Home is a dream which everyone sees with equivalent enthusiasm. And why not? It is a symbol of stability and testament to hard work that one does. However, no doubt it demands substantial financial commitment that has to be promised in terms of monetary supply. Seemingly, while owning a home is a rewarding experience, it’s equally important to protect this investment for your family. But how? Well, this is where term insurance steps in as a crucial financial safety net.

Importance of Term Insurance

The insurance policy, designed to provide financial protection for a limited period of time, is generally called term insurance. Term insurance is not like ordinary life insurance, giving maturity benefits; it rather pays in bulk in case the policyholder unfortunately dies anytime during the policy term.

Also Read: How much term insurance cover do I need?

Why Term Insurance is Important for Homeowners

A term life cover helps protect the house you’ve built for your family through your hard work and effort, especially if something unfortunate happens and the main earner passes away. With term insurance, your loved ones can use the insurance money to pay off the remaining home loan. This ensures they can continue living in the same house without the burden of a significant debt.

Knowing your family will be okay money-wise even if you’re not around gives you peace of mind. Many people find this hard to achieve. If something unexpected happens, it helps your family with much-needed money.

In today’s busy world where inflation keeps hiking up, term insurance is a cheaper insurance plan to buy. This makes it a good choice for people who have financial responsibilities like home loans and want to protect what they own.

How Much Term Insurance Coverage Do You Need?

Figuring out the right amount of term insurance coverage is key. Here’s a basic guide:

• A Backup for Home Loan Repayment

Term insurance can also serve as a safeguard in case of any unforeseen circumstances affecting the home loan repayment. It offers an option to settle outstanding debts including home loan, provided the insured sum equals or exceeds the outstanding loan amount.

• Extra Coverage:

Think about adding a safety net to the insured sum to handle other money matters like daily costs, kids’ schooling, or other debts.

• Check Often:

As your loan shrinks and money responsibilities shift, look over your term insurance coverage to make sure it fits your current needs.

Also Read:Factors to consider while buying Term Life Insurance

Picking the Best Term Insurance Plan

Choosing the Best Term Insurance plan requires considering a few factors:

• Policy

The policy should at least be concurrent with the home loan, or a little beyond that to provide additional coverage.

• Sum Insured

Your outstanding house loan and other debt liabilities should be the basis for arriving at the sum insured.

• Additional Policy Features

Few policies will let you add extras, like serious illness cover or benefits in the event of death or disablement due to an accident. Consider whether you need these, based on your needs and your ability to pay for them.

• Leverage Your Policy for Loans:

Term insurance policy can be used as a collateral for a loan, allowing lender to claim the policy benefit in case of default.

• Cost

Prices from different insurance companies should be compared to get value for the money.

Conclusion

This might seem like an expenditure additional to the one paid for buying insurance, but actually, it is an investment for your family’s future. The sense of security that one has by being prepared for the contingency offsets the initial cost incurred.

Want to know your options? Call now at 1800 266 9693 or mail at support@elephant.in. Want to know more about how to protect your vehicle? Log on to Elephant.in to know more about our extensive car insurance plans!

*Terms and conditions apply. The information provided in this article is generic in nature and for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for specific advice in your own circumstances. You are recommended to obtain specific professional advice from before you take any/refrain from any action. Tax benefits are subject to changes in tax laws. Please contact your tax consultant for an exact calculation of your tax liabilities.| EL/BLOGS/24-25/15

People begin discussing taxes and investments that can lower their taxable income around this time of the year. It’s vital that you only reduce your tax bill using legal means. That is where Elephant.in can help.

In this post, we’ve covered a one of the most-opted legal ways you can employ to – not only lower your tax bill but also build up a sizable emergency fund – that can protect you and your loved ones in uncertain situations.

One of these legal tax-saving options is Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, which enables you to receive tax benefits on expenses from your income up to a maximum of ₹1,50,000. Let’s take a closer look at this Section.

