Latest news with #SarbvirSingh
Economic Times
04-08-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Listed fintechs cut marketing spends to boost fundamentals
ETtech Listed fintech startups undertook major cuts in marketing and promotional expenses in the past few quarters in a bid to achieve profitability in their core business or strengthen business fundamentals in a tough environment, showed stock exchange filings. While One 97 Communications, which runs Paytm, has been on a cost cutting spree, PB Fintech also reduced marketing spends in the past two quarters. It comes even as Paytm reported its first business-driven profitable quarter in June. While achieving revenue growth has been a major challenge in a tough macroeconomic environment, cutting costs at multiple business entities actually helped improve profit. Paytm reported less than Rs 100 crore in marketing spends for the June quarter, 55% less than Rs 221 crore a year ago.'The point is how much can costs be controlled without compromising growth, given competition is severe and consumer-facing platforms need to invest in brand building,' said a senior fintech executive, who did not wish to be Paytm reduced expenses 20% year-on-year in the June quarter, according to the regulatory filings. Its revenue increased 27% to Rs 1,917 crore from Rs 1,501 crore during this period. 'I do think there is always a corner where we are able to find some cost, but they will not be material. So it is not the agenda, so we are not actively pursuing cost cuts, while I'm definitely pursuing whatever (cost) is not necessary to drop it out of the window,' Vijay Shekhar Sharma, chief executive, Paytm, said in response to an analyst question on cost cuts after the June quarter results. Similarly, PB Fintech, which runs insurance marketplace Policybazaar, has reported a gradual reduction in its marketing and advertising expenses over the past two quarters. For October-December 2024, PB Fintech reported marketing expenses of Rs 289 crore, which went down to Rs 277 crore in the March 2025 quarter and further to Rs 253 crore in the June the company is investing heavily in building its new line of businesses, for the core operations the firm has tried to keep its costs to stock market analysts after FY25 results, Policybazaar CEO Sarbvir Singh called out employee costs among the major expense items and said that despite expanding teams through the year, the company kept the spending flat in the last quarter of 2024-25, which helped improve the contribution margin in the business. For Mobikwik, the challenge has also been to ensure revenue growth in the past one year. Its revenue fell almost 21% year-on-year in the June quarter while its overall expenses went down 9% year-on-year. While the Gurgaon-based payments firm does not offer a breakdown of its marketing costs, its broader 'other expenses' category, which includes this head, reduced to Rs 77 crore from Rs 82 crore a year ago. For payments firms, which mostly ride on banks' infrastructure to process digital payments, the rise in business volume comes with a corresponding jump in payment processing charges, one of their major cost lines. For instance, Mobikwik reported a jump in payment gateway costs to Rs 142 crore from Rs 127 crore a year ago. 'Promotional spends is one lever where the management has full control, but again too much reduction of these expenses can hurt business as well, so it will be interesting to see how growth and spends get balanced from here on,' a stock market analyst who tracks fintech startups said on condition of anonymity. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. The airport lounge war has begun — and DreamFolks is losing How Mukesh Ambani's risky bet has now become Reliance's superpower Indian IT firms never reveal the truth hiding behind 'strong' deal wins Did Meesho's Valmo really deliver a knockout punch to e-commerce logistics? Stock Radar: Strides Pharma stock hits fresh 52-week high in July; will the rally continue in August? Dividend yield: A most misunderstood parameter, both by traders & investors; 5 stocks with an upside potential of over 33% Time to buy may be good or bad, but business should be good: 5 mid-caps from different sectors with upside potential of up to 25% For investors who can think beyond Trump: 5 large-cap stocks with an upside potential of up to 36%
Time of India
04-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Listed fintechs cut marketing spends to boost fundamentals
