Difference between an Insurance Web Aggregator & an ISNP
An insurance web aggregator and an insurance self network platform, both refer to web portals that allow the users to browse, choose and buy insurance policies.
Both of these platform can host the insurance policies of multiple insurance companies. So what’s the main difference between the two?
In this article, we have explored the major differences between an Insurance Self Network Platform and an Insurance web Aggregator.
Business background of insurance web aggregator license
Let’s start with the very first difference between the two entities. An insurance web aggregator does not have any prior associations with the Insurance domain. to put it in simple terms, it’s not any of the following entities:
- A corporate agent
- A microfinance agent
- A surveyor and loss assessor
- An insurance agent, or
- An Insurance Company.
Simply put, an insurance web aggregator is just a company with a portal that hosts the insurance policies of multiple insurance companies.
However, an insurance self network platform is an E Commerce platform operated by an entity that already part of the insurance domain. it means that as per the IRDA regulations, following entities has the permission to start an Insurance E Commerce Portal or ISNP:
- Corporate Agents
- Insurance Brokers
- Insurance Companies
- And other entity authorized by the IRDA to act as an intermediary.
Insurance E Commerce Portal
When you look at it on a surface level, both ISNP and the Insurance Web aggregator portal are insurance e commerce portals. However, there is a start difference between the two.
An insurance web aggregator license is issued the certificate of registration to act as a platform that gives the users an interface to:
- Look at the complete terms and conditions of the insurance policies
- Draw price comparisons between the multiple policies.
- Compare several insurance policies as per the user requirements.
Above are the three exclusive roles that once only the Insurance web aggregator was allowed to play.
So what changed?
With time, IRDA realized the value of E Commerce. In an effort to promote more insurance companies and intermediaries do business online, permission for starting an Insurance Self Network Platform or ISNP was introduced.
Functionally, an ISNP has the same responsibilities as an Insurance web aggregator. However, unlike the insurance web aggregator, it’s a platform current stakeholders of the insurance domain can run.
Conclusion
When you dive deep to grasp the difference between an insurance web aggregator and an ISNP, you’d find nothing more than a sliver of regulations.
In essence, an ISNP license is an evolve version of an Insurance web aggregator license – a way for the current entities active in the insurance industries to sell their insurance policies online, entities that were once not allow to sell their insurance policies as only a web aggregator was allow to do so.
So which one you should choose?
It all depends upon you. Do you want to be part of the insurance industry as someone with no prior associations with it, or are you already a part of it?
If you’re the former, you should opt for the insurance web aggregator license to only sell insurance policies online. If you’re the latter, someone who already has an offline approach to soliciting or selling insurance policies. You can now embrace the online approach for the same by starting an ISNP.
If you’re still confuse about the difference between the two, consult with Registrationwala.
ISNP and Insurance web aggregator sound the same in many ways. But what is the difference between an insurance web aggregator and an insurance broker?