Home > Topics > Personal Finance > Term Insurance – Features & Benefits

Term Insurance – Features & Benefits

Term Insurance is the purest form of life insurance. It is simple: You die, we pay. You live, we pay nothing. This simplicity makes it the most powerful tool in financial planning.


Key Features

  1. High Cover, Low Premium: A 30-year-old can get ₹1 Crore cover for just ₹800-₹1000 per month.
  2. Fixed Premium: Once you buy, the premium usually locks in for the entire 30-40 years. It won't increase with age.
  3. Long Tenure: You can cover yourself till age 60, 70, or even 85.

Why choose Term Insurance?

Loading case study…


Important Riders (Add-ons)

You can attach extra benefits to your base policy:

  1. Accidental Death Benefit: Pays extra (e.g., +50 Lakhs) if death is due to accident.
  2. Critical Illness Rider: Pays a lump sum if diagnosed with Cancer, Heart Attack, etc. (Very useful as these diseases increase expenses).
  3. Waiver of Premium: If you become disabled, future premiums are waived off, but cover continues.
Note

Tip: Always take the Waiver of Premium rider. It is cheap and crucial.


How to Choose a Term Plan?

Don't just look for cheap premiums. Check:

  1. Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR): % of claims paid. Look for > 97%.
  2. Amount Settlement Ratio: Are they paying the big claims?
  3. Brand/Solvency: Choosing a reputed insurer (LIC, HDFC, SBI, ICICI) is safer for a 30-year contract.
  4. No Lies: Disclose everything in the form (Smoking, Alcohol, Past Surgery). If you lie, the claim will be rejected when your family needs it most.

Summary

  • Necessity: If you have dependents, this is non-negotiable.
  • Income Replacement: The sum assured should be 10-15 times your annual income.
  • Review: As income grows, increase your cover.
  • Honesty: Full disclosure in the medical form is the key to a successful claim.

Quiz Time! 🎯

Loading quiz…


Next Chapter: Endowment Policies (Why to avoid them)! 📉