Axis Max Life Insurance – IRIS 6.0 Women Cohort Findings
Axis Max Life Insurance Limited released the women‑specific results of its sixth annual Bharosa Talks India Retirement Index Study (IRIS 6.0) on 16 October 2026. The study, conducted with market‑research firm Kantar, shows that women’s overall IRIS score is 49, equal to men’s score. Their Financial Preparedness Index improved from 50 in IRIS 5.0 to 52 in IRIS 6.0, while Health Preparedness slipped marginally from 47 to 46 and Emotional Preparedness stood at 57, down from 58 last year.
Retirement Investment Participation
Seventy‑one percent of women reported having started investing for retirement, up from 65% in IRIS 5.0, surpassing the rise among men, which moved from 68% to 70%. Forty‑five percent of women aspire to achieve financial independence and retire before age 50, assuming their financial needs are met.
Corpus Accumulation and Longevity Expectations
Women have accumulated, on average, 26% of their target retirement corpus, a slight increase from 25% in the previous edition but still below men’s 28% achievement. Only 30% of women expect their retirement corpus to last more than ten years, a decline from 40% in IRIS 5.0; men’s expectation fell from 36% to 30% over the same period.
Investment Mix and Barriers
Fifty percent of women claim to hold fixed deposits or recurring deposits (FDs/RDs) specifically for retirement, compared with 44% of men. In contrast, only 27% of women hold risk‑based retirement products such as mutual funds, ETFs, systematic investment plans, stocks/shares or commodities, versus 34% of men. Among women who have not begun retirement investing, 23% say they do not know where to start or how much to save, compared with 19% of men.
Health and Emotional Preparedness
Seventy‑seven percent of women believe they will remain fit and healthy during retirement, slightly above the 74% of men. Sixty percent of women undertake preventive health check‑ups regularly or occasionally, essentially matching the 59% of men. Fifty percent of women practice yoga or meditation, compared with 45% of men and 46% nationally, while 41% engage in regular physical activity, on par with men and the national figure. On emotional preparedness, 84% of women feel totally or somewhat secure about receiving support from family and friends during retirement, a modest decline from the previous year’s 86%; men’s confidence fell from 88% to 83%. Additionally, 82% of women worry that changing environmental factors could affect their peaceful life in retirement, versus 80% of men.
Corporate Context
Sumit Madan, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Axis Max Life Insurance, commented that the findings highlight an encouraging shift in women’s retirement planning, with higher ownership of FD/RD investments and a growing desire for early financial independence. He emphasized the need to translate intent into sustained action through early, consistent investing and informed decisions.
Axis Max Life Insurance, formerly Max Life Insurance Company Ltd., is a subsidiary of Max Financial Services Limited, with Axis Bank Limited and its affiliates also holding shares. For the fiscal year 2025‑26, the company recorded a gross written premium of INR 38,877 crore. The firm is registered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) under Registration No. 104 and Company Identification Number U74899HR2000PLC143012.
About the IRIS Study
The India Retirement Index Study (IRIS) is a longitudinal research initiative that has tracked retirement preparedness in India for six consecutive years, providing a benchmark for understanding post‑work financial planning. The study’s stability reinforces long‑term trends in retirement behavior across the country.