HDFC Life believes that establishing a strong and ethical foundation is an essential prerequisite for long-term sustainable growth. To ensure this, we have concentrated our focus on expansion of branch network, organising an efficient and well trained sales force, and setting up appropriate systems and processes with optimum use of technology. As all these areas form the basic infrastructure for establishing the highest possible customer service standards.

Our core values are drilled down to all levels of employees, as these are inviolable. We continue to promote high integrity in business practices and shun short cuts and unethical practices, as we wish to be perceived as an institution with high moral standing. Since our inception in 2000, when the Indian insurance space was opened for private participation, we have consistently focused on setting benchmarks in all aspect on insurance business. Being the first private player to be registered with the IRDA and the first to issue a policy on December 12, 2000, our differentiators are:

HDFC Life is a strong, financially secure business supported by two strong and secure promoters - HDFC Ltd and Standard Life. HDFC Ltd's excellent brand strength emerges from its unrelenting focus on corporate governance, high standards of ethics and clarity of vision. Standard Life is a strong, financially secure business and a market leader in the UK Life & Pensions sector.

Our brand has managed to set a new standard in the Indian life insurance communication space. We were the first private life insurer to break the ice using the idea of self-respect instead of 'death' to convey our brand proposition (Sar Utha Ke Jiyo). Today, we are one of the few brands that customers recognize, like and prefer to do business. Moreover, our brand thought, Sar Utha Ke Jiyo, is the most recalled campaign in its category.

We follow a conservative investment management philosophy to ensure that our customer's money is looked after well. The investment policies and actions are regularly monitored by a formal Investment Committee comprising non-executive directors and the Principal Officer & Executive Director.

As a life insurance company, we understand that customers have invested their savings with us for the long term, with specific objectives in mind. Thus, our investment focus is based on the primary objective of protecting and generating good, consistent, and stable investment returns to match the investor's long-term objective and return expectations, irrespective of the market condition.

Despite the criticality of life insurance, sales in the industry have been characterized by over reliance on tax benefits and limited advice-based selling. Our eight-step structured sales process 'Disha' however, helps customers understand their latent needs at the first instance itself without focusing on product features or tax benefits. Need-based selling process, 'Disha', the first of its kinds in the industry, looks at the whole financial picture. Customers see a plan not piecemeal product selling.

HDFC Life has fully implemented a risk control framework to ensure that all types of risks (not just financial) are identified and measured. These are regularly reported to the board and this ensures that the company management and board members are fully aware of any risks and the actions taken to ensure they are mitigated

Training is an integral part of our business strategy. Almost all employees have undergone training to enhance their technical skills or the softer behavioural skills to be able to deliver the service standards that our company has set for itself. Besides the mandatory training that Financial Consultants have to undergo prior to being licensed, we have developed and implemented various training modules covering various aspects including product knowledge, selling skills, objection handling skills and so on.

HDFC Life do not focus in the business of ramping up the topline only, but to create maximisation of stakeholder's value. Today, we are extremely satisfied with the base that we have created for the long-term success of this company.

We are one of the few companies whose product details, pricing, clauses are clearly communicated to help customers take the right decision.

We have initiated and implemented many new processes, some of which were found useful by the IRDA and later made mandatory for the entire industry.The agents who successfully completed this training only, were authorized by the company to sell ULIPs. This has now been made compulsory by IRDA for all insurance companies under the new Unit Linked Guidelines.

HDFC Life's wide and diversified product portfolio help individuals meet their various needs, be it: