Term Insurance Plan - Pure Life Insurance

What is Pure Life Insurance Plan? Best answer is Term Insurance Plan. What is the right time to get Term Insurance Plan? The short answer would be, “as early as possible.” But that doesn’t mean a child should also buy a term plan. There are various term & conditions that define the right time for anyone to buy a term insurance life cover. First of all, it is important that you understand ‘what is term plan after all? And what makes it important enough for such consideration?’

What is Term Plan?

Term plan or term insurance plan is a pure life insurance cover. The name term insurance (or term plan) refers to an insurance contract where an insurer agrees to compensate your nominee(s) for a specific premium cost.

Why Term Plan?

The purpose of insurance is to minimize the financial stress on the family or insured in case a specific loss occurs. For example, in case of life insurance, the insurer pays the sum assured to the family of the insured, in the event of the untimely demise of the insured. Thus, the family is saved from the financial problem after the death of that insured person.

The term insurance cover sustains the family’s financial stability in the worst circumstances.

Also Read : Term Insurance Plan Good or Bad Decision

How Will Term Cover Work?

Nowadays, insurers offer multiple pay-out options to make dependents life easier after the claim. Following are the most prominently offered pay-out options:

·         Lump-sum

·         Regular Income

·         Growing Regular Income

·         Lump-sum with regular income (fixed or growing)

The fourth option is quite useful if you think from your dependents’ perspective who may not want to manage a large investment. The lump-sum amount is useful in meeting the immediate financial needs, liabilities, etc. and regular income for future.

What is the Ideal Age to Buy Term Plan?

Most term plans consider 18 years of age as the minimum eligible age for availing a term cover. However, the ideal age for a term cover is defined by the income earning potential of the individual. For example, a 40 years old person who is not employed and financially dependent on another may not be eligible for a term cover, though at 20-year-old person earning Rs. 300,000 p.a. would be eligible.

Thus, whether your age is ideal for a term cover or not will depend on:

·         If you are above 18 years of age

·         Your annual income

Benefits of Buying Term Cover Early

The premium on term insurance cover is quite affordable, especially for younger buyers, since age is one of the major factors in premium estimates. Also, since the premiums will remain the same, early buyers may enjoy a very low term premium later in life.

How Much Life Cover You Need?

Since the purpose of term insurance is to meet your dependents financial needs, it is better that you choose a sum assured that is large enough for that. Usually, you can avail approximately 20 to 25 times of your annual income as maximum sum assured.

Example: Suppose Pradip had the annual income of Rs. 500,000 p.a. at the age of 30, thus maximum sum assured he could choose was about Rs. 25 to 30 Lakh. He can, however, increase the sum assured as his income increases or based on certain life events.

Term Insurance and Life Events

The life insurance need is not static throughout your life. It changes with your income, lifestyle, the number of dependents and other factors. After retirement, when you start earning out of your own savings from your working years, and your liabilities are over, your life insurance need could be zero.

Following life stages should make you revisit your term life cover:

·         Marriage

·         Addition of a life (Child birth)

·         Lifestyle changes/upgrades

·         Income increase/Job changes

Whatever your age at this moment, if you have not considered a term insurance so far, perhaps it is the right time to start.

Call me at 9958781151 or whatsapp to know more or book a term plan.

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How to Avoid Insurance Claim Rejection ?

Life insurance is not just a tax saving tool, it is a serious financial product which if used correctly can be a bless for your family and dependents. We people take life insurance to safe our future from any mishappen.      

But it will be only if it get paid to our nominee on time without hassle. There are so many clauses, conditions and exceptions in insurance policies. Failure to meet any of these conditions would result in no insurance benefit being pay out. Most often, insurers rely on legal loopholes and clauses in their policy documents to avoid making payments of sums assured, but surprisingly a large number of times, the fault and blame belongs to the customers themselves.

Here are some points to ensure yourself as a customer that you always get paid.

1. Don't Conceal Information:- While taking a life insurance policy any information pertaining to your health/habits which can put an impact should disclose. Any pre-existing disease or condition or smoking/drinking habits or anything that can be linked as being as cause to your hospitalization or death will be investigated and if you have not disclosed to the company about it then sum assured & other benefits will not be given to you or your dependents/nominee. Remember your premiums are decided on this information. If there is nothing that can be held against you then the insurer will have to honor the insurance claim.

2. Accept Medical Examination: After certain age, life insurer ask for sponsored medical examination and test to get better understanding of your medical condition. These test may also help you detect diseases early, and treat them accordingly. These test will decide acceptance/rejection of policy or clear your doubts about any future rejection of claims due to concealing health information. 

