New Brand Finance data reveals LIC among the world’s strongest insurance brands, while HDFC Life delivers standout growth
MUMBAI, 9 June 2026 – Three Indian insurance brands collectively hold USD18 billion in value, according to the latest latest Insurance 100 2026 report by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Together, the trio represent approximately 3% of the world’s 100 most valuable insurance brands accounting for a collective value of USD606.7 billion, underscoring India’s continued presence within the global insurance market.
India’s results reflect broader trends shaping the industry, where underwriting discipline, earnings resilience, customer trust, and long-term engagement are increasingly supporting stronger brand outcomes. As market conditions begin to normalise, insurers that combine scale with accessibility and stronger customer experiences continue to strengthen their competitive position.
LIC (brand value up 12% to USD14.9 billion) ranks 13th globally by brand value. In addition, it records one of the strongest performances worldwide on brand strength fundamentals, placing second with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 90.4/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating.
The result reflects exceptionally strong familiarity, understanding, consideration, and preference metrics built over decades of consumer trust and supported by one of the world’s largest insurance distribution networks. Extensive reach across both urban and rural markets continues to strengthen accessibility and customer engagement. Brand Finance’s market research also identifies LIC as among the strongest performers in sustainability perceptions across ESG categories, supported by growing visibility around digital accessibility and financial inclusion initiatives.
SBI Life also features in the ranking, with a brand value of USD1.7 billion and a global position of 86th. In terms of strength, the brand recorded a BSI score of 70.6/100 and an AA rating. In 2025-26, SBI Life recorded a modest 4% increase in revenue, supported by 14% growth in renewal premiums, highlighting the strength of its in-force customer base and continued policyholder retention.
Ranking 92nd globally and raising India’s representation in the Insurance 100 ranking from two brands in 2025 to three this year, HDFC Life (brand value up 73% to USD1.5 billion) records one of the largest brand value increases in the Insurance 100 ranking. The brand also showed strong improvements in its strength score (BSI: 77.1/100, AA+ rating), highlighting how stronger consumer perceptions and financial performance can accelerate long-term brand value creation.
Commenting on the findings, Ajimon Francis, Managing Director, Brand Finance India, said:
“India’s results in this year’s Insurance 100 ranking demonstrate that strong insurance brands are built through trust, accessibility, technology upgrade & CX interface along with sustained customer relevance. With three brands contributing USD18.0 billion in collective brand value, India delivers a strong global performance, led by LIC’s position as the world’s second strongest insurance brand, SBI Life sustained performance and HDFC Life’s strong growth momentum.”
Global Insights
Globally, the insurance sector records its strongest brand value growth in five years, with the top 100 insurance brands increasing 14% year on year to a collective value of USD606.7 billion. As rate-driven tailwinds begin to moderate, insurers that continue investing in trust, digital capability, underwriting quality, and long-term value creation are expected to remain best positioned to sustain growth.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance operates in over 25 countries. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 6,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on 6,000 brands, surveying more than 175,000 respondents across 41 countries and 31 industry sectors. By combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database — the largest brand value database in the world — Brand Finance equips ambitious brand leaders with the data, analytics, and the strategic guidance they need to enhance brand and business value.
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics, compliant with ISO 20671.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm and a committed leader in the standardisation of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.
Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.
Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.
Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.
Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
The steps in this process are as follows:
1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.
2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.
3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.
4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.
5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.
6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.
7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.
Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.
The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
