LIC FAQ

What is Insurance?

Insurance is a common way people protect themselves from huge financial losses. Basically you pay a small amount each month for "protection" against a potentially financially devastating situation.

What Is Life Insurance?

Life insurance is a contract that pledges payment of an amount to the person assured (or his nominee) on the happening of the event insured against.

The contract is valid for payment of the insured amount during:

* The date of maturity, or
* Specified dates at periodic intervals, or
* Unfortunate death, if it occurs earlier.

Among other things, the contract also provides for the payment of premium periodically to the Corporation by the policyholder. Life insurance is universally acknowledged to be an institution, which eliminates 'risk', substituting certainty for uncertainty and comes to the timely aid of the family in the unfortunate event of death of the breadwinner.
By and large, life insurance is civilisation's partial solution to the problems caused by death. Life insurance, in short, is concerned with two hazards that stand across the life-path of every person:

1. That of dying prematurely leaving a dependent family to fend for itself.
2. That of living till old age without visible means of support.

Who Can Buy?

Any person who has attained majority and is eligible to enter into a valid contract can insure himself/herself and those in whom he/she has insurable interest.

Policies can also be taken, subject to certain conditions, on the life of one's spouse or children. While underwriting proposals, certain factors such as the policyholder,s state of health, the proponent's income and other relevant factors are considered by the Corporation.

Insurance Tips

1. Always insure yourself at and early age
2. Always spread your risk with different type of plan
3. Always take a policy which gives money back option
4. Always take a Term Insurance for lower premium
5. Always nominate your nearest relative
6. Always pay premium on time
7.Insure all members of your Family
8. When your policy mature's there must be a company to pay you. Always buy insurance from a reputed Company as insurance is always for a longer period.
9. Check the companies claim settlement ratio.
10. Take insurance upto 15 times of your income

Insurance For Women

Prior to nationalisation (1956), many private insurance companies would offer insurance to female lives with some extra premium or on restrictive conditions. However, after nationalisation of life insurance, the terms under which life insurance is granted to female lives have been reviewed from time-to-time.

At present, women who work and earn an income are treated at par with men. In other cases, a restrictive clause is imposed, only if the age of the female is up to 30 years and if she does not have an income attracting Income Tax.

With Profit And Without Profit Plans

An insurance policy can be 'with' or 'without' profit. In the former, bonuses disclosed, if any, after periodical valuations are allotted to the policy and are payable along with the contracted amount.

In 'without' profit plan the contracted amount is paid without any addition. The premium rate charged for a 'with' profit policy is therefore higher than for a 'without' profit policy.

Keyman Insurance

Keyman insurance is taken by a business firm on the life of key employee(s) to protect the firm against financial losses, which may occur due to the premature demise of the Keyman.

Tax Benefits available for various Life Insurance plans.

The aggregate amount of deduction under all the relevant sections viz. section 80C, section 80CCC and section 80CCD shall not, exceed
Rs.1 Lakh..

1) Deduction from Income for payment of Premium (Sec. 80C).

(a) Life Insurance premia:
The insurance premia paid for a policy is eligible for deduction. The premium paid should not be in excess of 20% of capital sum assured.

(b) Contribution to Deferred Annuity Plans :
The premia paid for a Deferred Annuity , provided such contract does not contain a provision to exercise an option by the insured to received a cash payment in lieu of the payment of annuity is eligible for deduction.

(c) Contribution to Pension/Annuity Plans :
Contribution to New Jeevan Dhara-I and New Jeevan Akshay-V Schemes of LIC are qualified for rebate under this section.

2) Income tax exemption on Maturity/Death Claims proceeds under Section 10(10D)

All the benefits payable under a Life Insurance policy are tax free. However in cases the premium paid in excess of 20% of the capital sum assured within a year, benefits paid excess of premiums will be taxable. The benefits from a key man Insurance policy and any sum received under Sec 80DD, Sub-section (3) are also taxable.

3) Jeevan Nidhi Plan & New Jeevan Suraksha - I Plan (U/s. 80CCC)
Amounts paid from the taxable income to premiums of the above annuity are deductible.

4) Deduction under section 80D
Medical Premium paid for a Health Insurance policy is deductible to the extent of Rs. 15000 for an assessee and/or his family members’ policiy/s. A separate exemption to the extent of Rs. 15,000 for premiums paid for an assessee’s parents is also available. If any one or both of the parents are Senior citizens, then an enhanced exemption limit of Rs. 20,000 is available.
Section 80D also covers payment of premium exclusively for Critical Illness Rider.

5) Jeevan Aadhar Plan (Sec.80DD)

Premium paid for LIC’s Jeevan Aadhar Plan (for the maintenance of an handicapped dependent) is eligible for deduction from the total income to the extent of Rs.50,000 and to the extent of Rs.75,000/- where handicapped dependent is suffering from specified severe disability.

6) Exemption in respect of commutation of pension under Jeevan
Suraksha & Jeevan Nidhi Plans. (Section 10(10A):
A payment received by way of commutation of pension from Jeevan Suraksha & Jeevan Nidhi Annuity plans is exempt from tax