Indian women shift to long-term risks as insurance cover rises

Women with four or more policies focused more on outbreaks and large disruptions.

Women in India are shifting their financial concerns from immediate money pressures to longer-term risks as insurance coverage increases.

The study found that women recorded a higher uncertainty score than men, at 80 compared with 78, suggesting that greater financial participation does not reduce risk awareness but changes its focus, according to Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance’s अ-Nishchit Index 2.0.

Women holding two to three insurance policies were mainly concerned about income instability, rising living costs and emergency savings. 

However, women with four or more policies were more focused on long-term risks such as virus outbreaks and large-scale disruptions.

The report said this reflects a shift from reactive financial concerns towards forward-looking risk planning. 

Women with broader insurance coverage appear to prioritise preparedness for unexpected and systemic risks rather than focusing only on short-term financial pressures.

The research also found that women consistently ranked safety concerns higher than men across different regions and town categories. 

Concerns about the safety of surroundings and online scams remained amongst the highest-ranked worries for female respondents.

According to the report, women increasingly view financial stability, personal safety and digital security as interconnected parts of household resilience. 

As more women take on financial planning and decision-making responsibilities, expectations for insurance products are also expanding beyond basic protection.

The study said comprehensive life insurance products that combine health cover, critical illness benefits and emergency support are becoming more aligned with women’s changing protection needs.

At the national level, the अ-Nishchit Index 2.0 recorded an overall uncertainty score of 79. 

The leading concerns identified by respondents included crime, rising living costs, medical emergencies, pollution, healthcare expenses, policy changes, income instability, mental health and global conflicts.

The research was based on responses from 3,583 participants and 21 qualitative interviews.