Link opens in a new tab
opens in new window
A regulatory wake-up call
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has extended its focus on dark patterns to digital insurance distribution.
In its 2 April 2026 communication, IRDAI directed insurers to comply with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines on dark patterns, aligning with broader concerns also raised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on manipulative digital design.
How leading organisations are responding
Embedding trust into design
- Independent reviews: Conduct third-party audits of digital journeys
- Ethical design standards: Define clear internal guardrails for UI/UX
- Journey redesign: Identify and fix trust-eroding touchpoints using test-and-learn approaches
- Capability building: Train teams across product, design, legal and marketing
The bottom line
Dark pattern regulation signals a shift from conversion-led design to trust-led design.
Insurers that act early will not just meet regulatory expectations but build a sustainable competitive advantage.