We have audited the accompanying financial statements of StarHealth And Allied Insurance Company Limited ("the Company"),which comprise the Balance Sheet as at March 31,2025, the RevenueAccounts, the Profit and Loss Account and the Receipts and PaymentsAccount for the year then ended, the schedules annexed there toand notes to the financial statements, including a summary of thesignificant accounting policies and other explanatory notes formingpart of the financial statements (herein after referred to as "FinancialStatements").
In our opinion and to the best of our information and according tothe explanations given to us, the aforesaid financial statements givethe information required by provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938,as amended by the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, 2015 (the"Insurance Act") read with Insurance Regulatory and DevelopmentAuthority Act, 1999 (the "IRDAI Act"), and other accounting principlesgenerally accepted in India, to the extent considered relevant andappropriate for the purpose of these annual financial statementsand which are not inconsistent with the accounting principles asprescribed in the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authorityof India (Actuarial, Finance and Investment Functions of Insurers)Regulations, 2024 (the "IRDA Financial Statement Regulations") andorders/ directions / circulars issued by the Insurance Regulatory andDevelopment Authority of India ("IRDAI"/ the "Authority"), to theextent applicable and the Companies Act, 2013, as amended, ('theAct') to the extent applicable and in the manner so required, andgive true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principlesgenerally accepted in India, as applicable to insurance companies:
i. i n the case of the Balance Sheet, of the state of affairs of theCompany as at March 31,2025;
ii. in the case of the Revenue Accounts, of the operating profit inthe Miscellaneous business for year ended on that date;
iii. in the case of the Profit and Loss Account, of the profit for theyear ended on that date; and
iv. i n the case of the Receipts and Payments Account, of thereceipts and payments for the year ended on that date.
We conducted our audit of the financial statement in accordancewith the Standards on Auditing (SAs) specified under section 143(10)of the Act. Our responsibilities under those Standards are furtherdescribed in the 'Auditors' Responsibilities for the Audit of theFinancial Statements' section of our report. We are independent ofthe Company in accordance with the 'Code of Ethics' issued by theInstitute of Chartered Accountants of India ("ICAI") together with theethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financialstatements under the provisions of the Act and the Rules thereunder,and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordancewith these requirements and the Code of Ethics. We believe that theaudit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate toprovide a basis for our opinion on the financial statements.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professionaljudgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financialstatements of the current period and include the most significant risksidentified by us that may lead to material misstatement (whether ornot due to fraud) and assessed by us as part of the audit procedures.These matters included those which had the greatest effect on theoverall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the audit anddirecting the efforts of the engagement team.
These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of thefinancial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon,and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
Sr. No. Key Audit Matters
Auditors' Response
Information Technology Systems and Controls (IT Controls):
1. The Company is highly dependent on its information
The audit procedures performed by us included the following:
technology ('IT') systems for
•
We have involved our IT specialists in the assessment of IT
carrying out its operations and due to the large volume
systems and controls over financial reporting
of transactions that are processed daily across multipleIT systems, there exists a potential risk that gaps in theIT control environment could result in the financialaccounting and reporting records being misstated.
1 nvolved IT specialists as part of the audit for the purposeof testing the IT general controls and application controls(automated and semi-automated controls) to determine theaccuracy of the information produced by the Company's IT
The controls implemented by the Company in its
systems.;
IT environment determine the integrity, accuracy,completeness, and validity of the data that is processedby the applications and is ultimately used for financialreporting. These controls contribute to mitigating risk ofpotential misstatements caused by fraud or error.
Obtained an understanding of the Company's IT applications,databases and operating systems relevant to financialreporting and the control environment, including anunderstanding of the process, mapping of applications andunderstanding financial risks posed by people-process and
On account of the extensive use of IT systems across varied
technology.
phases of business, the testing with respect to generalcomputer controls of the IT systems used in financialreporting was identified to be a key audit matter.
Tested design and operating effectiveness of key controls overuser access management, change management, programdevelopment, computer operations;
Performed procedures for a selected group of key controlsover financial and reporting system to determine that thesecontrols remained unchanged during the year or werechanged following the standard change managementprocess.
