Regulators Address Gaps in Insurance Surety Bonds Reporting
Insurance surety bonds data gaps under regulatory lens
The Economic TimesImage: The Economic Times
Financial regulators in India, including the Reserve Bank of India and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), are set to tackle reporting gaps in insurance surety bonds. This move aims to enhance credit assessments as lenders highlight the absence of these instruments in credit information systems, which could impact systemic stability.
- 01Regulators are focusing on gaps in insurance surety bonds reporting.
- 02Insurance surety bonds are not currently included in credit information reports.
- 03The Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) will discuss these issues.
- 04Insurance surety bonds for infrastructure projects have exceeded ₹10,000 crore.
- 05The National E-Governance Services Ltd is developing electronic insurance surety bonds.
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Financial regulators in India, including the Reserve Bank of India and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), are addressing significant gaps in the reporting of insurance surety bonds and private credit exposures. Lenders have identified the absence of these instruments from credit information systems as a critical oversight, which could hinder accurate assessments of borrower risks. Discussions are expected to take place at the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC), chaired by the finance minister, to ensure systemic stability and tackle emerging financial risks. Insurance surety bonds, which guarantee contractor obligations, are currently not reflected in credit information reports, limiting lenders' visibility into borrower exposures. As of July 2025, insurance surety bonds for infrastructure projects alone have surpassed ₹10,000 crore (approximately $1.2 billion USD), with projections suggesting total volumes could reach ₹60,000 crore (around $7.2 billion USD) by the end of 2025. The National E-Governance Services Ltd is also working on electronic insurance surety bonds (e-ISB) to provide an alternative to traditional performance bid guarantees.
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Enhancing the reporting of insurance surety bonds will improve lenders' ability to assess risks, potentially leading to more informed lending decisions and better financial stability.
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