In this blog, we’ll delve into PolicyBazaar founders, their journey, and see what makes it a leader in India’s digital insurance space!
Endless paperwork, confusing terms, and relying on what an insurance agent tells us; these are common worries for anyone considering insurance. Fortunately, PolicyBazaar has stepped in and changed the scene for Indians!
Launched in 2008, PolicyBazaar brought transparency and simplicity to a space that desperately needed both. It started as a website to compare insurance plans and has now become a household name, helping millions of Indians make informed decisions about everything from health to car insurance, right from their phones or laptops.
Behind this success story are founders who understood the everyday challenges people faced when buying insurance and decided to do something about it.
About PolicyBazaar
PolicyBazaar was launched in June 2008 by Yashish Dahiya, Alok Bansal, and Avaneesh Nirjar, marking a big shift in how Indians approached insurance. Back then, insurance was mostly sold through agents, with limited information and little transparency for consumers.
PolicyBazaar aimed to transform the insurance landscape by becoming an aggregator platform, allowing users to compare policies from leading insurance providers side by side.
The platform collaborates with 56 major banks, NBFCs, and fintech lenders, providing users with a diverse range of financial products. These include personal loans, business loans, credit cards, home loans, and loans against property, catering to various personal credit needs.
As of March 31, 2024, Policybazar reported an annual revenue of INR 3,820 crore.
Meet the PolicyBazaar Founders
PolicyBazaar’s journey wouldn’t be what it is today without the vision of its founders. Let’s take a quick gander at the brains behind the brand!
Yashish Dahiya
Yashish Dahiya was born in 1972 into an Army family, he earned a Bachelor of Technology in Engineering from IIT Delhi in 1994, followed by a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Ahmedabad in 1996. He later completed his MBA from INSEAD in 2001.
Yashish began his career in 1996 as a Business Unit Head at Illinois Tool Works. He then worked as a management consultant with Bain & Co., followed by a stint as Managing Director at Ebookers Plc. In 2005, he went on to launch First Europa, one of the early insurance aggregator platforms, where he took on the role of CEO.
In 2008, Yashish Dahiya co-founded PolicyBazaar and now serves as Group CEO of the company.
Alok Bansal
Alok Bansal is an IIT Delhi graduate who co-founded PolicyBazaar in 2008. Beyond his work with PolicyBazaar, Alok is also active in India’s startup ecosystem, investing in early-stage fintech and SaaS companies through both personal investments and the Alok Bansal India Foundation. He currently holds the position of Executive Vice Chairman at PolicyBazaar.
Avaneesh Nirjar
Avaneesh holds a Master of Business Administration from BIT Mesra and before co-founding PolicyBazaar, Avaneesh Nirjar has built a diverse leadership career across multiple industries. He has served as Director of Operations at FirstEuropa Services Ltd. and was Senior Vice President of Operations & Migrations at Cendant ISO from 2004 to 2006. Avaneesh also held the role of Chief Operating Officer at HEROITES and, earlier in his career, worked as Assistant Vice President at GE Capital International Services.
His professional journey includes experience as Sales and Operations Manager at AT&T India and involvement with companies like Marico Industries, where he worked as ASM for the Delhi region.
All You Can Do with PolicyBazaar
PolicyBazaar offers an extensive range of online services aimed at making insurance simpler and more accessible for everyone. For insurance partners, PolicyBazaar provides tools for policy listing and management, digital marketing, customer analytics, and support with claims handling.
For customers, PolicyBazaar allows users to compare policies from dozens of insurers, purchase a variety of insurance products, including health, life, motor, travel, and more and manage all their policies in one place. The platform also offers clear information and claim assistance, helping users at each step, from understanding complex insurance terms to settling claims.
Beyond this, PolicyBazaar extends its offerings with dedicated solutions like travel insurance options, corporate insurance for businesses, and value-added services.
PolicyBazaar’s Funding Journey
Policybazaar has raised funding over 1 round. Its latest funding round was a Post IPO round on Oct 14, 2017 for USD 7.69M. 1 investor participated in its latest round, which included Premji Invest, Burman Family Holdings, Alpha Wave Global and Chiratae Ventures.
Policybazaar has 10 institutional investors including Premji Invest, Burman Family Holdings and Alpha Wave Global.
Breaking Down PolicyBazaar’s IPO
PolicyBazaar’s parent company, PB Fintech, made its public debut with an IPO worth INR 5,709 crore. This issue included a fresh offering of 3.83 crore shares, raising INR 3,750 crore, along with an offer for sale of 2.00 crore shares, amounting to INR 1,959.71 crore.
The IPO bidding window was open from November 1 to November 3, 2021. Shares were listed on both the BSE and NSE. The price band for the IPO was set at INR 980 per share, and retail investors could apply with a minimum lot size of 15 shares, which required an estimated minimum investment of INR 14,100.
PolicyBazaar’s Market Share
PolicyBazaar has cemented its position as India’s largest digital insurance marketplace. In FY20, the platform secured a commanding market share of 93.4% in terms of the number of policies sold.During the same year, 65.3% of all digital insurance sales in India by volume were transacted through PolicyBazaar.
Afterword
PolicyBazaar Founders and their journey shows how the right mix of technology and customer focus can bring real change to an industry. As the platform grows, it continues to make insurance simpler and help many take important steps to secure their futures with confidence!