There has been a spurt in the number of women advisers in the insurance sector and the growth has been steady, the latest IRDAI data said.

The data showed the number of women insurance agents has grown in percentage when compared to their male counterparts. In 2017-18, the number of women advisers grew 28% compared to 25% in the previous year, the number of advisers being 20.83 lakhs in 2017-18 against 20.8 lakhs agents in 2016-17.

A spokesperson of Tata AIA Life said: "At our company, women constituted 36% of the total number of advisers in 2017-18. Itoo, n 2018-19, the ratio has remained the same. In LIC and private insurers like Bharti AXA, the number of women advisers is substantial."

"These women are not only competent and driven but come with empathy and characteristic responsiveness that make them a great choice for pushing insurance. Their understanding of the disruption caused by lack of life insurance and the loss of an earning member's income stream make them a credible source too," an insurance expert said.

In Bharti AXA, Siki Rohang of Guwahati and Chanda Ghosh and Sneha Haralalka of Kolkata are among leading advisors from the company. "The contribution of our women advisors is on the rise and they take significant part in our business story here," said a Bharti AXA official.