Autobayng News Team
Finance and insurance are no longer peripheral functions in auto retail—they are increasingly shaping the purchase decision itself. Leaders from Suzuki Motorcycle India, Bajaj General Insurance, HDFC Bank and Ducati India unpacked how credit access, digital integration and new risk products are redefining customer acquisition and profitability across segments at ETAuto Retail Forum 2026.Akhilesh Kumar Roy, Business Head – Auto, Two-Wheeler Loans & Inventory Financing at HDFC Bank, pointed to a structural shift in borrower demographics and behaviour, with younger buyers entering the credit ecosystem in large numbers—and showing far less loyalty to incumbent banks.The implication for auto retail is clear: financing must meet customers where they are, across platforms and touchpoints, with minimal friction. Roy described a market moving rapidly towards pre-approved, data-led lending where customers can “walk into a showroom and walk out” with financing that is ready even before the dealership conversation begins.For OEMs, the enabling role of finance now cuts across both mass and premium segments, even if motivations differ. “The common denominator for both mass-market and premium buyers is ease of finance, making it an enabler in both cases,” said Deepak Mutreja, VP, Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India.In premium categories, top executives noted, financing is often a choice rather than a constraint—buyers may have liquidity, but prefer to deploy capital elsewhere while funding the purchase through credit. The expectation, however, remains the same: faster approvals, fewer documents, and seamless integration into the online-to-offline journey.That experience layer becomes even more pronounced at the top end of the market. “Premium retail is experience-based, since a premium bike is often a hobby or a passion rather than a need,” said Bipul Chandra, Managing Director, Ducati India.
He highlighted how premium brands are embedding digital tools into the ownership lifecycle—from online configurators and doorstep delivery to WhatsApp-based service requests—while also exploring how finance could evolve beyond the initial purchase to cover accessories, riding gear and upgrades over time. The direction of travel, he argued, is toward lifecycle bundling where financing supports the customer’s full “bike journey,” not just the invoice at delivery.
On the insurance side, Subhashish Mazumder, President – Head, Motor Distribution at Bajaj General Insurance, said technology has already changed the claims experience from paperwork-heavy processes to cashless and even near real-time settlements.
He also flagged the potential of usage-based insurance—pricing cover based on kilometres driven and driving behaviour—but noted that consent and trust remain barriers as telematics and data-sharing expand, especially with EVs. “OEMs sell more because of financing, financing scales because of insurance, and insurance therefore plays a critical role in the entire ecosystem,” Mazumder said, positioning insurance not as a commodity add-on but as a key enabler of retail scale.
With EVs, the top executives indicated that finance and insurance innovation will likely determine the pace of adoption as much as product availability. “With Flexi Green loans, we are at a tipping point in financing options and could soon see a sharp rise in EV adoption,” Roy said, arguing that tailored lending structures—along with clearer lifecycle risk frameworks for components such as batteries—can reduce hesitation among early adopters.
The broader takeaway from the discussion: in a market where customers arrive informed, comparison-ready and time-poor, the winners will be those who turn finance and insurance into a seamless, data-driven experience rather than a back-end transaction.
Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals.
Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox.
All about ETAuto industry right on your smartphone!
- Download the ETAuto App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles.
