing holistic support, and fostering life-skills development.
Your Company’s skill development and livelihood programmes have played an important role in empowering individuals and communities by equipping them with employable skills and livelihood opportunities. Through these CSR initiatives, more than 500 beneficiaries were supported, of whom approximately 45% were women.
As part of its environmental initiatives, your Company focused on building climate-resilient farming communities and promoting sustainable rural development through the Biovillage concept under its CSR projects. Through capacity¬ building programmes, nearly 600 beneficiaries were supported in adopting sustainable farming practices and climate- resilient livelihood opportunities. In addition, more than 3,800 saplings were planted to support water conservation, improve groundwater levels, and enhance green cover.
The healthcare intervention successfully provided eye care services to over 2,000 individuals living in rural communities, with over 300 beneficiaries receiving cataract surgeries.
Your Company’s commitment to social responsibility is reflected in its employee volunteering programmes— Protsaahan, EachOneTeachOne and Sashakt. Under Protsaahan, employees participated in skill-based volunteering with project beneficiaries. Through EachOneTeachOne, employees served as mentors, providing academic guidance and support to underprivileged children. Sashakt is a dedicated volunteering initiative focused on the welfare of persons with disabilities. Your Company also promoted financial literacy in local languages to more than 1,200 beneficiaries.
During FY26, your Company invested close to 1,600 employee volunteering hours on social initiatives thereby impacting over 3,000 project beneficiaries.
The details of the projects undertaken during the year on the CSR activities for FY26, are annexed herewith as Annexure B.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
Your Company is committed to integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations into its business strategy and operations to create long-term value for all stakeholders, including policyholders, employees, investors, communities and the environment.
Particulars of Conservation of Energy and Technology Absorption
Information as required under section 134(3)(m) of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 is as under:
a. Conservation of Enerav
|
i. The steps taken or impact on conservation of energy
|
During the year, your Company continued to leverage IPM technology (Intelligent Power Management) for fine-grained, non-intrusive power management across all hardware.
This technology senses ‘applications’ and optimizes power according to the needs of each application by intelligently managing power in components. It continues to be helpful in ensuring that power is automatically managed and saved without user intervention.
The Company has also chosen its primary cloud provider, which promotes energy conservation and sustainability through several strategies. By choosing Cloud infrastructure, the Company reduces its carbon emissions and also invests in renewable energy sources with efficient data centre designs to further minimize environmental impact. Systems designed for a cloud native setup in combination with cloud tools and services help in optimizing cloud workloads and tracking of carbon footprint.
This has reinforced your Company’s commitment to conservation of energy with sustainability through Green IT and helps in conservation of energy across the data centre and workstations in use.
With a paperless process for digital customer onboarding and servicing of customers across the Company with increased DIY services, the Company has substantially reduced the use of paper to further environmental conservation.
Energy Consumption Reduction Initiatives Enhancing Energy Efficiency:
Your Company is committed to improving the energy efficiency of its office and workplace environments through the adoption of energy-saving appliances, LED lighting solutions, and improved insulation. Additionally, the Company is actively promoting awareness among employees to switch off computers, lights, and other equipment when not in use. Automated sensor systems have been installed across all cabins, meeting rooms, and training rooms to ensure lights and devices are powered down when spaces are unoccupied.
Green Building Initiatives:
The Head Office of your Company has been equipped with a 25 KVA solar power system integrated with an on-grid feeding mechanism, thereby reducing reliance on conventional energy sources. Furthermore, Corporate Office of your Company operates within a GOLD LEED-certified building, underscoring our commitment to sustainable building practices. Implementation of IoT Devices:
Your Company is currently in the process of deploying Internet of Things (IoT) devices to enable real-time monitoring of energy consumption at its major branches. This initiative aims to identify and mitigate energy losses effectively, leading to optimized energy management. Further details on energy conservation are also appearing on sections on ESG initiatives elsewhere in the Annual Report.
|
|
ii. The steps taken by the Company for utilising alternate sources of energy
|
As mentioned above
|
|
iii. The capital investment on energy
|
The Company co-located data centre is recognized as best-in-class in energy conservation,
|
|
conservation equipment
|
thereby contributing to energy conservation measures.
