Policybazaar hands Rs 200-250 crore media mandate to Havas Media

MUMBAI: Policybazaar is putting its media money where its market is. The insurance marketplace has handed its media mandate to Havas Media Network India, with the account estimated at Rs 200-250 crore.

The negotiations are still underway and paperwork is being signed, according to a source familiar with the development. Policybazaar and Havas Media Network India had not immediately responded to queries seeking confirmation and further details.

The move will see Havas take charge of Policybazaar’s media mandate as the insurance platform looks to sharpen how it deploys its advertising across television, digital and other mass-reach channels.

The Rs 200-250 crore estimate makes the account one of the more sizeable media mandates to change hands in the Indian market. For Havas Media Network India, it also adds another large BFSI and digital-first brand to its portfolio.

Policybazaar has traditionally maintained a sizeable presence across television and digital media, with advertising playing a central role in driving consumer awareness and acquisition. The new mandate comes as the company continues to build communication around categories including health and term insurance, where consumer consideration can be lengthy and purchasing decisions often involve multiple family members.

The agency transition comes alongside Policybazaar’s latest campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan, which takes aim at one of insurance’s oldest enemies: procrastination.

The campaign urges families to prioritise financial protection instead of repeatedly postponing the decision to buy insurance. Sai Narayan, chief marketing officer, Policybazaar, said the campaign was built around the idea that consumers do not necessarily reject insurance but tend to delay buying it.

Bachchan’s appeal is also rooted in his cross-generational recognition. His association with films, television and campaigns such as the Pulse Polio initiative has made him a familiar face for communications seeking to influence behaviour rather than simply create awareness.

That familiarity can be particularly useful for insurance, healthcare and financial products, where decisions are rarely impulse purchases and can involve spouses, parents and adult children.

With the mandate, Havas Media Network India will be tasked with translating Policybazaar’s advertising investments and campaigns into reach and consumer acquisition across platforms.

The shift comes at a time when fragmented audiences are forcing brands to think beyond simply buying mass reach. For Policybazaar, the challenge is not only being seen, but making sure its message lands with consumers who may already know they need insurance but keep pushing the decision to another day.

And with a Rs 200-250 crore media account potentially moving into its hands, Havas now has a sizeable canvas on which to make that message count.