New Delhi, June 13 -- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has set itself the ambition of insuring every citizen by 2047.

The intermediary network sits at the heart of this vision, recognised as the primary mechanism for not just awareness on insurance, but also for such awareness to transpire into coverage amongst underserved communities.

For millions of first-generation insurance buyers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, the agent or broker at their doorstep is their only meaningful point of contact with the insurance system.

The 2024-25 IRDAI Annual Report records that the agent network has grown 11% year-on-year to 54.46 lakh professionals in March 2025, reflecting the need and capacity to strengthen the di...