|
|
i. The efforts made towards technology absorption.
|
• Your Company has through careful assessment and evaluation started using enterprise Gen AI platforms with leading cloud providers.
|
| |
• Your Company has been a frontrunner in evaluating and using Agentic AI framework supporting underwriting decisions executing as co-pilot for underwriters.
|
| |
• Your Company has also started using Gen AI for efficiency in software development lifecycles.
|
| |
• Your Company, with its systems built on new age micro services architecture and extensive API services, transformed the landscape to be open for integration.
|
| |
• Your Company, through SDK-based enablement, has integrated its servicing capability to Bank customers on the Banking app and continues to focus on automation for improved customer experience. New DIY capabilities for customers have been added.
|
| |
• Processes including video KYC and eKYC with auto review have been introduced to all touch-points to improve customer experience.
|
| |
Your Company has been operating with majority of transaction processing systems on cloud or using cloud services providing higher resilience, scalability, and maintaining the performance levels of the system as it plans to have most of the infrastructure on cloud in the following year.
|
|
ii. The benefits derived like product
improvement, cost reduction, product development or import substitution.
|
Other technological initiatives such as use of Gen AI for SDLC, case summarization for underwriters, digital profile review of customers for risk assessment, and continued focus on robotic process automation have resulted in operational efficiency as your Company’s continued focus on customer experience enhancement and sustainable growth.
|
|
iii. In case of imported technology
(imported during the last three years reckoned from the beginning of the financial year) -
|
Not Applicable
|
|
a. The details of technology imported
b. The year of import
c. Whether the technology been fully absorbed
|
|
|
d. If not fully absorbed, areas where absorption has not taken place, and the reasons thereof
|
|
|
iv. The expenditure incurred on Research and Development
|
Not Applicable
|
Your Company’s ESG philosophy is guided by the following principles:
- Environmental: Your Company is committed to minimising its environmental footprint and promoting sustainability through conservation, carbon reduction, environmentally responsible processes, sustainable investments, and effective waste management.
- Social: Your Company is committed to building a strong and diverse workforce and contributing positively to the communities in which it operates. Its social priorities
include diversity and inclusion (D&I), employee wellbeing, customer focus, and community engagement.
- Governance: Your Company upholds high ethical standards and a robust corporate governance framework, with a focus on ethical conduct, values-based behaviour, risk management, and sound governance practices.
Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosures as stipulated under Regulation 34 of the Listing Regulations have been hosted on the website of the Company and also forms part of the Annual Report in a separate section.
b. Technology AbsorptionCORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Your Company firmly believes in being a good corporate citizen and is committed to sound corporate practices, maximizing shareholder value and providing superior customer experience, ethically and on a sustainable basis. It endeavors to achieve the highest standards of corporate governance through consciousness, fairness, transparency and professionalism, thereby leading the way for long term success of the Company.
Your Company has a Board approved Corporate Governance Policy which is in accordance with the IRDAI Corporate Governance Regulations and the requirements of the Companies Act, 2013, Listing Regulations as well as the Articles of Association.
The Corporate Governance Report containing disclosures required to be made under the Companies Act, 2013, Listing Regulations as well as the regulatory requirements is annexed hereby as Annexure C and forms part of this report. A certificate certifying compliance with the regulatory requirements, is annexed hereby as Annexure D and forms part of this report.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As on the date of signing of this report, the Board of Directors comprises of 11 Directors, including 6 Independent Directors, 4 Non-Executive Directors and 1 Executive Director. The Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer is the only Executive Director.
