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At what intervals are actuarial valuations conducted?
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Every year the policies that are in force are valued and the present value is arrived at. The assets are also valued as on that date and a comparison is made to ascertain the valuation surplus. 95% of the valuation surplus is distributed among with profit policy holders.
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Can a loan be taken on a policy?
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Policy holders are eligible to take loans on their policies subject to certain rules. The policyholder has to apply for a loan in a prescribed form and submit the Policy Bond with the form duly completed. The loan amount is calculated depending on the Surrender Value (SV) that the policy would have acquired, and approximately 85% of the Surrender Value is given as loan.
Rate of interest charged varies from company to company and time to time. A policy holder can repay the loan amount either in part or in full any time during the term of the Policy. If the loan amount is not repaid during the term of the Policy or early claim, the amount of loan plus interest, if any, will be deducted from the claim money and the balance amount will be paid to the claimant.
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Can there be a Change of Nomination?
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Change of Nomination can be done by the Policyholder any time during the term of the Policy and any number of times. For this, the policy holder has to give a notice in a prescribed form to the insurer and getting it endorsed at the back of the Policy. Further, Nomination can be removed any time by the Policyholder without giving prior notice to the Nominee.
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How can I avail the facility to assign a policy?
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The policy holder can send a request for an assignment by completing a document and submitting the same to the nearest branch.
Assignment form duly filled and signed by assignor, assignee and witnessed.
Original policy bond
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How do I assign a policy or transfer a life insurance policy?
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Assignment or transfer of a life insurance policy may be made by simply making an endorsement to that effect in the policy document. Another way of transferring or assigning the life insurance policy is to get a separate assignment deed executed.
The former case is the preferred mode of assignment as it is exempt from further stamp duty. An assignment should be signed by the assignor or his duly authorized agent, and should specifically state the fact of transfer or assignment. The document should be attested by at least one witness.
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How does the nominee/ legal heir make a death claim in a life insurance policy?
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In case of a death claim, the 'claimant' (nominee/ legal heirs) must submit-
- An intimation of the death of the life assured
- Death certificate issued by the local health and medical authority
- Completed claim forms
- Policy of Life assurance
- Medical evidence in case of health and disability rider claims
- Other forms as required by the company
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How much life insurance should an individual own?
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It is very difficult to place a monetary value on human life. Theoretically therefore an individual can have life policies for any amount. However, in practice, it is determined based on the needs for insurance and the capacity to pay premiums regularly. Though there is no thumb rule to arrive at the exact amount of insurance, it is determined by taking 6 times of the annual income of the person, if such income is not fluctuating. If the income is fluctuating it is desirable to work his average annual income and then determine the amount of insurance. From an individuals stand point one should be able to save atleast 10% of his annual income.
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How much time does the Company take to settle the Claim?
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The Company settles the Claim within 8 working days after all the records, documents and necessary forms are submitted and documentation is completed.
In case, the Claim warrants further verification, the Company keeps the Claimant informed of the same. Subsequently, when the decision is taken, it is communicated to the Claimant by a letter.
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How should investment funds typically be selected?
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A customer may select any investment fund or combination of investment funds as per choice or can do so in consultation with an investment advisor, keeping in view the following factors:
- Financial goal
- Time period
- Risk appetite
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How to facilitate switching between funds?
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The policy holder can avail this facility by sending a Switch of funds request form duly signed.
Note:
Four switches are free in a policy year
A charge of Rs 100/- will be levied on any additional switch. This charge is subject to change but shall not exceed Rs.300/-.
Switch of funds will be effected at a Unit Price declared on the date the Switch application is received and accepted by the Company before 3.00 p.m. and on the next day's Unit Price declared if the application is received and accepted at the Company after 3.00 p.m.
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To whom will a death claim amount be paid in a life insurance policy?
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The death claim is paid to-
- The nominee, as declared in the proposal form
- The legal heirs, in case the nominee is not specified
- The appointee, in case where the nominee is a minor at the time of claim
- The proposer in case the policy is not on own life
- If the policy has been assigned, the death claim is payable to the assignee.
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What are the Types of assignments?
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There are two kinds of assignments.