3. Pay Insurance Premium On-Time: Remember Insurance company only settle claims on Active Insurance Policies. But there are number of people who do not understand that delaying premium payments result in lapsed policies. Once your policy get lapse, you are no longer covered and all your premiums paid that far will be rendered useless. Your nominee may lost their legal validity to get sum assured on death from the company. In some cases delaying your insurance premium payments lead to Late Payment Surcharge for re-reinstatement of the policy.

4. Nominee Information: Nominee is the person who will receive any and all benefits that come out of your insurance policy in your absence. Nominee should be generally that person whose livelihoods are directly depends on you being alive and well. So nominate some one is more important. If you are single than nominate your parents, if married then spouse or children. Whatever your present relationship status is, always keep nominee name update so that some benefits will to some dependents of yours. If there is no nominee then death benefits may be freeze/rejected.

5. Scrutinize the Policy Documents: Merely telling the insurance agent everything about your medical history will not qualify him to understand and explain all on the form about your medical history. Insurers decide your premium payment amount, overall coverage, and even some exclusions based on whats' filled out in your forms. No one knows better that you, and you need to make sure the insurance provider knows too. You need to take the time out of your busy schedule and check the form that all details are filled in order and truthfully. Check Clauses such as the exception list that indemnifies the insurer from any kind of liability towards you exist all over your policy documents. 

Keep  yourself informed about all developments with your insurer. Keep yourself informed about the details in your policy documents. Stay well informed about the conditions under which you will be eligible for a claim. 

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How Much Insurance Do I Need !!!

Do all of us require life insurance?? My answer is "YES" Because, Health of elderly parents, Education of Children and life of Spouse are put under a big question mark when bread earner dies. Not only losing the loved ones, most of the times families get into serious financial crisis. Now the question is " How Much Life Insurance Do I Need To Secure My Family?" But first you realize that whether you need any life insurance to take. If so, then here are some parameters on calculating how much life insurance you really need.

1. Earning Power: Life insurance amount must cover at-least the earning power of the person. For Example you earn Rs.50 thousand per month then your expenses ratio would around this amount. Now if something happens, interest income from insurance policy claim proceeds must be around or more than Rs.50 thousand, considering the fluctuation in money value due to inflation.

2. Dependents: If you are young and single you do not worry much about this. Mostly liability started arise once you get married. But after marriage this is must. Your Spouse and your children or your parents requires it more in your absence, because they depends on you.  If you are only earner in the family then you need higher insurance coverage.

3. Having Loan: If you have some loan/debt then the policy coverage must be higher to cover your loan/debt amount. Imagine the situation when the person had a bulk house loan to pay and there is no earner. Remember when you have loans or other debts, consider taking a policy with higher coverage after checking your affordability to pay the premium along with EMI.

Life insurance is not necessary if you do not dependents. Having surplus resources to take care of dependents. No debts/Loan, You are single and just started earnings.

There are some basics to check it like Take all your insurance policies and calculate total insurance cover you have. Now analyze and compare it with your earning in your absence and ask yourself "will this amount fulfill / protect family's lifestyle forever in my absence". If your earning does not allow much to take regular insurance cover then go for some Term Insurance.

Calculate and take the right insurance cover for you and protect your family's lifestyle forever. 

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Register and Get Facility with LIC eService Portal

LIC has comes up with some new features with Lic’s e-service. You can register your policies at LIC portal with some simple steps and save lots of time.

Lic’s e-service is an initiative is to provide you with on demand service within a few clicks! You can now have many of the functionalities that were available only at branch office, Now it will be online at your fingertips. To avail this facility you have to get register as customer on LIC portal.

How to get Register on LIC Portal:

First you have to visit www.licindia.in  , click on the tab “New User “ , select your own USER ID & Password and provide all the other necessary information . Now you are a registered customer portal user.

LIC’s e-services portal for customers has come up with a lot of new facilities. Now if you register you can avail the following benefits: 

1.  Online Payment Facilities:

This facility provided to pay renewal premium dues, payment, repayment and loan interest due of loan through net banking, debit card, credit card, BHIM, UPI

2.   POLICY Schedule:

First page of policy bond which constitutes policy schedule will be displayed.

3.   Policy Status :

Basic detail of policy will be displayed such as plan, term, sum assured, date of commencement, first unpaid premium etc.

4.  Bonus Status :

     Total bonus accumulated under the policy will be displayed.

5.  Loan Status :

Present loan position will be displayed such as total loan outstanding under the policy, due up to which loan interest paid etc.

6.  Claim Status:

This option will display date of survival benefit (if any) or maturity benefit due under the policy during the policy term.