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Listed fintech startups undertook major cuts in marketing and promotional expenses in the past few quarters in a bid to achieve profitability in their core business or strengthen business fundamentals in a tough environment, showed stock exchange One 97 Communications , which runs Paytm , has been on a cost cutting spree, PB Fintech also reduced marketing spends in the past two comes even as Paytm reported its first business-driven profitable quarter in June . While achieving revenue growth has been a major challenge in a tough macroeconomic environment, cutting costs at multiple business entities actually helped improve reported less than Rs 100 crore in marketing spends for the June quarter, 55% less than Rs 221 crore a year ago.'The point is how much can costs be controlled without compromising growth, given competition is severe and consumer-facing platforms need to invest in brand building,' said a senior fintech executive, who did not wish to be Paytm reduced expenses 20% year-on-year in the June quarter, according to the regulatory filings. Its revenue increased 27% to Rs 1,917 crore from Rs 1,501 crore during this period.'I do think there is always a corner where we are able to find some cost, but they will not be material. So it is not the agenda, so we are not actively pursuing cost cuts, while I'm definitely pursuing whatever (cost) is not necessary to drop it out of the window,' Vijay Shekhar Sharma, chief executive, Paytm, said in response to an analyst question on cost cuts after the June quarter PB Fintech, which runs insurance marketplace Policybazaar, has reported a gradual reduction in its marketing and advertising expenses over the past two October-December 2024, PB Fintech reported marketing expenses of Rs 289 crore, which went down to Rs 277 crore in the March 2025 quarter and further to Rs 253 crore in the June the company is investing heavily in building its new line of businesses, for the core operations the firm has tried to keep its costs to stock market analysts after FY25 results, Policybazaar CEO Sarbvir Singh called out employee costs among the major expense items and said that despite expanding teams through the year, the company kept the spending flat in the last quarter of 2024-25, which helped improve the contribution margin in the Mobikwik, the challenge has also been to ensure revenue growth in the past one year. Its revenue fell almost 21% year-on-year in the June quarter while its overall expenses went down 9% year-on-year. While the Gurgaon-based payments firm does not offer a breakdown of its marketing costs, its broader 'other expenses' category, which includes this head, reduced to Rs 77 crore from Rs 82 crore a year payments firms, which mostly ride on banks' infrastructure to process digital payments, the rise in business volume comes with a corresponding jump in payment processing charges, one of their major cost lines. For instance, Mobikwik reported a jump in payment gateway costs to Rs 142 crore from Rs 127 crore a year ago.'Promotional spends is one lever where the management has full control, but again too much reduction of these expenses can hurt business as well, so it will be interesting to see how growth and spends get balanced from here on,' a stock market analyst who tracks fintech startups said on condition of anonymity.
Economic Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
My wife and I have Rs 8 lakh base and Rs 7 lakh top-up health insurance cover, do I need more?
Getty Images Have a question for the experts? etwealth@ Our panel of experts will answer questions related to any aspect of personal finance. If you have a query, mail it to us right away. My wife (56) and I (61) are currently covered under a floater policy with Rs 8 lakh base cover and a Rs 7 lakh top-up. Do you suggest any changes in our existing coverage? Is it still possible to revise or enhance the policy at our age? We've had no claims since the policy was first taken over 15 years ago. Shilpa Arora General Manager, Co-founder and COO, Insurance Samadhan: It's commendable that you have maintained a claim-free health insurance record for over 15 years. It reflects well on your health and strengthens your profile with insurers. You currently have a health insurance coverage of Rs 15 lakh, including your top-up plan. At this stage, you may consider increasing your overall coverage to Rs 25-30 lakh, preferably by enhancing your top-up or opting for a super top-up with an appropriate deductible. That will ensure greater financial protection against high-value medical treatments. Additionally, it's important to review your policy for the following: l Room rent capping: If your policy limits room rent (say, 1% of sum insured), you could face out-of-pocket expenses for a higher category room. l Sub-limits on modern treatments: Check for caps or exclusions on advanced procedures like robotic surgeries, oral chemotherapy, intravitreal injections, or monoclonal antibody therapies. These treatments are becoming quite common, and sublimits can reduce the claimable amount. For instance, robotic-assisted knee replacements are now preferred for precision and recovery benefits. However, if your policy has caps on robotic surgery, you might have to bear a substantial portion of the expense yourself. So, depending on the features of your current plan, you can either continue with the same policy or explore portability within the same