Life Insurance Tax Benefits in India

One of the most well-known and preferred tax-saving options is Section 80C – because it enables taxpayers to make tax-saving investments like life insurance products to lower their taxable income.

It allows a maximum annual deduction of ₹ 1,50,000 from the total yearly income.

For example, You are a 26-year-old individual, that falls under the highest tax slab rate of 30% having an annual income of less than Rs 50 lakhs. You have opted for the old tax regime.

You have purchased a term life insurance plan from Elephant.in. for an annualized Premium of ₹19,500 for a Premium Payment Term and a Policy Term of 36 years. You get a life cover of ₹ 2 crores. In the case of your unfortunate demise, your nominee will get a lump sum payout of ₹ 2 crores.

As per 30%, the tax on ₹ 19,500 is ₹5,850
+
Education Cess of ₹ 234 at 4% of ₹45,000
=
You save ₹5,616 in a year

In this way, you can save ₹5,616 X 34 years (premium paying term) = ₹ 2,02,176

Additionally, you get the following benefits from a term life insurance plan:

• Life cover  of over ₹ 2 Crore
• You save ₹ 2.02 lakhs in tax benefits under Section 80C
• Get tax-free pay-out under Section 10(10D)

Suggested Read: How much term insurance cover do I need?

It’s almost the end of third quarter of the current financial year and is the right time to start planning your investments for the year and save some of your hard-earned tax money.

You can visit Elephant.in to choose your preferred insurance company, compare various plans and buy the one that best fits your requirements.

Tax Disclaimer: Tax benefits are defined by the Income Tax Act of 1961 and are subject to any future changes. It is suggested that you consult with a tax consultant.

Source: https://incometaxindia.gov.in/

Think of Term Life insurance as a simple cheese pizza, offering essential coverage.  But what if you want to add some extra toppings to enhance the taste and make it more personalized? That’s where term life insurance riders come into play. Riders act as additional features or benefits that you can choose to add on top of your term insurance policy. These riders allow you to tailor your policy to meet your specific needs and provide comprehensive protection for you and your loved ones.

Let’s take a closer look at four must-have term life insurance riders.

4 Must-Have Term Life Insurance Riders

1. Critical Illness Rider

No one wants to think about the possibility of being diagnosed with a critical illness, but it’s important to be prepared. A critical illness rider provides coverage in the event that you are diagnosed with any specified critical illness such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, or organ failure (broadly categorized). This rider ensures that you receive a lump sum payout if you are diagnosed with a covered illness, which can help cover medical expenses, and treatment costs, or even provide financial support during your recovery period.

2. Accidental Death Rider

Accidents can happen at any time, and the financial impact on your family can be devastating. An accidental death rider provides an additional death benefit in addition to the base life cover if you die as a result of an accident. This rider can provide extra financial security to your loved ones in the event of an unexpected and tragic accident, ensuring that they have the resources they need to move forward.

Consider Mr. Sharma, who has a term life insurance policy with a death benefit of ₹1 crore. Unfortunately, he passes away in a tragic accident. Without any riders, his nominee would receive the base coverage of ₹1 crore. However, Mr. Sharma had the foresight to add an accidental death rider to his policy, which provides an additional ₹1 crore coverage in case of death due to an accident. As a result, his nominee will receive a total of ₹2 crore as the death benefit, significantly enhancing the financial security of the family.

3. Waiver of Premium Rider

Life is full of uncertainties, and one of the biggest concerns for policyholders is the possibility of losing the ability to pay premiums due to a disability or illness. A waiver of premium rider comes to your rescue in such situations. If you become disabled or seriously ill and are unable to work, this rider waives your premium payments while keeping your policy active. It ensures that your coverage remains intact, providing peace of mind during difficult times.

4. Accidental Total Permanent Disability Rider

Accidents can not only result in death but also leave a person permanently disabled and unable to earn a living. An accidental total permanent disability rider offers financial protection if you become permanently disabled due to an accident. In such a scenario, this rider provides a lump sum payout that can help cover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and ongoing living expenses.

