LIC evaluates fintech entry through build or buy strategy, CEO confirms

The decision matters because of LIC's balance sheet scale. Should the insurer choose the investment route, its capital deployment could materially strengthen Indian insurtech startups seeking growth capital. For the startup ecosystem, LIC's interest represents validation from one of India's most traditional and established financial institutions.

Legacy insurers have long relied on physical distribution networks as their competitive moat. That advantage has eroded as fintechs demonstrate agile, tech-first infrastructure capabilities that insurers cannot easily replicate in-house.