insurer to shift to a more comprehensive product. In any case, it is wise to proactively review and upgrade your health insurance, especially in your 60s, to stay prepared for evolving medical needs. My 26-year-old unmarried daughter wants to purchase medical insurance. She is healthy and has no pre-existing medical conditions. I would like you to suggest some tips so that she can choose the right policy. Sarbvir Singh Joint Group CEO, PB Fintech: It's great that your daughter is starting health insurance at 26 with no pre-existing conditions. She will get a broad coverage at a low premium. As a baseline, we recommend she consider a sum insured of at least Rs 20-25 lakh. She should opt for a plan that includes pre- and posthospitalisation expenses, daycare procedures, and ideally OPD and mental health coverage, which is now included in most policies. It's also important to choose a plan with no disease-specific or room rent sub-limits, and to avoid co-payment clauses, wherever possible. These often reduce claim payouts and result in unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. A short waiting period for pre-existing conditions is an added bonus, even if she doesn't need it now. She should look at the insurer's claim settlement ratio and ensure a wide network of cashless hospitals for ease during emergencies. A no-claim bonus feature, which increases her coverage each year she doesn't claim, will reward her for staying healthy. A well-chosen plan now can protect her for decades and even allow seamless upgrades later. Have a question for the experts? etwealth@ (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of N.R. 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Reddy Founder Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Watch Now Vikram Kirloskar Former Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Watch Now Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited Watch Now Shashi Kiran Shetty Chairman of Allcargo Logistics, ECU Worldwide and Gati Ltd Watch Now Samir K Modi Managing Director, Modi Enterprises Watch Now R Gopalakrishnan Former Director Tata Sons, Former Vice Chairman, HUL Watch Now Sanjiv Mehta Former Chairman / CEO, Hindustan Unilever Watch Now Dr Ajai Chowdhry Co-Founder, HCL, Chairman EPIC Foundation, Author, Just Aspire Watch Now Shiv Khera Author, Business Consultant, Motivational Speaker Watch Now Nakul Anand Executive Director, ITC Limited Watch Now RS Sodhi Former MD, Amul & President, Indian Dairy Association Watch Now Anil Rai Gupta Managing Director & Chairman, Havells Watch Now Zia Mody Co-Founder & Managing Partner, AZB & Partners Watch Now Arundhati Bhattacharya Chairperson & CEO, Salesforce India Watch Now
Economic Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
How can I split a large medical claim across different health insurers?
Getty Images A retail health insurance policy guarantees lifelong renewability. I have multiple health insurance policies from different insurers. In case of a large claim, how do I split it across insurers, and what documents are required for each? Sarbvir Singh Joint Group CEO, PB Fintech: If you have multiple health insurance policies, start with the one offering the highest cashless coverage to reduce out-of-pocket expenses. For any uncovered amount, you can file for reimbursement with the second insurer by submitting the claim form, bills, discharge summary, prescriptions, and the settlement summary from the first insurer. If there is still some balance left, the third insurer can be approached similarly. That said, having multiple policies is usually not necessary. A single, comprehensive policy with a high sum insured is sufficient to cover most medical needs. The good news is that upgrading your sum insured from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore can cost just 10-15% more in premium. Given the minimal additional cost, it's a smarter and simpler way to ensure you are well-protected. Also read | I am 52. How can I build a retirement corpus of Rs 5 crore in 10 years? I have two health policies—an individual base plan of Rs 10 lakh and a group top-up plan of Rs 15 lakh, with a Rs 2 lakh deductible, for which I pay a Rs 4,500 premium. The top-up is due for renewal in two months. My bank now offers a top-up plan with a Rs 30 lakh cover and a Rs 3 lakh deductible at a lower premium of Rs 2,500. However, it's a new policy with a 24-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Should I switch to the new plan? Sarbvir Singh Joint Group CEO, PB Fintech: A retail health insurance policy guarantees lifelong renewability. It ensures you have adequate coverage well into old age, when health issues pose the most risk. While you can continue the former Rs 15 lakh group cover, it will be good to get an individual health policy with a high-value top-up for comprehensive protection. For instance, a Rs 1 crore top-up with a Rs 10 lakh deductible is a cost-effective way to secure significant coverage, typically