Also Read:  How Does Term Life Insurance Work?

In conclusion, term life insurance riders act as the perfect add-ons to enhance the coverage and protection of your base policy, just like toppings on a pizza. They offer a wide range of benefits and cater to your specific needs, ensuring comprehensive coverage for you and your loved ones. It’s essential to carefully evaluate and choose riders that suit your circumstances, and for this, Elephant.in is your trusted personal insurance consultant.

Elephant.in offers you expert assistance to navigate through the rider options and select the ones that best fit your requirements. We offer the right term life insurance policies at the best prices, ensuring that you receive optimal coverage without overpaying.

With Elephant.in as your trusted insurance partner, you can have peace of mind, knowing that you have taken the necessary steps to protect your family’s financial future.

Why wait? Feel free to explore Elephant.in!

EL/02/23-24/88

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic turned everybody’s life upside down. As we faced infinite hurdles, we understood just how unpredictable life can be. The reality of the increasing death rate encouraged us to buy term life insurance. Better to be safe than sorry!

Term life insurance offers life coverage up to a certain period of time, i.e. the ‘term’. In case, the policyholder dies during the active years of the policy, then the family of the deceased receives a pre-decided monetary benefit from the insurance provider. In case the policyholder does not pass away, the policyholder gets an agreed sum of money on the maturity of the policy

• Coverage: The most common mistake we make is, calculating the required amount of coverage. You must consider the aspects such as age, average monthly expenses, current loans, and lifestyle. Experts recommend buying a policy with a death benefit of at least 7-10 times your annual gross income.
• Policy Period: The next important point to consider is the policy period. When you purchase a policy, choose the maximum available policy period. Opt for a term insurance plan at an early age if you want higher insurance coverage at a low premium.
• Right Insurer: It is important to consider the following parameters before choosing an insurance provider:
• Claim-settlement Ratio: It is the ratio of the number of claims settled by an insurance company and the number of claims filed by the policyholders. It is advisable to go for the insurance company with the highest claim-settlement ratio(CSR)
• Solvency Ratio: It highlights the insurer’s ability to pay out policyholder claims.
• Provide accurate information: Many companies reject claims on account of discrepancies filled in the form. Fill correct details, especially:

1. Date of Birth
2. Medical History(If you are a regular drinker, smoker, or may be suffering from an acute disease, do not hide these details from your insurer)
3. Family Medical History
4. Profession
5. Any other insurance policy you hold.

• Choosing Ad-on: Choosing suitable riders is an added benefit that provides additional coverage in the term insurance plan.
• Critical Illness cover: On being diagnosed with critical diseases mentioned in the policy by the insurer, a lump sum amount is paid to the policyholder.
• Waiver of Premium on critical illness: Future premiums are waived off if the policyholder is diagnosed with a critical illness mentioned in the policy during the policy tenure.
• Waiver of Premium on disability: If a policyholder becomes permanently disabled during the tenure policy, your future premiums would be waived off.

Before buying a term insurance plan, there are a lot of points that you should consider. Be sure to compare various plans on Elephant.in before finalizing the one you want to buy.

The benefits and importance of life insurance can never be exaggerated. There is one important aspect that determines your premium. It’s your health and living a healthy lifestyle. Curious about how your current health status affects your insurance premium?

While calculating your insurance premium, several components and factors are considered by an insurer. Apart from the assured sum, health conditions have a significant impact on the cost of the premium you pay.

Without lowering the coverage or benefits of your life insurance there are other smart ways to bring down the cost of your premium. One of the cheapest and most effective methods is taking care of your health. Let’s dive deep into understanding how your life insurance premium is affected by your current health.