7.  Revival Quotation:

Revival quotation will be provided in case of lapse  policies.

8.  Premium Due Calendar:

Detail of premium due during the year (month wise) will be displayed.

9.  Premium Paid Certificate:

Individual policy – it provides history of premium paid under a single policy during the financial year.

Consolidated – it provides history of premium paid under all the registered own life policies of the user.

10. Claim History:

 This option will provide details of any claim paid under the policy with NEFT/  Cheque details, date of payment and amount of payment.

11.  Policy bond/proposal form image;

 Scanned image of the policy bond as well as proposal form will be displayed for enrolled  policies.

12.  Grievance registration:

Facility to register a complaint /grievance with insurer.

In future the benefits will further be enhanced. If you face any problem in registering, you may contact us/your Agent or to your nearest LIC Branch.

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Health Insurance And Tax Benefit

Health is Wealth or You may say Health is the greatest assets for a human being. Our overall health is severely affected by our lifestyle. Unhealthy Eating Habits, Lack of Adequate Sleep, Stress can affect our health. A Mediclaim policy acts as savior & it protect you from facing a financial crunch in a medical emergency. Since Inflation has made medical bills costlier, having a heath insurance policy is necessary as other necessities.

There are dual benefits of the health insurance. First it ensures your financial stability and give coverage against expensive medical bills and also offer you benefit of Tax Deduction under section 80D upto Rs.25,000/- to Rs.30,000/- (for Senior citizen).

In order to enjoy tax deductions along with health coverage, you need to check which policy suits you & your family and how much premium required for. The premium amount paid by you can be utilize as Tax Rebate Tool. Remember, if the premium paid by your employer, you will not be eligible for tax rebate. Under the IT Act, 1961 medical allowance is not considered as an allowance, which is exempted. 

Generally, medical allowance is confused with medical reimbursement. Medical reimbursement is paid by an employer to their employees when they submit medical bills. 

When it comes to tax planning, people generally don't consider their parent's health insurance as a tax saving tools. If you are paying for your parents health insurance, you can claim upto Rs.30,000/- as tax deduction benefit in your annual income tax return. 

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Service Tax Paid on Insurance Premium U/s.80C

Many question arise about "can we take benefit of paying service tax paid on Insurance Premium!" If we check insurance premium receipts properly we get that the we pay three cost heads; Net Premium + Service Tax + E. Cess. On this basis final gross premium is calculated.

Now question is "can we take claim under section 80C of service tax paid along with insurance premium?"

The current tax rules states that "any amount paid to keep in force a life insurance policy qualifies for a tax deduction under section 80C." It is a common perception that Premium Paid all Life Insurance Policies are qualifies for deduction under section 80C of Income Tax Act, 1961. 

As per Section 80C(2) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 any amount paid to an insurer to buy or to keep a life insurance policy in force can be claimed as a deduction from gross total income by the policy holder. This implies that premium paid for a life insurance policy can be deducted from gross total income before arriving at taxable income subject to certain condition.

Section 80C(2) also clarifies that in order to claim the deduction from gross total income for a particular year the gross amount of premium must be paid or deposited in that particular financial year itself.

But when you ask insurance provider to provide Total Insurance Premium Paid Statement then they will provide you only statement of net premium paid. 

Tax experts interpret this to mean that the entire premium inclusive Service Tax and Cess, qualifies for a tax deduction.

Ideally, you need to mention the entire premium or gross premium for the purpose of availing a tax deduction under section 80C.

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Which is better Paid-Up or Surrender?

A life insurance policy in which if all the premium payments are complete till some specified period and insured person is free of all payment obligations and the policy stays intact until insured's death or termination by its maturity or Surrender of the policy is called Paid-Up Policy.

Life Insurance Policies usually last the insured person's lifetime or maturity period, but some some policies can be paid up completely till a specified period. Only Traditional Life Insurance Plans can be a Paid Up Policy. 

It is calculated as the ratio of number of premium paid to the total number of premiums payable multiplied by the Sum Assured value.

 i.e. Paid-Up Value = No. of Premium paid /No. Premiums Payable X Sum Assured.

For Example:  Pradip has one traditional Endowment Policy having Sum Assured Value Rs.2,00,000/- and the policy tenure is 16 years. Unfortunately Pradip did not able to continue his policy after continuing is upto 8 years full premium paid. 
Now from very next year he did not paid any due premium to make it continue, hence very next year this policy become automatically a Paid-Up policy.

Which is better Paid-Up or Surrender of Policy?

Now, Pradip has two option either he can go and surrender his policy by providing all necessary documents to the branch or let it become Paid-Up.

Also Read : How To Surrender An LIC Policy ??

