Mumbai:
HDFC Ergo General Insurance is likely to be listed in the next two years. HDFC Chairman, Deepak Parekh wants to grow Ergo General Insurance a little more before taking it public.
" We are planning to get HDFC Ergo listed within a couple of years from now. We need to grow it big and make it larger," Parekh said at a press meet to announce the IPO of HDFC Asset Management Company.
Currently HDFC MF has invested in two private sector life insurers-ICICI Prudential and SBI Life.
“We will think of investing in other the listed state-owned general insurers- New India and GIC Re-only when the government divests a total 25 per cent of its stakes in these companies
HDFC AMC will be the 5th IPO within the HDFC group.
HDFC Ergo has acquired the L&T General Insurance business and is now the third-largest private sector insurer.
For the year ended March 31, 2018, the profit after tax of HDFC ERGO stood at Rs 404 crore as against Rs 302 crore in the previous year, registering a growth of 34 per cent.
The gross direct premium of HDFC ERGO General Insurance during 2017-18 stood at Rs7,290 crore as against Rs 6,189 crore in the previous year (on a merged basis), representing a growth of 18%.
The combined ratio as at March 31, 2018 stood at 99.4%. The solvency ratio of the company was 206% as at March 31, 2018 as against the minimum regulatory requirement of 150 per cent.
During the reportiong year, HDFC ERGO paid an interim dividend of Rs 2 per equity share of Rs 10 each. During the year, the Corporation received dividend of Rs 61 crore from HDFC ERGO. HDFC holds 50.5% of the equity share capital of HDFC ERGO.
The company had a balanced portfolio mix with the retail segment accounting for 52% of the business.
HDFC Ergo General Insurance is a joint venture between HDFC and Ergo International AG, part of Germany's Munich Re Group and a leading reinsurer in Europe. HDFC has a 51 percent stake and Ergo holds 49 percent.