ConditionalAssignment
Absolute Assignment
Conditional assignment is usually effected for consideration of natural love and affection. Absolute assignment is usually affected for valuable consideration.
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What are the rights of a nominee?
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Under Nomination, the Nominee gets only the right to receive the policy money in the event of the death of the Policyholder. Nomination does not pass on the property in the Policy. If Nominee dies when the Policyholder is still surviving then the nomination would be ineffective. Nomination has no effect if the Policyholder is surviving. If Nominee dies after the death of the policyholder but before receiving policy money, then also Nomination becomes ineffective and money can be claimed only by the Legal Heirs of the Policyholder.
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What are the rights of an assignor and assignee?
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On assigning the policy, the assignor (life assured/policy holder) loses his right over the policy and the assignee gets the right and becomes the owner of the policy. The assignee can further re-assign the policy and he also has a right to sue under the policy.
A valid Assignment once made cannot be cancelled. It is only another valid assignment the earlier assignment gets cancelled. In all the cases, Assignment automatically cancels the nomination. However, when the policy is assigned to the insurer, nomination gets affected and it does not get cancelled.
Under conditional assignment, if the conditional assignee dies,the benefit under the policy goes back to the life assured if surviving. otherwise, the benefit goes to policyholders nominee.Under absolute assignment, if the absolute assignee dies, the benefits under the policy goes to the legal heirs of the assignee.
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What are the tax benefits on purchasing policies?
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Subject to certain limits and conditions prescribed by the Income Tax Act, premiums paid to effect or to keep in force an insurance policy on the life of the assesses or on the life of the wife or husband or any child (whether minor or major) of the assessed irrespective of the status of the child, enjoys tax rebate under section 88 of the income tax act. In the case of contribution to pension funds, deduction is available under Section 80CCC of the Income Tax Act.
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What details one should provide about the nominee/s?
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The following details are necessary when filling in the proposal form: full name of the nominee, address, age, and the relationship between the proposer and the nominee.
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What do we mean by Assignment of an Insurance policy?
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Assignment of a life insurance policy means the act of transferring the rights of property in the policy from one person to another. The person who transfers his right is called the "assignor" and the person to whom the right is transferred is called the "assignee"
There are two types of assignments:
Conditional Assignment whereby on the happening of a specified event which does not depend on the will of the assignor, the assignment will be suspended or revoked wholly or in part.
Absolute Assignment whereby all the rights, title and interest which the assignor has in the policy passes on to the assignee without reversion to the assignor or his estate in any event.
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What do you mean by switch of funds?
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Switch is a facility available only in Unit Linked policies allowing the Policyholder to change the investment pattern by moving from one Investment Fund/s to another among the Investment Funds offered under the underlying product of the Company.
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What does Add-on Benefits or Riders mean?
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The additional benefits, over and above the benefits available under the insurance policy that a policyholder may be entitled to at an extra cost are called Add - on Benefits or Riders. One could opt for any one or more of the benefits at a little extra cost.
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What is IRDA?
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IRDA is Insurance Regulatory Development Authority, that has been set up to protect the interests of the policy holders, to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the insurance industry and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
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What is a Claim?
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A claim is the payment made by the insurer to the insured or claimant on the occurrence of the event specified in the contract, in return for the premiums paid for the insured.
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What is a paid up policy?
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Once the premium on a life insurance policy for a specified period is paid in full, the policy may not lapse even if no subsequent premiums are paid. Such policies are known as paid-up policies. In such cases, the sum originally assured is reduced to a sum bearing the same ratio to the sum originally assured as the number of premiums actually paid to total number of premiums originally stipulated as payable under the policy.
By way of example, if 6 out of the originally stipulated 30 premiums are paid, the sum assured under a paid-up policy could still be 20 percent of the original sum assured by the policy.
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What is a term assurance?
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Term assurances are the purest and cheapest form of insurance. Term assurances are plans where benefits are payable only on the death of the policy holder within the particular term.
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What is an assignment?
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Assignment is a means whereby the beneficial interest, right and title under a policy gets transferred from the assignor to the assignee. 'Assignor' is the policy holder who transfers the title and 'Assignee' is the person who derives the title from the assignor.