Tested key automated and manual business cycle controlsincluding testing of alternate procedures to assess risks thatwould materially impact the financial statements.
Claim settlement:
2 • Claims are a significant expense for the Company
Our audit procedures included the following:
• Provisioning of Outstanding Claims including Claims
We tested the design and operating effectiveness of controls
Incurred but Not Reported (IBNR) and Incurred
around the due and intimated claims recording process.
but Not Enough Reported (IBNER) are significantin magnitude and requires use of judgements andestimates
Assessed and tested the operating effectiveness of keycontrols relating to the claims handling process, includingcontrols over completeness and accuracy of the claim
• With regards to the claims provision, the Company
outstanding recorded.
makes a provision for claims upon intimation, onreceipt of documents, communication from co¬insurer leader in cases of incoming co-insurancebusiness etc. The estimates undergo a revision basedon further information and the settlement amountcould vary from the provision created
Tested on a sample basis, claims paid, and provision createdwith payment proof, claim intimation documents andcommunication from co-insurer leader in cases of incomingco-insurance business, which are material to assess whetherclaims are appropriately paid, estimated and recorded.
• The estimate of the claim involves a high degree ofjudgement
Tested the arithmetical accuracy of computation of claimsprovision performed by the Company.
The actuarial valuation of liability in respect of Claims Incurredbut Not Reported (IBNR) and those Incurred but Not EnoughReported (IBNER) is as certified by the Company's AppointedActuary and we have relied upon on the appointed actuary'scertificate in this regard.
The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for the otherinformation. The other information comprises the informationincluded in the Director's Report and Annexures there to but doesnot include the Financial Statements and our Auditors' report thereon.The other information is expected to be made available to us after thedate of this auditor's report thereon.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover theother information and we do not express any form of assuranceconclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, ourresponsibility is to read the other information when it becomesavailable and, in doing so, consider whether the other information ismaterially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledgeobtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there isa material misstatement of this other information, we are required toreport that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for the mattersstated in section 134(5) of the Act with respect to the preparationof these financial statements that give a true and fair view of thefinancial position, financial performance and cash flows of theCompany in accordance with the requirements of the InsuranceAct, the IRDAI Act, the IRDAI Financial Statements Regulations, theAct and in accordance with the accounting principles generallyaccepted in India, including the applicable Accounting Standardsspecified under Section 133 of the Act read with relevant rules issuedthereunder. This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequateaccounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act forsafeguarding of the assets of the Company and for preventing anddetecting frauds and other irregularities; selection and application ofappropriate accounting policies; making judgments and estimatesthat are reasonable and prudent; and design, implementation andmaintenance of adequate internal financial controls, that wereoperating effectively for ensuring the accuracy and completeness ofthe accounting records, relevant to the preparation and presentationof the financial statements that give a true and fair view and are freefrom material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management is responsiblefor assessing the Company's ability to continue as a going concern,disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and usingthe going concern basis of accounting unless management eitherintends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has norealistic alternative but to do so.
