A STUDY ON THE SERVICES OF GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANIES IN THE RURAL AREAS OF NORTHERN KERALA

In India General Insurance or Non-life insurance market is one of the emerging, dynamic and rapidly growing sector existing for protecting the personal and social security needs of people. During 2017-18 General Insurance sector has seventeen percent rise in gross written premiums compared to the previous year. General insurance sector has a pivotal role in the socio economic development of every nation but it is seen that in rural area the coverage of general insurance is not much flourished and neglected from all its benefits because of the low coverage. To maintain the social security in the rural area IRDA has timely intervention and as a result of the same various innovative and attractive measures in the form of various products affordable to the lower socio economic strata of the society. This study is based on primary data pertaining to the quality of the services of general insurance in the rural areas of Northern Kerala, a small state in India. Data collected from eighty randomly selected respondents through a questionnaire and methodological framing has also done in an appropriate manner. The main objective of this study is to examine whether the insurers potentially utilise the opportunities of the rural market in order to fill the gap o protecting the social security needs of the rural people.