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What is an endowment assurance plan?
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Endowment plans are among the most popular forms of insurance as they provide both insurance coverage and also act as a savings instrument. These are the plans wherein benefits are payable on death within the term or survival to maturity which ever is earlier.
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What is group insurance policy?
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An insurance policy that provides coverage for a number of people under one contract, called a master contract. In a Group insurance policy, the policy holder is usually the employer who contributes premium which is a certain percentage of the salary of the employees in the Employers organization. However, the employees are the beneficiary in such Group insurance policies. In general, in a group insurance policy the insurance company ordinarily cannot turn down any applicant that is a member of the defined group.
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What is life insurance?
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Life Insurance is an agreement that guarantees payment of a stated amount of monetary benefits at the end of a specified term or on the death of the life insured.
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What is meant by a 'with profit plan'?
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A policy issued under a 'with profit scheme' is eligible to participate for bonus addition arising out of surplus revealed on conducting an actuarial valuation. Premium under with profit plan is always greater than the rate for without profit plan. While computing the structure of a premium table a bonus loading is made to the rate determined by the other three factors viz., Mortality, Interest and expenses.
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What is money back plan?
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Money back plans are a special type of endowment plans and are also called as anticipated endowment assurance plans. Under money back plans, survival benefits are spread over the term of the policy i.e., certain percentage of sum assured is paid at regular intervals. Apart from the above death benefit continues like an endowment plan i.e., full sum assured shall be payable on death within the term irrespective of earlier survival benfits.
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What is nomination? And who is a nominee?
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Nomination is a right conferred on the life insurance policyholder to appoint a person or persons to receive the policy monies in the event of the policy becoming a claim by death. Any policyholder, who is a major and whose life is insured under a policy, can make a nomination.
A nominee is the person designated by the policyholder to receive the proceeds of an insurance policy, upon the death of the insured.
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What is partial withdrawal?
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Partial withdrawal of a policy implies withdrawal of only a part of the funds of the policy. The applicable norms for partial withdrawal may differ for every product.
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What is reinsurance?
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The practice of insurance companies insuring the risk insured by them is called reinsurance.
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What is surrender value?
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The cash value payable by the insurance company on termination of the policy contract at the desire of Policyholder but before the expiry term is known as Surrender Value. A policy can be surrendered, provided the policy is kept in force atleast three years. The bonus will be added, provided the policy was in force for atleast 5 years, i.e., premiums should have been paid for 5 years and five years should have been completed from the date of commencement of the Policy (this condition is not applicable in respect to claims by death.)
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What is survival benefit?
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Survival Benefit is the benefit the policyholder is eligible to avail upon the life assured surviving certain number of years during the term of the Policy. The survival benefit is required to be availed within five years of its falling due. Availing of survival benefits will not reduce the life insurance cover under the policy. In the Money-Back Policy, the life assured is paid a certain percentage of the sum assured every few years. This survival benefit is payable only when the life assured is alive. It does not matter if the life assured is suffering from any illness or not. However, if the life assured dies, the benefit payable is Death Benefit and not survival benefit.
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What is the Death Benefit?
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In the event of death of the insured during the plan term, the full sum assured will be received by the claimant. This is Death Benefit.
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What is the benefit of opting riders/add ons?
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Riders/add ons are the additional benefits which can be added to the basic policy by paying marginal additional premium. Each company has got their own set of rider and most common riders offered by insurers are:
¯ Term rider.
¯ Critical illness rider.
¯ Accidental death and dismemberment rider.
¯ Waiver of premium rider.
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What is the difference between nomination and assignment?
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While nomination is an authorisation to receive the policy money in the event of death of the life assured, it does not give the nominee an absolute right over the money received to the exclusion of other legal heirs. Further, the nomination can be revoked or cancelled at any time during the lifetime of the policyholder at his will and pleasure or by a subsequent assignment.
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What is the difference between switch and redirection?
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A switch will enable the policy holder to shift the existing units of the unit-linked policy into a new fund and will not change the future premium allocation.
A premium redirection will enable the policy holder to change the allocation for all the future premiums of the policy. However, the existing units will not be shifted into a new fund.