A Policy can be paid-up from next premium due. Suppose I continue my policy up-to 8 years and from next year I fail to pay premium then it become automatically Paid-up to its proportionate to its  premium paid ; Payable And Sum Assured.

Every Insurance Plan has it surrender value which can be known from servicing branch. Its is approx 30% of Sum Assured in regular plan and up-to 90% in single premium plan.

If we calculate in both condition then we can make comparison itself and understand which is better. For Example you have S.A.=2,00,000/-; Tenure - 16 Years; Premium - Rs.13000 (Approx); Premium Paid up-to full 8 years.

Surrender Value : Rs.2,00,000 X 30% = Rs.60,000/-  (Immediate Payment)

Paid-Up Value : Rs.2,00,000 X 8/16 = Rs.1,00,000/- + Vested Bonus  (Payment after death or maturity)

You can decide which is better. On Surrender you will get immediate payment while on letting Paid-Up of Policy you will get after death or maturity which ever is earlier)

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How To Make Claim in Insurance ?

What is Claim in Insurance?

Let’s talk about claim. Claim is the demand that the insurer (i.e. LIC of India) should redeem the promise made in the contract. Then the insurer settle the claim after satisfying himself that all the conditions and requirements for settlement of claim have been complied with.

Types of claims:-

An insured person can make claim according to condition complied to contract between Insurer & Policyholder. Claim can be made against Maturity; Death or by Surrendering a policy.

In Money Back Policy, LIC or other Insurance company also pays Survival Benefit Payment before the date of maturity.

How to Make Claims and what are the documents required for?

(A)Maturity Claims:-

When Life Insurance Policy is maturing, the insurance company will usually send intimation prior to due date at least two to three months in advance of the date of maturity with maturity amount payable details.

Policy holder should contact his servicing branch to know about claim procedures & sets of documents required. The Insurance Company asks for following documents:

(          1)Maturity Claim Form No. 3825

(          2)Original Policy Bond

(          3)Discharge Voucher with witness sign

(          4)NEFT Details with cancelled Cheques

(B)Death Claims :-

When a person with life insurance policy dies, claim intimation should be sent to the insurance company as early as possible. The Assignee or the Nominee under the policy can do this with the help of his agent or relative.

The claim intimation should contain information like Date, Place and Cause of Death. The Insurance Agent should help the Insured Person Family or Assignee to deal with the Insurance Company. The Insurance company will respond and ask for the following document :

(       1)Maturity Claim Form No. 3825

(       2)Certificate of Death

(       3)Original Policy Bond

(       4)Discharge Voucher with witness signature

(       5)NEFT Details with cancelled Cheques

*If the policy has been assigned in favour of any other person or entity like any Loan provider company – the claim amount will be paid to the assignee who will give discharge.

(C) Surrender of Policy : - Please visit post How to Surrender LIC Policy?

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How to Surrender an LIC Policy ??

Why we are thinking to surrender the policy while we take it to secure future from financial Problem or Unexpected other risk. Some time we take to save tax U/s.80C also.

REASON TO SURRENDER : 

There may be so many reasons to get it surrender. Might be you are not satisfy with the term & conditions or having some financial problem.

But before going to surrender your policy bond,  you need to check that does your policy has surrender values.

All endowment or money back insurance plans accrue a surrender value after certain (lock-in) period.

Generally insurance policies acquire surrender value completions of three years of your policy. This may varies than the amount of premium paid.

Remember Term Insurance / Health Insurance policies are pure protection plans and do not accrue any surrender value.

Once you have decided to surrender your policy, here is how you go.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS : -

I.   Original Policy Bond / Certificate

II.  Photocopy of last premium payment receipts

III. Photocopy of latest unit balance (in-case of market linked plan)

IV.  Application for surrender value or LIC SurrenderRequest Letter

V.   LIC Form No. 3510/5074

VI.  LIC NEFT Mandate Form

VII. One Cancelled Cheques / Photocopy of Passbook (NEFT/RTGS Purposes)

All forms are self explanatory, fill all the forms accordingly and have some revenue stamps may require. With the above documents visit your home /servicing branch (office from where policy bond is issued). You can find it on your policy bond or on policy receipts. Only Policy holders can surrender the Policy Bond.

After verification all documents LIC officer will issue an Acknowledgement Receipts for the same. Surrendered process may take 15-20 days and the amount (Surrender Value) will be credited into your bank account directly.

POINTS TO REMEMBER : -

1. Surrender values are payable only after three full annual premium paid.

2. Surrender of policy is not recommended since the surrender value would always be proportionately low.

3. And When you decide again to go for an LIC Policy that would be with higher premium because of your    

    higher age .

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