The first court decisions concerning business shutdown insurance are now available. The key questions in this respect include whether COVID-19 qualifies as a communicable disease, whether a business that has ceased business operations on a small scale (eg, which now offers only delivery services) qualifies as being 'shut down', and how loss will be calculated and what benefits or compensation insurers must ultimately provide depending on actual loss.

With the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and several regulatory changes having been introduced (as well as proposed) by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, 2020 was a busy year for the Indian insurance sector. This article provides an overview of some of the key developments.