This document provides an overview of the insurance industry in India and the entrance of private players. It discusses the history of insurance regulation in India and the key reforms in 2000 that allowed private companies to enter the life insurance sector. It then lists the 11 major private life insurance companies currently operating in India, including their ownership structures and investors. The private insurers have increased competition in the sector and helped expand insurance coverage compared to when only the state-owned LIC previously dominated.