The details of the Board and Committee meetings and the attendance of Directors thereat, form part of the Corporate Governance Report which is annexed as Annexure C.
|
Name
|
Particular
|
Designation
|
Director Identification Number (DIN)
|
Date of appointment
|
|
Dr Rabi Narayan Mishra
|
Appointment
|
Independent Director
|
09435887
|
14th April 2025
|
|
Mr Animesh Chauhan
|
Appointment
|
Independent Director
|
02060457
|
14th April 2025
|
|
Mr Bhavendra Kumar
|
Appointment
|
Non-Executive Director
|
10401479
|
13th June 2025
|
|
Mr Santanu Kumar Majumdar
|
Appointment
|
Non-Executive Director
|
08223415
|
19th July 2025
|
|
Name
|
Reason of cessation
|
Director Identification
|
Date of Cessation with
|
|
Number (DIN)
|
effect from
|
|
Mr Debashish Mukherjee
|
Resigned as a Director upon attaining superannuation from promoter bank
|
08193978
|
1st June 2025
|
|
Mr K Satyanarayana Raju
|
Resigned as a Director & Chairman upon attaining superannuation from promoter bank
|
08607009
|
1st January 2026
|
Changes in Directorships
During FY26 and up to the date of this report, the following changes were made in the Board of Directors of your Company: i) Details of the Directors appointed
The above appointments were recommended by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) and approved by the Board and have also been approved by members at general meetings.
Your Company has received the requisite disclosures and undertakings from all the Directors in compliance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and the IRDAI Corporate Governance Regulations.
ii) Details of cessation/ resignation of Directors
The Board would like to place on record its sincere appreciation for the guidance and support provided by these Directors during their tenure.
Retirement by rotation
In accordance with the provisions of Companies Act, 2013 and the Articles of Association, Mr Santanu Kumar Majumdar (DIN - 08223415) and Mr Amitabh Nevatia (DIN - 10891350) shall retire by rotation at the 19th annual general meeting and being eligible, offer themselves for re-appointment.
Independent Directors
As on the date of this Report, your Company has six (6) Independent Directors on Board - Dr Kishore Kumar Sansi, Mr Supratim Bandyopadhyay, Ms Geeta Mathur, Mr Suryanarayana Somayajula, Dr Rabi Narayan Mishra and Mr Animesh Chauhan.
The Independent Directors met separately during FY26, on 20th July 2025, as per the terms of the requirements of the Companies Act, 2013. The Independent Directors of your Company have given confirmation that they meet the criteria of independence as provided under section 149(6) of the Companies Act, 2013 and said declaration was noted by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 28th April 2026.
The Board is satisfied with the integrity, expertise and experience, including proficiency, of all Independent Directors.
The Independent Directors have complied with the Code for Independent Directors as prescribed in Schedule IV to the Act
and with the requirements of registration in ID databank as prescribed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
‘Fit and Proper’ Criteria
In accordance with the applicable IRDAI Regulations, Directors of Insurers have to meet the ‘fit and proper’ criteria prescribed by IRDAI. Accordingly, all the Directors of the Company have confirmed compliance with ‘fit and proper’ criteria/ norms. Also, the Company had received declarations from the Directors in terms of Section 164 of the Act, confirming that they are not disqualified from being appointed as Director of any Company. Further, based on the disclosures and confirmations received from the Directors, the Board is of the opinion that the Directors of the Company are eminent persons with integrity and have the necessary expertise and experience to continue to discharge their responsibilities as the Directors of the Company.
Evaluation of performance of the Board
Under the Companies Act, 2013, the performance of the Board and its Committees as well as of individual Directors is required to be evaluated annually.
Accordingly, your Company has in place a Board and Directors’ Evaluation Policy, which was approved by the Board on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC). The Policy lays down a mix of self and peer evaluation criteria through a rated questionnaire, which addresses various facets of performance of the Board, its Committees, and the individual Directors, including the Chairman. The Policy and the questionnaire are also reviewed by the NRC and the Board on an annual basis.
The questionnaire was circulated to all Directors and based on the responses submitted by the Directors, the results of the evaluation exercise were presented at the meetings of the NRC and Board.
Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance
The Company has in place D&O Liability Insurance for its Directors and other officers/ employees.
KEY MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT
As on the date of signing of the report, the following were the Key Managerial Personnel of your Company under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013:
- Mr Anuj Mathur, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
- Mr Tarun Rustagi, Chief Financial Officer
- Ms Vatsala Sameer, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer
In terms of the Corporate Governance regulations issued by the IRDAI, the following employees of the Company held the position of Key Managerial Person as on the date of signing of the report:
- Mr Anuj Mathur, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
- Mr Soly Thomas, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Distribution Officer - Bancassurance
- Mr Tarun Rustagi, Chief Financial Officer
- Mr Rishi Mathur, Chief Distribution Officer - Alternate channels and Chief Marketing Officer
- Ms Kiran Yadav, Chief People Officer
- Ms Jyoti Kartarsingh Vaswani, Chief Investment Officer
- Mr Sachin Dutta, Chief Operating Officer
- Mr Ritesh Kumar Rathod, Chief Strategy and Data Officer
- Mr Vikas Gupta, Chief Risk Officer
- Mr Manoj Jain, Chief Compliance Officer
- Mr Nitin Agarwal, Appointed Actuary
- Mr Dinesh Tak, Chief Agency Officer
- Ms Vatsala Sameer, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer
- Mr Saurabh Sahni, Chief Internal Auditor
- Mr Suneet Kumar Saxena, Chief Technology Officer
Policies with respect to Directors and KMPs
In terms of the requirements under the Companies Act, 2013 and IRDAI (Corporate Governance for Insurers) Regulations
2024, as amended, in connection with Directors & KMPs, your Company has in place the following policies:
Directors’ & KMP Policy:
The purpose of the Directors’ and KMP Policy is to:
a. describe the procedure and criteria on the basis of which the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Company (NRC) will identify persons eligible to be appointed as directors and assess independence of directors;
b. lay down provisions with respect to term of appointment, criteria for re-appointment and remuneration of directors;
c. include the framework with respect to remuneration payable to Key Management Persons (KMP) of the Company;
d. lay down the performance evaluation framework of directors, including Chairperson and Independent Directors;
e. outline any other requirements with respect to appointment of directors, including Independent Directors.
The aforesaid policy is placed on the Company’s website and can be accessed through the following web link:
https://www.canarahsbclife.com/investor-relations/policies-
and-code-of-conduct
Compensation Policy:
Your Company also has in place a Compensation Policy to define a compensation strategy that is fair, equitable, transparent, comprehensible and competitive with the market. This Policy applies to all full-time employees of the Company, including the Key Managerial Persons. The compensation structure and governance framework for the KMPs forms part of the Annexure to the Compensation Policy and specifies the following for KMPs:
- Compensation structure
- Limits of variable pay and parameters to be considered for determination of variable pay
- Deferral arrangements for the variable pay
- Malus and clawback provisions
Code of Conduct for the members of the Board and Senior Management
Your Company proactively stipulates and implements strict codes of conduct covering areas like personal and professional conduct/ ethics, conflicts of interest, transparency, customer centricity etc. by pre-empting potential concern/ conflict situations so that it has measures and controls internally to ensure and demonstrate its values and standards.
The objective of this Code of Conduct is to set forth ethical standards, principles, and expectations that will guide the behaviour of directors and senior management in their professional responsibilities. It aims to promote transparency, integrity, accountability, and compliance with applicable laws, while fostering a culture of trust, respect, and ethical decision-making.
The Code of Conduct for the members of the Board and Senior Management has been hosted on the Company’s website at https://www.canarahsbclife.com/investor-relations/policies- and-code-of-conduct.
A certificate from the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer confirming that all directors and senior management personnel have affirmed compliance with the Code of Conduct is attached to this report as Annexure E.
OTHER STATUTORY DISCLOSURES Annual Return
Pursuant to Section 134(3)(a) and Section 92(3) of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 12 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, the draft Annual Return for the financial year ended 31st March 2026, is hosted on the website of the Company athttps://www. canarahsbclife.com/investor-relations/financials with the information available up to the date of this report, and the final return shall be updated upon submission with the Registrar of Companies (ROC), within 60 days from the date of the 19th annual general meeting.
Particulars of Employees
The details as required to be disclosed in terms of Section 197(12) of the Companies Act, 2013, read with Rule 5 of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014 are appended below.
For the purpose of this disclosure, fixed remuneration components - namely basic salary, statutory bonus, house rent, supplementary and conveyance allowances, as well as retiral benefits (Provident Fund and Gratuity) have been considered :
(i) ratio of the remuneration of each director to the median remuneration of the employees (full-time permanent employees) of the company for the financial year;
Mr Anuj Mathur, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer : 77.3:1
(ii) the percentage increase in remuneration of each director, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Company Secretary or Manager, if any, in the financial year;
The percentage increase in remuneration of the Managing Director & CEO, Chief Financial Officer and the Company Secretary ranged between 10% to 12%.
