Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited (“ABSLI”), the life insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital, India’s leading diversified financial services company, today announced the launch of the अ-Nishchit Index 2.0, a nationwide measure of household uncertainty. The nationwide index pegs India’s overall uncertainty score at 79, showcasing various aspects of uncertainties in the lives of India’s citizens.

The अ-Nishchit Index 2.0 captures uncertainty across 11 parameters and 49 attitudinal statements, broadly classified into uncontrollable external risks and potentially controllable personal factors. These factors reflect how Indians perceive risks related to economic stability, health, safety, emotional wellbeing, digital security, family responsibilities and environmental factors. Validation checks conducted as part of the study show that 73% of respondents reported being extremely worried about their future, reinforcing the robustness of the Index outcome.

Personal Finance Concerns Remain Elevated among Indian Households

The survey shows that personal finance anxiety in India is increasingly shaped by preparedness gaps rather than income levels alone. Concerns around economic and financial instability remain high at (80), led by fears of inflation eroding savings (81) and incomes failing to keep pace with rising living costs (80). This anxiety extends into long term planning, with respondents uncertain about their ability to build adequate wealth (80) and maintain emergency buffers for job loss or medical shocks (79), while a significant proportion are also unsure whether their insurance adequately covers serious illnesses (78).

Retirement related worries are also prominent, with an index score of 78, reflecting concerns around the rising cost of elderly care (79), doubts about financial independence in old age (78), and insufficient retirement planning (78). Together, the findings point to a growing shift in personal finance priorities, from wealth creation alone to ensuring resilience across working years, healthcare needs, and retirement.

Financial preparedness linked to lower uncertainty

The Index remains largely consistent for individuals holding up to three insurance/investment products, with scores ranging narrowly between 78 and 80, closely aligned with the overall index score of 79. A similar pattern is observed for investment ownership, where respondents with one to three investment instruments record stable scores of 79 to 80.

A distinct shift appears only among the cohort holding 4 or more insurance/investment products, where the index score drops to 73 for insurance and 75 for investments. This indicates that meaningful reductions in perceived uncertainty emerge only once households achieve deeper, more diversified financial coverage, reinforcing that breadth and layering of financial protection rather than basic ownership drives greater financial certainty.

Kamlesh Rao, MD & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance, said, “The अ-Nishchit Index 2.0 delivers a clear message: as uncertainties across economic stability, climate impact, health risks, digital security and long-term financial security increasingly converge in everyday life, India’s path to greater certainty lies in proactive, layered and well-understood financial preparedness that helps individuals and families move from managing uncertainty to regaining control over their future.”

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What Drives Uncertainty in India

Uncontrollable factors dominate the index. Economic and financial instability (Rank 1) and environmental and climate concerns (Rank 2) emerge as joint top drivers, with an अ-Nishchit Index of 80. Digital and cybersecurity risks, public safety and crime (Rank 4), and government policy and geopolitical factors (Rank 5) also feature among the top drivers.

Among potentially controllable factors, health and medical risks (Rank 3) have an अ-Nishchit Index of 80, followed by emotional and mental wellbeing (Rank 6), income, debt, and financial planning (Rank 7), and career and employment challenges (Rank 8).

Uncertainty Cuts Across Age and Gender, but Deepens Sharply by Region and City Size

The index remains consistent across gender, age, and occupation. अ-Nishchit Index is lowest in the South (71) and highest in the East (83). Uncertainty rises sharply from Tier 1 cities (73) to Tier 3 towns (86).

From Adoption to Adequacy: India’s Life Insurance Challenge

Awareness of life insurance products is widespread, but adoption remains uneven across categories. The survey highlights gaps driven by affordability concerns, complexity, decision paralysis, and trust issues. Nearly 68% of term insurance holders have coverage below recommended levels.

Conclusion

The अ-Nishchit Index 2.0 presents a clear picture of contemporary India—progressing economically, yet living with persistent uncertainty. With an index score of 79 and three in four Indians extremely worried about their future, uncertainty today reflects the accumulation of multiple, overlapping risks.