India’s Digit Insurance files for IPO

Digit Insurance has filed an initial public offering (IPO), seeking to raise around US$440 million as other Indian tech startups hit pause on plans to list publicly.

The prospectus filed by Digit to the local regulator revealed its plans to raise US$158 million through a fresh issue of shares. Existing shareholders will also sell up to 109.4 million shares. The funds that this would generate weren’t specified in the filing, but a source close with the matter told both Reuters and TechCrunch said the company expects roughly US$282 million from the sale to make a total of around US$440 million.

Established in 2017 by Allianz and KPMG alumnus Kamesh Goyal, Digit has since become one of India’s fastest-growing private insurers, reporting a total income of US$571.70 for the year ended March. A tech-focused approach has allowed the company to simplify the process of purchasing insurance, allowing customers the ability to self-inspect and submit claims through their smartphones.

“As a young insurer, this indeed is a moment of pride for us,” CEO Jasleen Kohli said in April, referring to the US$660 million they raised in gross written premiums. “But above all, it is a testament of our endeavours towards making insurance simple and more accessible. The collective efforts of our partners and employees have not only helped us accelerate our growth but [have] also ensured that more customers understand the importance of having adequate financial cushion.”

Digit is backed by Sequoia India and Fairfax Group, among other investors. It also became India’s first unicorn of 2021 after reaching a valuation of US$1.9 billion.