Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has issued a circular permitting life, general, and health insurers to engage in Bond Forwards for hedging interest rate risks. This decision aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) newly issued Forward Contracts in Government Securities Directions, 2025, which allows non-retail users to undertake transactions in Bond Forwards. Under clause 13 of Schedule III of IRDAI’s Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers Regulations, 2024, insurers can now take long positions (buying Bond Forwards) under specified conditions. However, Bond Forwards are not allowed for Unit-Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs).
Insurers must comply with regulatory provisions, including prudential norms, documentation requirements, and internal risk management policies outlined in the Master Circular. Additionally, they are required to report Bond Forward transactions quarterly in alignment with Interest Rate Forward Rate Agreements. Compliance with RBI directions, as well as operational guidelines set by the Fixed Income Money Market and Dealers Association of India (FIMMDA), is mandatory
INSURANCE REGULATORY AND
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF INDIA
Circular Ref: IRDAI/F&I/INV/CIR/43/03/2025 Dated: 10th March, 2025
Life, General and Health Insurers
1. As per para 1.8 a (A) of Chapter 3 of the Master Circular on IRDAI (Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers) Regulations,2024 insurers are allowed as users with following types of Rupee Interest Rate Derives to hedge the interest rate risk:
i. Forward Rate Agreements (FRAs);
ii. Interest Rate Swaps (IRS) and
iii. Exchange Traded Interest Rate Futures (IRF).
2. RBI has recently issued Reserve Bank of India (Forward Contracts in Government Securities) Directions,2025. Under these directions, it is specified that any entity, eligible to be classified as a non-retail user shall be eligible to undertake transactions in Forward Contracts in Government Securities (Bond Forwards) as a user.3.
3. In view of the above directions and considering insurers requests for introduction of Bond Forwards, insurers are hereby permitted under clause 13 of Schedule III of IRDAI (Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers) Regulations,2024 to undertake transactions in Bond Forwards as users for hedging purpose subject to the following conditions:
i. Insurers shall undertake only long positions in Bond Forwards i.e. buying Bond Forwards;
ii. Bond Forwards are not permitted for ULIP business;
iii. Insurers shall comply with provisions of paras 1.8 a (C to J) of Chapter 3 of the Master Circular on IRDAI (Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers) Regulations,2024 i.e conditions of Permitted Purpose, Regulatory Exposure and Prudential norms, Documentation Requirements, Accounting, Internal Risk Management Policy & Process, Suitability and Appropriateness Policy, Corporate Governance and CRO role & responsibilities prescribed for Interest Rate Derivatives;
iv. Insurers shall report the transactions in the Bond Forwards on quarterly basis in line with reports stipulated for Interest Rate Forward Rate Agreements.
v. Insurers shall comply with RBI directions issued for Bond Forwards as amended from time to time;
vi. Insurers shall comply with Operational Guidelines issued by Fixed Income Money Market and Dealers Association of India(FIMMDA) with respect to settlement basis and market conventions etc., as amended from time to time.
This circular is issued with approval of the Competent Authority.
Sd./-
Ammu Venkataramana
General Manager