• Pre–existing medical conditions: You will have to pay more for your life insurance coverage if you suffer from high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other medical conditions that your insurer specifies. Never hide facts about your preexisting medical conditions because your claim may be rejected and your family won’t benefit from insurance after your death.
• Medical History of your Family: Your insurer is also interested in your family’s medical history and not only your personal medical history. This will help them know if you are genetically predisposed to suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc. If the answer is yes, then your term insurance premium increases.
• Drinking Habits: Insurers will consider you to be at risk of serious kidney and liver diseases if you are a heavy drinker. This will increase your premium cost.
• Smoking Habits: Smoking has a negative impact on every aspect of your life. Smokers are considered high-risk insurance by the insurer because there is a likelihood of claims due to disability, critical illness, or premature death. There is a notable difference between the insurance of smokers and non-smokers. The premium is 40-60% higher for a smoker as compared to non-smokers.

It seems harsh, but insurers have to calculate your life expectancy and risk profile based on your current health for a suitable premium amount of coverage. It would be unfair to those people maintaining good health were having the same sum assured, tenure policy, and are equally charged.

Whatever the type of insurance, buying it early will help save premium costs because health, and age are important factors that determine insurance costs. If you are planning to buy a term insurance plan we recommend you check the Elephant.in Page.

A Term Insurance Policy is one of the most basic and traditional forms of life insurance. There must be someone to look after the expenses of your family and term insurance does this job in your absence.

These plans protect your family against unforeseen circumstances by offering financial security for managing their expenses if you are not around. A specific time period assigned to the term insurance plan is known as the plan term. In case a policyholder dies during the plan term, your family is paid a sum assured by the insurance company.

Term Insurance can be broadly classified into 6 types, based on their coverage and term insurance benefits:

1. Level Term Plan

It is the most simple and basic form of term insurance where the sum assured is fixed throughout the policy tenure. Nominees will receive benefits after the death of the policyholder.

2. TROP (Term Return of Premium)

This insurance plan comes with a maturity benefit wherein the total premium amount will be returned to the insured if he/she survives the policy tenure.

3. Increasing Term Plan

While maintaining the premium amount at the same value, the policyholder has the option to increase the assured sum annually during the tenure.

4. Decreasing Term Plan

Unlike the increasing term plan, the sum assured keeps on decreasing every year to meet the decreasing insurance requirements of the policyholder. This policy comes in handy if the insured person has taken a huge personal loan or is paying an EMI.

5. Convertible Term Plans

With these plans, the policyholder can convert this plan into any other type of insurance plan at a future date. For instance, if you have bought a term insurance policy for 25 years, but after 5 years, if you want to convert it into whole insurance, an endowment plan, etc., you can change it without any hassle.

6. Term Plan with Riders

This type of plan comes with rider options such as critical illness cover, death cover, etc., which can be purchased with the term insurance by paying a small premium.

Life throws a lot of surprises, and these surprises may be bitter sometimes. You can visit Elephant and opt for online term insurance to protect your family against the uncertainties of life.

Between 2021 and 2022, Indian ownership of term insurance plans increased from 39% to 43% ¹.

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize the importance of having a term life insurance plan!

It’s a type of plan that provides pay-out to your nominee(s) in the case of your unfortunate demise.  This pay-out will not only protect your loved ones from a sudden loss of income but also help paying back the unpaid loans such as home loans, student loans, etc.

Even though it’s smart to buy term insurance early, you still have time! So, yes! It is worth buying term insurance in your 50s. Here’s why:

5 Benefits of Buying Term Insurance in Your 50s

Here are the five most important benefits of buying term insurance in your 50s:

1. Replace Lost Income and Pay Living Expenses

Irrespective of your age when you die, a term plan can help your dependents make up for the lost source of income, especially if you were the sole breadwinner. The pay-out received can help them pay their living expenses.

2. Meet Your Family’s Lifestyle Needs

Over time, our lifestyle requirements change. Alongside, inflation keeps rising and that brings down our purchasing power. The pay-out that your nominees get from term insurance can financially aid them to maintain their lifestyle.

