Bajaj Finance enters life care financing segment

Bajaj Finance is entering the Rs 20,000-crore life care segment under which it will finance expenses for stem cells storage units, cosmetics-based hair treatment, dental and eye care, IVF & maternity care, laproscopic cure for a dozen ailments, and elective medical/paramedical care for many other issues.

  • The Pune-based company, which claims to be the first to enter this segment in the country, expects to net around Rs 1,000 crore in sales over the next five years from this business hoping to an encore of the massive demand for such segmental funding in the Western markets where life care segment is a booming business.
  • Bajaj has already financed 400 customers for their expenses towards stem cell storage, cosmetics-based hair restoration therapy and dental care such as braces, whitening etc.
  • A formal launch in the six top metros is expected within a month four weeks.
  • The domestic life care category business is around Rs 20,000 crore and is clipping at 20-22 per cent and is likely to cost at a higher pace going forward with financing options now being available.
  • While the hair restoration segment is a Rs 1,500-crore market, the stem cells storage market is around Rs 700 crore annually and that he expects to fund a large portion of this market with a national launch over the next six months when it hopes to be present in the 40 largest cities.
  • On the costing side, the customer can avail of their financing at 5-6 per cent premium over the sale prices of the device or care.
  • Its service is already available in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru and over the next three months it hopes to enter Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad too.