Protect your family – Get Term Insurance..!
by Mr. Satyan Jambunathan,
ICICI Prudential Life
Insurance Company
What is term insurance..?
It
is one of the simplest forms of life insurance, where an individual pays a
fixed amount of premium & in case of death of the life assured, the family
receives a lump sum payment from the life insurer.
Why term insurance..?
It
ensures that the family is not left financially vulnerable in case something happens
to the earning member. Liabilities can be covered & future income can be protected
through term insurance.
Moreover term plans these days offer benefits for
health (critical illness and disability) as well as accidental death.
What are the benefits of buying
protection..?
Lifestyles
of Indians are changing, leading to lifestyle related ailments.
A family’s
fortune can be wiped away in case the breadwinner is diagnosed with a critical
illness. Having a plan that provides financial protection against critical
illness enables the family to continue with their regular life without an
additional financial burden as these days there are plans which pay the lumpsum
benefit upon diagnosis of the illness.
 |
| Satyan Jambunathan, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance CompanyTerm plans are more affordable now than they were 15 years ago. The rates of protection plans have dropped by almost 50%. Moreover, these plans are now comprehensive i.e. covering accidental death, critical illness and terminal illness, along with providing a life cover. |
These
days, life insurers offer nominees the option of receiving the claim amount as
a regular income, to enable families better manage their finances.
What is the ideal cover..?
This
depends on the income, expenses and liabilities of an individual.
Consider a 30
year old married male, with a child, who has a monthly income of Rs.25,000 and
an outstanding housing loan of Rs.10,00,000.
If something were to happen to him,
the family needs to pay off the loan and continue with their lives as well. The
ideal cover for this individual, to enable the family pay off the loan as well
as sustain, would be calculated as: Rs. 25,000 x 12 months x 28 years + Rs.
10,00,000 = Rs.94,00,000.
He should continue with this cover till his
retirement.
What are the points to be considered before buying
term insurance..?
1. Buy early..!
The cost of buying
insurance increases with age. The earlier one buys, the lesser one pays. Therefore
start as early as possible and continue till retirement.
2. Claims settlement ratio..!
Ensure that the life
insurer has a consistently high claim settlement ratio and a reputation for hassle-free
claim settlement.
3. Nomination..!
Ensure you have a nominee for the policy, who will
be the beneficiary of the policy proceeds.
4. Truthful Disclosure..!
Disclose all information
about yourself, especially medical information, truthfully. This will
facilitate a smooth claim settlement.
5. Medical tests..!
A medical condition if
revealed, may lead to a higher premium.
Don’t change your mind. This just means
that you need financial security even more, to ensure your health problems do
not impact your family’s finances.
About the author...!
Mr. Satyan Jambunathan is Chief Actuary at ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company
No comments:
Post a Comment