3. Protection against Liabilities

You may have taken out loans to buy a house, a car, and other assets. You can rest assured that even if you pass away, the burden from these loans won’t put your family in financial danger. If something tragic happens, the payment from the term plan might be able to pay off the loan(s). Moreover, his gives them peace of mind to focus on their own needs.

4. Financial Security for Children

Your kids are growing and so are their costs to have a stable livelihood. The maturity benefit of term insurance can also help financially secure the future of your children, at least until they start earning themselves.

5. Tax Benefits

Taxpayers may claim specific tax benefits in accordance with the guidelines set in the Income Tax Act. The most often claimed tax benefits fall under Section 80C and Section 10(10D). Please note that the tax norms are subject to change.

—

To conclude, you can enjoy the above benefits irrespective of the age at which you opt for term insurance. So, compare and buy the best term life insurance plan most suited for your and your family’s future financial security.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Tax Disclaimer: Tax benefits are defined by the Income Tax Act of 1961 and are subject to any future changes. It is suggested that you consult with a tax consultant.
Sources: https://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/term-insurance-ownership-has-risen-to-43-from-36-in-two-years-ipq-survey-122022300838_1.html

Life is unpredictable. Unexpected events may be beyond our control, but we can plan our family’s financial protection against them efficiently. In this aspect, one of the best tools for ensuring that your family never runs out of money is term life insurance.

A term insurance policy is a straightforward and cost-effective approach.

Having complete knowledge will enable you to make an informed choice, which will ultimately result in a stress-free future. Hence, before you decide to search online for the best term insurance policy, let’s understand how it works.

How a Term Life Insurance Work?

Here is how a term life insurance policy works:

• Step 1: You choose to buy a particular term insurance plan that fits best with your requirements.
• Step 2: You choose the sum assured or coverage amount that your nominee will receive in the unfortunate incident of your (life insured’s) demise.
• Pro Tip: To decide the coverage amount – try the DIME formula. Add your debt, income, mortgage, and education costs along with the salary needed for the number of years your loved ones require protection. You’ll get an idea of the needed coverage.
• Step 3: You choose the tenure of the policy i.e., the policy term and the duration of premiums to be paid i.e., the premium paying term – based on your earning years.
• Step 4: The life insurance company determines the premium amount to be paid based on a number of factors like your age, your overall health, sum assured, policy term, preferred term for paying premiums, and so on.
• Step 5: Decide the nominee(s). The death benefits do not need to go to just one person. You can split it between your adult children and spouse. In case you don’t have a family, leave the benefits to a friend, a charitable organization or a trust.
• Step 6: You buy the term insurance plan and in return you pay premiums.

Life Cover/ Death Benefit:

In the tragic circumstance, if the life insured passes away, the death benefit is given to the life assured’s nominee, and the life insurance policy is terminated.

Maturity Benefit:

Because a term plan is a “pure-risk” cover, if the life insured lives to the end of the policy term, there is no maturity benefit. Nevertheless, only in the case of “term insurance with return of premium plans” – if the life insured lives, s/he is given the agreed maturity benefit, which is the total premiums paid minus taxes, additional premiums, and so on.

With so many options available in the market, selecting the best term life insurance plan for you can be a task. However, Elephant.in can help you.

Contact us and we will arrange a meeting for you with our financial experts who will help you take a right decision without charging anything for their service. Dial 1800 266 9693 or email us at support@elephant.in.

People looking for term life insurance coverage frequently ask us, “How much term life cover do I need? ” The amount of life insurance that each person needs will vary depending on a variety of circumstances. In this post, we will discuss the factors that will influence how much life insurance you need.

3 Important Factors to Consider

Before choosing any life insurance plan, consider the following three most crucial factors to take into account while deciding how much term life cover is required:

• Does it cover your financial liabilities and loans?

Even if something unfortunate were to happen to you, unpaid debts like your home loan or car loan would still need to be repaid. In addition, you can have further unpaid debts. Make a list of all these liabilities and do the math to determine your total amount owed that must be paid regardless of what.