available in the Rs 1,000–3,000 premium range, depending on factors like age and family size. If you are considering the new plan, you could look at its super top-up plan. Evaluate your options and ensure that long-term benefits outweigh the short-term savings. Ask our experts Have a question for the experts? etwealth@ (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of N.R. Narayana Murthy Founder, Infosys Watch Now Harsh Mariwala Chairman & Founder, Marico Watch Now Adar Poonawalla CEO, Serum Institute of India Watch Now Ronnie Screwvala Chairperson & Co-founder, upGrad Watch Now Puneet Dalmia Managing Director, Dalmia Bharat group Watch Now Martin Schwenk Former President & CEO, Mercedes-Benz, Thailand Watch Now Nadir Godrej Managing Director, of Godrej Industries Watch Now Manu Jain Former- Global Vice President, Xiaomi Watch Now Nithin Kamath Founder, CEO, Zerodha Watch Now Anil Agarwal Executive Chairman, Vedanta Resources Watch Now Dr. Prathap C. Reddy Founder Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Watch Now Vikram Kirloskar Former Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Watch Now Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited Watch Now Shashi Kiran Shetty Chairman of Allcargo Logistics, ECU Worldwide and Gati Ltd Watch Now Samir K Modi Managing Director, Modi Enterprises Watch Now R Gopalakrishnan Former Director Tata Sons, Former Vice Chairman, HUL Watch Now Sanjiv Mehta Former Chairman / CEO, Hindustan Unilever Watch Now Dr Ajai Chowdhry Co-Founder, HCL, Chairman EPIC Foundation, Author, Just Aspire Watch Now Shiv Khera Author, Business Consultant, Motivational Speaker Watch Now Nakul Anand Executive Director, ITC Limited Watch Now RS Sodhi Former MD, Amul & President, Indian Dairy Association Watch Now Anil Rai Gupta Managing Director & Chairman, Havells Watch Now Zia Mody Co-Founder & Managing Partner, AZB & Partners Watch Now Arundhati Bhattacharya Chairperson & CEO, Salesforce India Watch Now
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Policybazaar celebrates five years of ‘Jeeto Apna Ghar': Turning homeownership dreams into reality
Advertorial Policybazaar's Jeeto Apna Ghar (JAG) initiative concluded its fifth season, rewarding top-performing employees with houses, cars, and cash incentives. This year marked the expansion of JAG to include service roles, recognizing excellence across the organization. Since its inception, JAG has distributed significant rewards, fostering loyalty and driving performance among Policybazaar's advisors, reinforcing the company's employee-centric culture. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Reinforcing its employee-centric philosophy, Policybazaar has concluded the fifth season of its flagship initiative Jeeto Apna Ghar which empowers top-performing employees to achieve the milestone of owning a latest edition, JAG 5.0, marked a major milestone as Policybazaar extended the JAG initiative to services for the first time, building on its continued success in sales and reinforcing the company's commitment to recognising excellence across the inception, JAG has rewarded employees with 39 houses, 24 cars, and cash incentives totalling over Rs 40 crore In Season 5 alone, 10 advisors won a house and 8 advisors were awarded a car. Additionally, 11 crores have been distributed as cash rewards to the advisors based on performance, irrespective of them having won a house or a JAG5.0 gala night added an element of excitement with an engaging 'Spin the Wheel' ceremony where senior leaders revealed the winners in an environment charged with applause, joy and Gupta, one of this year's home winners, shared, 'I have qualified for this contest every year, and now finally winning a house of my own feels like a dream come true. Policybazaar feels like home to me and there's no other organisation that values its employees the way PB does. I truly feel blessed that my hard work and dedication are recognised and rewarded here'.On the occasion, Sarbvir Singh, Joint group CEO, said, 'At Policybazaar, Jeeto Apna Ghar has always been more than just a contest, it's a defining initiative that recognises the dedication, driving performance and helps retain top talent. It continues to foster a deep sense of belonging and loyalty among our advisors- the very goal we had in mind when we launched the program. We will continue to nurture our people so the pillars of our organisation remain strong and deliver real value to our customers.'Over the years, JAG has not only celebrated the extraordinary performance of advisors but also reinforced Policybazaar's mission of 'Har Family Hogi Insured.' The initiative has helped create an atmosphere deeply rooted in appreciation and aspiration. It is one of several employee-first initiatives at Policybazaar, aimed at building a performance-driven, people-focused work culture. It stands as a powerful reminder: When the company puts its people first, its people go above and beyond for the company.
