The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed a Public Insurance Registry (PIR) as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the insurance sector.
IRDAI released a consultation paper on 1 September 2026 and invited feedback from the public and insurance stakeholders. The proposal is part of the objectives of the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha Act, 2025.
What is the Public Insurance Registry (PIR)?
The Public Insurance Registry (PIR) is a proposed digital system that could help connect insurance information across India's insurance sector, proposed by IRDAI. It is being planned as a common digital infrastructure that could make it easier for people to find and compare insurance products, view their policies, check claims and identify unclaimed insurance benefits.
In simple terms, PIR aims to make insurance information easier to access and use without turning the system into a single central database that stores all insurance data.
The proposed system would also help insurers, intermediaries, regulators and other stakeholders use standardised information for relevant insurance-related activities.
Objectives of the PIR
Growth and inclusion: Help more people access insurance and identify areas where insurance protection is missing.
Trust and transparency: Create a clearer and more reliable view of insurance records.
Affordability: Reduce information gaps and unnecessary processes in the insurance sector.
Better decision-making: Support data-based decisions and improve the efficiency of the insurance market.
What could the PIR mean for policyholders?
According to the consultation paper, the proposed Public Insurance Registry could make several insurance-related activities easier for consumers.
Product comparison: Compare insurance products and find suitable options.
Policy access: View policies held across different insurers in one place.
Claims information: Access relevant policy and claims details more easily.
Less paperwork: Reduce the need to submit the same information repeatedly.
Unclaimed amounts: Help people identify unclaimed insurance money or benefits.
Verification: Make it easier to verify insurers and insurance intermediaries.
These features are still at the proposal stage. The final system and its features will be decided after further consultation and development.
How could different stakeholders use the PIR?
IRDAI has identified possible use cases for eight groups.
| Stakeholder | How PIR could help |
|---|---|
| Public, policyholders and prospects | Compare products, view policies and find unclaimed amounts |
| Insurers | Identify protection gaps and improve products, pricing, claims and customer service |
| Reinsurers | Access standardised exposure, loss and catastrophe-related information |
| Intermediaries | Use verified information for faster onboarding and customer servicing |
| Regulators | Monitor protection gaps, customer outcomes and market conduct |
| Financial institutions | Verify policy ownership and assess insurance-related risks |
| Government agencies | Study insurance coverage gaps and support policy planning |
| Researchers and think tanks | Use approved anonymised data for insurance research |
Focus on data, privacy and governance
IRDAI has invited feedback on how the proposed Public Insurance Registry should work.
Data architecture: How information should be organised and connected.
Identity framework: How people, policies and other records should be identified.
Privacy and consent: How personal information should be protected and shared with permission.
Data standards: Common rules for sharing information across the insurance ecosystem.
Commercial confidentiality: How sensitive business information should be protected.
Governance: Who will manage and oversee the proposed system.
Implementation: How the PIR could be introduced and existing systems could transition to it.
IRDAI said the consultation paper has been developed around the needs and challenges faced by different stakeholders in the insurance ecosystem.
IRDAI invites comments on the PIR framework
IRDAI has invited comments and suggestions on the proposed framework, particularly on the user stories in Section 8 and consultation questions in Section 15 of the paper.
Submission portal: Public Insurance Registry consultation portal
Email: pirfeedback@iib.gov.in
Submission format: Feedback can be submitted through the portal or by email using the prescribed Excel template.
Last date for feedback: 30 September 2026
The Public Insurance Registry is currently only a proposal. Its final design, technical framework and implementation plan will be developed after the consultation process and further stakeholder discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has IRDAI proposed the Public Insurance Registry?
IRDAI has proposed the Public Insurance Registry to address information and interoperability gaps in India's insurance sector. The proposed system aims to make insurance information easier to use while supporting greater transparency, better access to insurance and more efficient services.
Will people be able to buy insurance through the Public Insurance Registry?
One of the proposed use cases mentions helping people discover and compare products and identify cost-efficient products for direct purchase. However, the PIR is still at the consultation stage, and the final process for purchasing insurance through or using the proposed infrastructure has not been decided.
Will the PIR store all insurance data in one place?
The proposed PIR is not being presented as a single central repository containing all insurance information. IRDAI's proposal says relevant information can remain with the source institutions while the infrastructure helps create a more connected and authoritative view of insurance records.
Who will be able to use the Public Insurance Registry?
The proposed PIR has potential use cases for policyholders, people looking to buy insurance, insurers, reinsurers, intermediaries, regulators, financial institutions, government agencies, researchers and think tanks. Access to information would depend on the final data-sharing, privacy and governance framework.
When will the Public Insurance Registry be implemented in India?
IRDAI has not announced an implementation date. The consultation paper and its use cases are currently at a conceptual stage. Detailed functional and technical specifications will need to be developed before the proposed Public Insurance Registry moves towards implementation.
What is the Public Insurance Registry (PIR)?
The Public Insurance Registry (PIR) is a proposed digital infrastructure that aims to connect and make insurance information easier to access across India's insurance sector.