• Does it include both primary and secondary education for your kids?

If you are the sole breadwinner for the family, you are responsible for your child’s financial stability. Your child shouldn’t be denied the education s/he needs in the event of your unfortunate demise. Hence, determine a likely cost based on the program and institution you want to register your child in.

For example, A 4-year engineering program, which costs around 5 to 8 lakhs today, by 2025, it would likely cost at least 15–16 lakhs. Further, it is likely to reach 20 lakhs by 2030 and 35 lakhs by 2040. Hence, keep the inflation rate in mind while calculating the cost.

• Does it cover replace your current income?

Your family’s monthly expenses, such as those for groceries, transportation, medical care, and housekeeping, are also covered by your current salary.

These expenses could change if an unexpected incident occurs or if you retire. Say the monthly expenses for your household are ₹ 45,000 at the moment. Due to rising prices and an improvement in the level of living, this may rise in the future. Hence, decide how much you might need to spend annually to cover the family’s essential costs.

Calculate the Coverage You Require

After you’ve finished, add up all these numbers to get an idea of the total life cover you require. Your term plan’s sum assured must cover the expenses. If it is, you can relax knowing you have enough protection. It is that simple!

The Final Step

Now analyze and compare every term life insurance plan offered on Elephant.in and buy the one that seems most reasonable. Do not forget the premium cost that you will have to pay each month or annually while making this decision.

A Term Insurance Plan should be an ideal addition to your financial portfolio. Unmatched financial security is provided by the plan, which is not provided by any other financial tool. You can select a high sum assured to cover the financial loss your family would suffer in case of your premature and untimely death At low premium costs.

Some of the tips to reduce premium rates on term life insurance policies:

• Buy a plan when you are Young and Healthy:

Your Term Insurance plan premium depends upon your age when you buy the plan. The mortality risk increases as you grow older and determines the premium on your plans. When you delay buying a term insurance plan, the underlying premium rate increases; hence it is recommended that you should buy a plan when you are young.

• Maintain Good Health and Lifestyle:

Additionally, Health and Lifestyle habits also determine the premiums under term life insurance policy. The premium will be high if you have any medical ailments or physical complications. The would-be increased too if you consume Tobacco the tip. This premium increase is with the underwriting assessment that medical ailments and lifestyle vices increase your mortality risk. Hence, the insurance company charges a higher premium to compensate for the higher inherent risk.

• Choose a Longer Tenure:

The tenure under insurance features includes long coverage durations, which go as high as 40-50 years. If death occurs during the coverage tenure, the plan pays the benefit. The highest possible coverage duration should be selected as per experts’ advice when buying a term plan. You get for a more extended period, which increases the probability of claim payments for your nominees even after your retirement age and the premium amount outflow is lower. You don’t have to pay a higher premium afterwards for the same Sum Assured, these are the two benefits of choosing a long tenure.

• Pay premiums Regularly and in an Annual mode:

Premium life insurance plans allow Limited and Regular premiums. When you pay premiums for a limited duration, they are little premiums. On the other hand, regular tips mean paying premiums throughout the tenure of the plan. Your premium rates would be lower compared to limited payments if you choose a recurring premium payment option.

• Choose the correct Sum assured:

Your premium will be high if you buy a plan which has an unnecessarily high sum assured. Hence, you must be careful when selecting the Sum guarantee and ensure that the chosen coverage amount is neither very high nor too low.

• Cut down on Frills and go for Basic Vanilla Cover:

Modern term insurance plans feature a lot of value-added features, which enhances the scope of the project. It would be best if you did not go overboard in selecting these value-added benefits. Inbuilt riders are useful additions, but other paid features are to be weighed in terms of the additional premium costs associated with it.

When choosing a premium life insurance, look out for the maximum possible discount to avail of and reduce your premiums by using these benefits.