(iii) the percentage increase in the median remuneration of employees in the financial year;
The percentage increase in the median remuneration of employees in the financial year was around 7.3%.
(iv) the number of permanent employees on the rolls of company;
The number of permanent employees on the rolls of the Company is 6,752 as of 31st March 2026
(v) average percentile increase already made in the salaries of employees other than the managerial personnel in the last financial year and its comparison with the percentile increase in the managerial remuneration and justification thereof and point out if there are any exceptional circumstances for increase in the managerial remuneration;
The average percentage increase in the salaries of employees other than the key management persons for FY26 was around 7%, while the average increase (excluding market adjustment) in the remuneration of the key management persons was in the range of 5% to 12%.
(vi) affirmation that the remuneration is as per the remuneration policy of the company
Yes, the remuneration is as per the board’s approved compensation/remuneration policy.
The statement showing particulars of employees pursuant to Section 197 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 5(2) and 5(3) of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, forms part of this report.
In terms of the provisions of Section 136 of the Companies Act, 2013 , the Annual Report is being sent to the members, except the aforementioned information/ statement. The said information is available for inspection by the members up to the date of the 19th annual general meeting, on all working days, during business hours, at the Registered Office of the Company at 8th Floor, Unit No. 808-814, Ambadeep Building, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi- 110001. Members who are interested in obtaining the said particulars may please send an email at investor@canarahsbclife.in.
Employee Stock Option Scheme (ESOP)
The Company has formulated and implemented ‘Canara HSBC Life Insurance - Employee Stock Option Plan 2025’ (“CHL ESOP Plan 2025”), as approved at the extraordinary general meeting of the Company held on 18th April 2025, to
be administered via a Trust created for that purpose, i.e., CHL ESOP Trust.
The objective of CHL ESOP Plan 2025 was to reward eligible employees for their performance and to motivate them to contribute to the growth and profitability of the Company.
A total number of 56,99,958 Options were granted to 201 eligible employees under the CHL ESOP Plan 2025, convertible into equal number of shares i.e. 56,99,958 Equity Shares currently having face value of ' 10 each.
Particulars of options granted in the FY26 are given below :
|
Options granted
|
56,99,958
|
|
Options forfeited/ lapsed
|
2,23,436 (based on attrition till April 2026)
|
|
Options vested
|
Nil (first vesting will happen in July 2026)
|
|
Options exercised
|
-
|
|
Total number of options in force
|
54,76,522
|
|
Number of shares allotted pursuant to exercise of options
|
-
|
|
Extinguishment or modification of options
|
-
|
|
Amount realised by exercise of options (?)
|
-
|
There has been no material variation in the terms of the options granted under CHL ESOP Plan 2025 and the scheme is in compliance with SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021 (“SBEB Regulations”) and any amendment thereof.
The Annual Certificate on compliance with SBEB Regulations, issued by the Secretarial Auditors is being made available for inspection at the forthcoming AGM.
During the year, there were no instances of loan granted by the Company to its employees for purchasing/ subscribing its equity shares.
The statutory disclosures as mandated under the SBEB Regulations, have been hosted on the website of the Company athttps://www.canarahsbclife.com/investor- relations/financials.
Disclosures as per Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 provides protection against sexual harassment of women at the workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints.
Your Company has formulated the Policy on Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace. The objective of the Policy is to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment which is free from harassment and where all female employees are treated with dignity, courtesy and respect.
With a view to protecting women employees from sexual harassment at their workplace and for prevention and redressal of complaints related to Sexual Harassment, the Company has a constituted Internal Committee (IC) for all offices across the country. The details of the cases referred to the IC during the FY26 are as follows:
|
No. of cases filed
|
No. of cases disposed
|
No. of cases
|
No. of cases
|
|
pending for more
|
pending as on
|
|
than ninety days
|
31st March 2026
|
|
13
|
11
|
0
|
2
|
Compliance of the provisions relating to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Company has complied with all applicable provisions under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, during the FY26.