The Board of Directors are also responsible for overseeing thecompany's financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether thefinancial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement,whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report thatincludes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurancebut is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance withSAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are consideredmaterial if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably beexpected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on thebasis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exercise professionaljudgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.We also:
• I dentify and assess the risks of material misstatement of thefinancial statements, whether due to fraud or error, designand perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, andobtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate toprovide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting amaterial misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than forone resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery,intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override ofinternal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to theaudit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriatein the circumstances. Under section 143(3)(i) of the Act, weare also responsible for expressing our opinion on whetherthe Company has adequate internal financial controls systemwith reference to Financial Statements and the operatingeffectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies usedand the reasonableness of accounting estimates and relateddisclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use ofthe going concern basis of accounting and, based on theaudit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty existsrelated to events or conditions that may cast significant doubton the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. If weconclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required todraw attention in our auditors' report to the related disclosuresin the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate,to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the auditevidence obtained up to the date of our auditors' report.However, future events or conditions may cause the Companyto cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of thefinancial statements, including the disclosures, and whether thefinancial statements represent the underlying transactions andevents in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of misstatements in the FinancialStatements that, individually or in aggregate, makes it probable that
the economic decisions of a reasonably knowledgeable user of theFinancial Statements may be influenced. We consider quantitativemateriality and qualitative factors in (i) planning the scope of our auditwork and in evaluating the results of our work; and (ii) to evaluate theeffect of any identified misstatements in the Financial Statements.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding,among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the auditand significant audit findings, including any significant deficienciesin internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statementthat we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regardingindependence, and to communicate with them all relationshipsand other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on ourindependence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged withgovernance, we determine those matters that were of mostsignificance in the audit of the financial statements for the yearended March 31, 2025 and are therefore, the key audit matters. Wedescribe these matters in our auditors' report unless law or regulationprecludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremelyrare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not becommunicated in our report because the adverse consequencesof doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the publicinterest benefits of such communication.
Pursuant to IRDAI (Appointed Actuary) Regulations 2017, the actuarialvaluation of liabilities in respect of claims Incurred But Not Reported("IBNR"), claims Incurred But Not Enough Reported ("IBNER") andPremium Deficiency Reserve ("PDR") as at March 31,2025, has beenduly certified by the Appointed Actuary. They have also certifiedthat assumptions used for such valuation are appropriate and inaccordance with the guidelines and norms issued by the IRDAI andthe Institute of Actuaries of India in concurrence with the IRDAI.Accordingly, we have relied upon the aforesaid certificate fromthe Appointed Actuary while forming our opinion on the financialstatements of the Company.
Our opinion is not modified in respect of above matter.
1. As required by the IRDA Financial Statements Regulations, wehave issued a separate certificate dated April 29, 2025 certifyingthe matters specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 of Part III to the IRDAIFinancial Statements Regulations.
2. This Report does not include a statement on the matters specifiedin paragraph 3 and 4 of the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order,2016 ("the Order") issued by the Central Government of Indiain terms of sub-section 11 of Section 143 of the Act, since inour opinion and according to the information and explanationsgiven to us, the said Order is not applicable to the Company.
3. As required by IRDA Financial Statements Regulations, read withSection 143 (3) of the Act, we report that:
a. We have sought and obtained all the information andexplanations which to the best of our knowledge andbelief were necessary for the purposes of our audit;
b. In our opinion, proper books of account as required by lawhave been kept by the Company so far as it appears fromour examination of those books except for the mattersstated in the paragraph k (vii) below on reporting underRule 11(g);
c. As the Company's financial accounting system iscentralized at Head Office, no returns for the purposes ofour audit are prepared at the branches of the Company;
d. The Balance Sheet, the Revenue Accounts, the Profit andLoss Account, and the Receipts and Payments Accountdealt with by this Report are in agreement with the booksof account;
e. I n our opinion and to the best of our information andaccording to the explanations given to us, investmentshave been valued in accordance with the provisions of theInsurance Act the IRDA Financial Statements Regulationsand / or orders / directions/circulars/guidelines issued bythe IRDAI in this behalf;
f. I n our opinion and to the best of our information andaccording to the explanations given to us, the aforesaidfinancial statements dealt with by this report comply withthe Accounting Standards specified under Section 133 ofthe Act to the extent they are not inconsistent with theaccounting principles prescribed in the IRDAI FinancialStatements Regulations and orders/directions issued byIRDAI in this regard;
g. I n our opinion and to the best of our information andaccording to the explanations given to us, the accountingpolicies selected by the Company are appropriate and arein compliance with the Accounting Standards specifiedunder Section 133 of the Act, to the extent they are notinconsistent with the accounting principles prescribed inthe IRDAI Financial Statements Regulations and orders /directions issued by the IRDAI in this behalf;
h. On the basis of the written representations received fromthe directors as on March 31,2025, taken on records by theBoard of Directors, none of the directors is disqualified ason March 31, 2025 from being appointed as a director interms of Section 164 (2) of the Act;
i. As required by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017, inour opinion, according to information and explanationsgiven to us, the remuneration paid/ provided by theCompany to its directors during the year is within thelimits prescribed under section 197 of the Act read withSection 34A of the Insurance Act, 1938;
j. With respect to the adequacy of the internal financialcontrols with reference to financial statements of theCompany and the operating effectiveness of such
controls, refer to our separate Report in "Annexure A" tothis report. Our report expresses an unmodified opinionon the existence of internal financial control with referenceto financial statements and its operating effectiveness inthe company.
