Principle of Diversification of Risks :

This is also a cardinal principle of sound lending. A prudent banker always tries to select the borrower very carefully and takes tangible assets as securities to safeguard his interests. Tangible assets are no doubt valuable and the banker feels safe while granting advances on the security of such assets, yet some risk is always involved therein.

An industry or trade may face recessionary conditions and the price of the goods and commodities may sharply fall. Natural calamities like floods and earthquakes, and political disturbances in certain parts of the country may ruin even a prosperous business. To safeguard his interest against such unforeseen contingencies, the banker follows the principle of diversification of risks based on the famous maxim “do not keep all the eggs in one basket.” It means that the banker should not grant advances to a few big firms only or to concentrate them in a few industries or in a few cities or regions of the country only. The advances, on the other hand, should be over a reasonably wide area, distributed amongst a good number of customers belonging to different trades and industries. The banker, thus, diversifies the risk involved in lending. If a big customer meets misfortune, or certain trades or industries are affected adversely, the overall position of the bank will not be in jeopardy.