Public-sector general insurers showed an 8.99% growth in gross direct premium to INR903.4bn ($10.86bn) in the financial year ended 31 March 2024 (FY2024), about half as slowly as their private-sector rivals which posted a 17.5% rise in combined premiums to INR1.55tn in the same 12 months, according to preliminary data released by the General Insurance Council.