k. With respect to the other matters to be included inthe Auditors' Report in accordance with Rule 11 of theCompanies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014, in ouropinion and to the best of our information and accordingto the explanations given to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impact of pendinglitigations on its financial position in its financialstatements - Refer Note 5.1.1 of Schedule 16 to thefinancial statements;
ii. Liability for insurance contracts, is determinedby the Company's Actuary referred to in OtherMatter paragraph above, on which we have placedreliance; and the Company did not have any otherlong-term contracts including derivative contractsfor which there were any material foreseeablelosses - Refer Note 5.2.16 of Schedule 16 to thefinancial statements;
iii. There are no amounts which are required to betransferred, to the Investor Education and ProtectionFund by the Company.
iv. (a) The Management has represented that, to
the best of its knowledge and belief, no funds(which are material either individually or in theaggregate) have been advanced or loanedor invested (either from borrowed funds orshare premium or any other sources or kindof funds) by the Company to or in any otherperson or entity, including foreign entity("Intermediaries"), with the understanding,whether recorded in writing or otherwise,that the Intermediary shall, whether,directly or indirectly lend or invest in otherpersons or entities identified in any mannerwhatsoever by or on behalf of the Company("Ultimate Beneficiaries") or provide anyguarantee, security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries;
(b) The Management has represented, that, tothe best of its knowledge and belief, no funds(which are material either individually or inthe aggregate) have been received by theCompany from any person or entity, includingforeign entity ("Funding Parties"), with theunderstanding, whether recorded in writingor otherwise, that the Company shall, whether,directly or indirectly, lend or invest in otherpersons or entities identified in any mannerwhatsoever by or on behalf of the FundingParty ("Ultimate Beneficiaries") or provide anyguarantee, security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries;
(c) Based on the audit procedures that have beenconsidered reasonable and appropriate inthe circumstances, nothing has come to ournotice that has caused us to believe that therepresentations under sub-clause (i) and (ii) ofRule 11(e), as provided under (a) and (b) above,contain any material misstatement.
v. The Company has not declared or paid any dividendduring the year and accordingly no compliancewith respect to section 123 of the Act is required tobe followed.
vi. The reservation relating to the maintenance ofaccounts and other matters connected therewithare as stated in paragraph 3(b) above on reportingunder Section 143(3)(b) and paragraph 3(k)(vii)below on reporting under Rule 11(g).
vii. Based on our examination, which included testchecks, the Company has used accounting softwarefor maintaining its books of account which has afeature of recording audit trail (edit log) facility andthe same has operated throughout the year forall relevant transactions recorded in the software.Further, during the course of our audit, we did notcome across any instance of audit trail feature beingtampered with. Additionally, the audit trail of prioryear has been preserved by the Company as per thestatutory requirements for record retention, exceptfor SAP HANA where there is no SOC Type II reportavailable to provide us comfort as to whether theAudit trail feature is available, enabled and preservedthroughout the year.
For M S K A & Associates For T R Chadha & Co LLP
Chartered Accountants Chartered Accountants
ICAI Firm Registration No: 105047W ICAI Firm Registration No: 006711N/N500028
Vaibhav Naik Sheshu Samudrala
Partner Partner
Membership No: 138302 Membership No: 235031
UDIN: 25138302BNUIEY1901 UDIN: 25235031BMNRBF8166
Chennai Chennai
April 29, 2025 April 29, 2025