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What is the difference between traditional life insurance and unit linked life insurance?
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In the case of traditional life insurance, the policyholder is usually offered a guaranteed sum assured. In addition, non-guaranteed bonuses in the form of a share in the profits of the Company may also be offered depending on whether the policy is a participating policy or not. The policyholder has no say in the choice of investments, which are decided by the company on his behalf. The premium amounts are usually fixed at the outset and the same quantum of premium needs to be paid throughout the term of the policy.
The main difference is in the flexibility in the choice of investments. In the case of unit-linked life insurance, the insurance company would usually offer a choice of different funds (say, with a differential mix of bond and equity investments) in which the policyholder can opt to invest his contributions. These funds differ by virtue of their risk exposure and their appreciation potential. The policyholder can decide which funds his contributions need to be invested in and in what proportion. Therefore, the returns under the policy are dependent on the investment choice made by the policyholder. The policyholder can also opt to invest top-up contributions over and above the regular contributions at any time and to switch his investment pattern at any time during the term of the policy.
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What is the grace period for payment of premium?
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The grace period is generally 30 days after the due date for payment of premium for policy holders paying their premium every quarter, half-year or every year. For monthly premium payment the grace period is generally 15 days after the due date.
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What is the need for insurance?
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People invest in life insurance owing to a few key reasons, mainly
- Insurance creates financial provisions for the deceased's dependants.
- Insurance provides for the policyholder's old age after his earning power diminishes. After all, interest rates may fall and invested holdings may lose value and stop gaining dividends, but the value of an insurance policy once set, never reduces.
- Insurance also provide a legally authorised way to reduce the incidence of Income Tax.
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What is the procedure to have a duplicate policy issued in case the original has been misplaced?
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The policyholder would require to inform the company in writing and request for a duplicate policy bond, along with the following requirements:
Indemnity bond on stamp paper of adequate value
Stamp charges @ 20 paise per Rs.1000 sum assured (variable from company to company)
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What is whole life plan?
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Whole life plans are a special type of term assurance wherein the term of the policy is whole of the life. So the benefits under the policy are payable only on death of the policy holder.
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What parameters are considered by the company while asking the claimant to submit particular records / document?
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The Company considers the Sum at risk, cause, circumstances of claim and duration of the policy while asking for certain requirements. Eg. For accidental death, specific proofs such as Post Mortem and Police Report are required whereas for death due to illness, the Company calls for records from hospital, test reports, etc
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When can a policy be surrendered?
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After the premiums are paid for at least three consecutive years, the policy acquires a surrender value and then the policy can be surrendered. If it is a single premium policy, then it can be surrendered after the first year.
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When does a policy acquire paid up value?
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After payment of three years of premiums if subsequent premiums have not been paid under a policy, such a policy is said to have acquired a paid up value, though literally it is a lapsed policy. The paid up value is calculated by multiplying the sum assured by the ratio of number of premiums paid under the policy and the number of premiums payable under the policy. The value so arrived at, should not be less than Rs.250 excluding the accumulated bonus under such a policy. Such a reduced paid up policy will not be entitled to participate in future bonuses.
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When does a policy lapse?
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A policy lapses when the policy holder fails to pay the premium even within the grace period. In this case, the policy loses all its benefits.
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When to nominate ?
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Nomination can be done at the inception of the Policy by providing details of nominee in the proposal form. However, if the nomination is not done at the inception of the policy, the policyholder can nominate at a later date. This nomination has to be effected by giving notice in a prescribed form to the insurer and getting it endorsed on Policy Bond.
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Who Can Buy a Policy?
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Anybody who has attained majority and is eligible to enter into a valid contract can take an Insurance policy. Few policies can also be taken on the life of spouse or children, subject to certain conditions.
While endorsing an insurance proposal, most companies take into account your state of health and income among other factors.
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Who is entitled to receive the Claim benefit?
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The nominee or appointee (in case of minor nominee) last recorded under the Policy in case of Policy on own life.
The proposer in case the Policy is not on own life.
Assignee in case the Policy was assigned.
Life Assured himself in case of policy on own life for living benefit claims (Eg Critical Illness rider)
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