Policy for determining material subsidiaries
The Company does not have any subsidiaries.
Material changes and commitment
Pursuant to the listing of equity shares of the Company on 17th October 2025, Canara Bank and HSBC Insurance (Asia- Pacific) Holdings Limited (being categorized as promoters of the Company) have divested 14.5% and 0.5% of their respective shareholdings and Punjab National Bank (being categorized as investor in the Company) has divested 10% of its shareholding.
Presently, Canara Bank and HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Holdings Limited holds 36.50% and 25.50%, respectively, of the shareholding of your Company. Punjab National Bank holds 13% of the shareholding of your Company. Remaining 25% of the shareholding is with Public.
There are no matters which have material impact on the financial position of the Company, except those disclosed in the annual report.
Change in the nature of business during the last financial year
There was no change in the nature of business during the last financial year.
Holding Company and names of companies which have become or ceased to be the Company’s Subsidiaries, Joint Ventures or Associate Companies during the year
Your Company does not have any holding, subsidiary or joint venture Company.
Legal update
No significant and/or material orders have been passed by the regulators, courts or tribunals, which impacted the ongoing concerns or status of the Company, or which could potentially impact the Company’s future operations.
The details of application made or any proceeding pending under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 during the year along with their status as at the end of the financial year
During the year under review, the Company has neither made any application nor there is any pending proceeding under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
Demat Suspense Account/ Unclaimed Suspense Account
Your Company does not have any equity shares lying in demat suspense account/unclaimed suspense account.
Compliance of Secretarial Standards
During the year, your Company has duly complied with the provisions of applicable Secretarial Standards issued by Institute of Companies Secretaries of India.
EVENTS AFTER BALANCE SHEET DATE
There have been no material changes and commitments, affecting the financial position of the Company, which have occurred between the end of the financial year of the Company, to which the Balance Sheet relates, and the date of this Report.
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES FROM PRACTICING COMPANY SECRETARY
The Company has annexed to this Report (Annexure F), a certificate obtained from the secretarial auditor, M/s Chandrasekharan Associates, Company Secretaries, regarding compliance of conditions of Corporate Governance as stipulated in the Listing Regulations.
Further, in terms of the Listing Regulations, the Company has obtained a Certificate from the secretarial auditor, M/s Chandrasekharan Associates, Company Secretaries, confirming that none of the Directors on the Board of the Company have been debarred or disqualified from being appointed or continuing as directors of companies by the Securities and Exchange Board of India, Ministry of Corporate Affairs or any such statutory authority. The certificate of Company Secretary in practice is annexed herewith as Annexure G.
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS REPORT
The Management Discussion & Analysis Report for FY26 forms part of the Annual Report.
DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT
The Directors confirm that:
1. in the preparation of the annual accounts, the applicable accounting standards have been followed along with proper explanation relating to material departures;
2. the Directors have selected such accounting policies and applied them consistently and made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of your Company at the end of the financial year and of the profit of your Company for that period;
3. the Directors have taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 for safeguarding the assets of your Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and other irregularities;
4. the Directors have prepared the annual accounts on a going concern basis;
5. the Directors have laid down internal financial controls to be followed by your Company and that such internal financial controls are adequate and were operating effectively; and
6. the Directors have devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the provisions of all applicable laws and that such systems were adequate and operating effectively.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Board of Directors would like to place on record its sincere gratitude to policyholders, members, customers and distributors for reposing their trust in the Company.
Your Directors also take this opportunity to record their gratitude towards Canara Bank and HSBC Insurance (Asia- Pacific) Holdings Limited, Promoters of the Company, for their continued support and guidance.
The Directors further take this opportunity to thank all employees for their continuous hard work, dedication and commitment.
The Directors thank the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India and other Regulators & Government authorities for their support, guidance, and direction provided from time to time.
For CANARA HSBC LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED Bhavendra Kumar Anuj Mathur
Director Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
DIN: 10401479 DIN: 00584057
Date: 8th July 2026 Date: 8th July 2026
Place: Bengaluru Place: Bengaluru
|