Niva Bupa Health Insurance files papers for Rs 3,000-crore IPO

Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Ltd, formerly Max Bupa Health Insurance Company, has filed preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise Rs 3,000 crore through an initial public offering.

The proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO) is a combination of fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 800 crore and an offer for sale of up to Rs 2,200 crore by a promoter and an investor shareholder, according to the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP).

Under the OFS, investor Fettle Tone LLP will sell shares to the tune of Rs 1,880 crore and promoter Bupa Singapore Holdings Pte Ltd will offload shares valued Rs 320 crore.

Niva Bupa is majorly controlled by Bupa, an international healthcare company headquartered in the UK. At present, Bupa Singapore Holdings Pte owns 62.27 per cent stake while Fettle Tone LLP holds 27.86 per cent stake in the insurance firm.

The company, in its draft papers filed on Saturday, said it may consider issuing securities worth up to Rs 160 crore as a part of "pre-IPO placement". If such placement is completed, the fresh issue size will be reduced.

The company intends to utilise the net proceeds from the fresh issuance to the extent of Rs 625 crore towards boosting its capital base to strengthen solvency levels, besides a portion will be used for general corporate purposes.

This will be the second standalone health insurer looking to float an IPO, after Star Health & Allied Insurance Company.

Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company is one of the leading standalone retail health insurers (SAHI) in India, with a Gross Direct Written Premium (GDPI) of Rs 5,499.43 crore in fiscal 2024.
The insurance firm's Gross Written Premium (GWP) increased by 37.68 per cent to Rs 5,607.57 crore in fiscal 2024 from Rs 4,073.03 crore in fiscal 2023. Further, profit after surged to Rs 81.85 crore in fiscal 2024 from Rs 12.54 crore in fiscal 2023.

As of March 31, 2024, the company has 210 physical branches across 22 states and 4 union territories in India.

ICICI Securities, Morgan Stanley India Company, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Axis Capital, HDFC Bank and Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors are the book-running lead managers to the offer. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on the BSE and NSE.