Understanding The Basics Of Life Insurance

Insuring your life for the financial responsibilities of your dependants must be paramount before proceeding to any other aspects. Set your goals, expectations and other expenses that may crop up during your lifetime. Look for plans that will give your family stability when you are no more. 

In this article we will discuss at length the various types of life insurance available for you.

Types of Life Insurance Policy

Here's a list of the various types of life insurance policies available for everyone: 

1. Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is a type of life insurance that provides benefit to the beneficiary only if the insured dies a specified period. If the policy holder serves until the end of the period the Insurance Coverage ceases without value and Payout or death claim cannot be made. Term life insurance is income replacement that remains active for a specific number of years. 

2. Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance is an insurance plan that provides you coverage throughout your lifetime provided the policy is active. Whole life insurance policies also contain a cash value component that increases over time. You can withdraw your cash value or take out a loan against it as per your convenience. In addition, in case of your unfortunate demise before you pay back the loan, the death benefit paid to your beneficiaries will be reduced. 

3. Endowment Policy

It is defined as a type of life insurance policy that is payable to the insured if he or she is still living on the policy's maturity date or to the beneficiary otherwise. Endowment plans provide you with a dual combination of protection and savings. In this policy, if the insured dies during the term of the plan, the nominee receives the sum assured plus the bonus or participating profit or guaranteed additions, if any. The bonus of profit is paid for the number of years that the insured survives on the policy terms. 

4. Money Back Plan

Money back plan gives you money during the policy tenure. It gives a percentage of the sum assured at regular intervals during your policy terms. If you live beyond the term of the Insurance policy then you will receive the remaining portion of the corpus and the accrued bonus also at the end of the policy term. 

5. Savings and Investment Plans

These are the type of insurance plans that provide you the assurance of lump sum funds for you and your family's future expenses. While providing an excellent saving tool for your short term and long term financial goals, this sum also assures your family a certain sum by way of an insurance cover. This is a broad categorization that covers both the traditional and the unit linked plans. 

6. Unit Linked Insurance Plans

ULIPs are a type of insurance plan that provides you with a dual advantage of Protection and flexibility in Investment. It is a type of life insurance where the cash value of the policy varies according to the current net asset value of the underlying investment assets. The premium paid is used to purchase units in Investment assets chosen by the policyholder. 

Benefits of Purchasing A Life Insurance -  Online Vs Offline

Following are some of the key benefits which you can enjoy while purchasing a life insurance plan online vs offline - 

1. Variety of Plans

When you opt to purchase a life insurance plan online, you get a wide array of options available to you at just one click. This helps you compare different plans on the basis of their  sum assured, Premium Payment Terms (PPTs),  Policy Period, Premium, and various other features conveniently and quickly. However, in case of an offline purchase, limited plans may be made available to you as the information is shared basis the understanding of your life insurance requirement by the agent.

2. Zero Ambiguity or Chances of Fraud

When you buy a life insurance plan online you get to see all the terms and conditions yourself that are already listed in the brochure of the policy. This helps you make an informed and transparent decision without any third party influence. In case of an offline purchase, there could be ambiguities due to difference in the level of understanding of the buyer and the agent.

3. Affordability

When you buy a life insurance plan online, you get to compare all plans and choose the plan which offers optimal coverage at the best affordable premium. This helps you get value for your money. This might not be true in case of an offline purchase as the scope of comparison of plans is limited.

4. Flexibility

In case of an online purchase of a life insurance, you do all the research yourself as per your convenient time and understanding. However, in case of an offline purchase, you need to deal via an agent and this can lead to a flexibility crunch.

Take Away

Life insurance is not just to fulfill the daily expenses of the family in the absence of a breadwinner. It should be capable enough to ball out the family during large financial exigencies. So, one should always choose one or two best types of life insurance which can support his or her family in different stages of life. 

You may also like to read - Premium Payment Modes Available Under A Life Insurance Policy

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.