What are the Types of Life Insurance Policies?

Written by : Knowledge Centre Team

2020-04-16

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A life insurance policy is generally considered to be one of the most important requirements for a comfortable, hassle-free life. Not only does a life insurance policy guarantee that one’s dependents will be well looked after even if they are no longer around, but it can also contribute to building a substantial corpus to fulfill their future financial goals.

One of its primary benefits is the plethora of different types of life insurance plan and policies on offer to prospective policyholders. One can choose their preferred plan based on their unique individual requirements.

Read on to learn more about the different types of life insurance policies that are available for policyholders in the market.

Term Plans: Term insurance is widely considered to be the simplest form of life insurance. Term insurance is a pure cover plan which offers protection for a specified time period. If the life insured passes away during that period, the nominee receives the predetermined death benefit. The most distinctive feature of term insurance is the high amount of coverage offered at extremely nominal premium rates. Certain term plans also boast of maturity benefits, i.e. the return of premiums in the event no claims have been made during the policy tenure. One can also enhance the amount of coverage offered by a term plan by opting for additional riders, such as Accidental Death Benefit or Child Support riders.
Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs): Among the different types of life insurance policies available, ULIPs enjoy a high amount of popularity owing to their versatile nature. ULIPs come with the two-pronged benefits of both investment and insurance. A portion of the premiums paid towards ULIPs is directed towards ensuring insurance coverage, while the rest of the premium is invested into a bouquet of investment instruments, which can include market-backed equity funds, debt funds and other securities. ULIPs are extremely flexible instruments since investors can easily switch or redirect their premiums between the different funds available. ULIPs are also touted as having an edge over other market instruments in terms of tax-saving benefits, since their proceeds are exempted from LTCG (Long Term Capital Gains).
Endowment Plans: This is another type of life insurance policy which acts as, both, an instrument for insurance and saving. Endowment plans aim to provide maturity benefits to the life insured, in the form of a lump sum payment at the end of the policy tenure, even if a claim hasn’t been made. Endowment plans are ideal for people looking to ensure maximum coverage alongside availing a sizable savings component. They help the policyholder inculcate the habit of savings, even while providing financial security to their family. Endowment plans can broadly be classified into two types: with profit and without profit. Policyholders can choose from these two types based on their risk appetite.
Money Back Life Insurance: One of the best types of life insurance policies, the money-back policy offers policyholders a percentage of the total sum assured at periodic intervals in the form of Survival Benefits. Once the policy in question reaches maturity, the remaining amount of the Sum Assured is handed over to the policyholder. However, if the policyholder dies while the term is ongoing, their dependents are given the entire Sum Assured without any deductions.
Whole Life Insurance: Unlike term insurance, wherein the insured has coverage only for a specified period of time, whole life insurance offers coverage right until the death of the policyholder. You can opt for either a participating or non-participating policy, as per your financial needs and risk appetite. Though the premiums for participating whole life insurance are higher in comparison, dividends are paid out at regular intervals to the policyholders. The premium rates for a non-participating policy are lower, but the policyholder generally cannot avail the benefits of regular dividends.
Child Plan: A child plan is another one of the different types of life insurance available to policyholders. Such a plan is tailored to fulfill one specific goal: to ensure financial protection for the policyholder’s child upon the unfortunate demise of the policyholder. It is ideal for ensuring that the future needs of the child are well taken care of, even in the absence of the life insured. Parents can invest in Child Plans, in order to meet the financial requirements for their child’s education, marriage or to fulfill a multitude of other financial goals their child might have.

Different types of life insurance policies ensure that prospective policyholders have a host of choices to choose from, based on their own individual requirements.

The iSelect Smart360 Term Plan, available on Canara HSBC Life Insurance, offers comprehensive protection at low rates and even allows policyholders to choose the frequency of premium payments. The policy can be further augmented through in-built riders such as Accidental Death Benefit and Permanent Disability Benefit, which keeps policyholders protected in a holistic manner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related to Life Insurance Policies

The premium is one of the most important factors to consider before buying a life insurance policy. Many people buy a life insurance policy with a high sum assured but are unable to process the premiums for the entire premium payment tenure. You can get a better idea of the premium outgo with the premium calculator available in the 'Tools and Calculator' section of www.canarahsbclife.com.

Life insurance plans come with several riders which increase the efficiency of the policy for the buyer. For instance, if you have a history of terminal illness in your family it would be advisable to opt for terminal illness rider with your term insurance plan. Riders or add-ons help in customising the standard policy benefits for the requirement of different families. The iSelect term insurance plan comes with a built-in cover for terminal illness, and option for protection against accidental death or disability. You can also opt to cover your spouse's life under the same policy by paying an additional premium.

Life insurance companies calculate the premiums based on several factors such as age, gender and occupation.

Age: It is one of the biggest factors that influence life insurance premiums. Premiums tend to be low when the life insured is younger as the chance of contracting diseases is low. Young people also opt for the best life insurance policies with longer tenures and pay premiums for a longer duration, which makes the policy cheaper for young people.

Gender: The insurance premium for women is generally lower when it comes to life insurance plans. Women live longer and pose a lesser risk of a claim leading to lower premiums for them.

Lifestyle habits: The premiums for people who smoke or drink is always higher due to higher health risks.

Policy term: Policy terms are also taken into consideration by insurers while deciding the premium amount. Life insurance policies with longer tenure are cheaper as compared to short-duration policies.

Mode of purchase: The platform that you use to buy the best life insurance policy also determines how much you will have to pay for the plan. People who buy life insurance policies online have to pay lower premiums as compared to offline policies.

Occupation: The nature of your work is an important factor that influences the premium amount. Certain occupations like shipping and mining are considered more dangerous as compared to jobs in services industries. The insurance premium rises with the risk profile.

Processing life insurance claim is a transparent and smooth process with Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance.

In case of the death of the life insured, the nominee will have to intimate the company by filling a Death Claim Form and sending it to the nearest branch office.

Once the form is received, the claim is registered by the insurer.

After the registration of the claim, the company will send the claims pack along with the related forms such as physician’s statement form and employer certificate that need to be filled.

Along with the duly filled forms a few documents such as original [policy document, death certificate, copy of bank passbook, hospital or treatment records, photo identification and address proof have to be provided.

The claim is processed on the submission of relevant documents. Once the documents are verified, the claim amount is released post all due diligence.

Buying the best life insurance plan online is not only safe but a better option. Online life insurance policies have lower premiums and the individual is not required to visit the insurer's branch or a bank. The best life insurance policies online insurance offer higher benefits. Customers should, however, buy online life insurance policies only from credible insurers and should check for SSL certificate on the website to ensure that the website is legitimate.

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We bring you a collection of popular Canara HSBC life insurance plans. Forget the dusty brochures and endless offline visits! Dive into the features of our top-selling online insurance plans and buy the one that meets your goals and requirements. You and your wallet will be thankful in the future as we brighten up your financial future with these plans.