Different Types of Term Insurance Plans

Many people today understand the importance of term insurance in ensuring financial stability and protection for themselves and their families during unexpected events. However, choosing the right plan can be confusing for many. Term insurance comes in different types simply because needs vary among individuals, and no single plan suits everyone. Read on to understand the different types of term insurance plans and find the one that best suits your requirements.

Many people today understand the importance of term insurance in ensuring financial stability and protection for themselves and their families during unexpected events. However, choosing the right plan can be confusing for many. Term insurance comes...
Many people today understand the importance of term insurance in ensuring financial stability...

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Term Insurance 

Term Insurance is one of the most popular types of Life Insurance plans. In this policy, you sign a contract with an insurance company for a specified period. You pay a defined monthly premium, and in return, the insurance company promises to pay a specific amount (sum assured) to your family or nominee as a death benefit if you pass away during the term. Term insurance is a pure life insurance policy with no savings or investment component. It is one of the most affordable ways to secure your family's future. 

Different Types of Term Insurance Plans

With various term insurance plans available in India, it's crucial to understand the different types and their features to choose the best plan that suits your needs. Each type of term insurance plan has its own unique features and benefits. This comprehensive guide will take you through the different types of term insurance plans in India and help you make an informed decision.

Level-term Insurance is a type of Term Insurance Plan where the sum assured remains constant throughout the policy term. The nominee will receive a fixed amount in case of the policyholder's death, irrespective of the year of demise. Level-term Insurance is popular among people who want a fixed amount of coverage throughout the policy term. It is an excellent choice for people with a fixed income and budget.

 

Features and benefits of Level Term Insurance

  • The sum assured remains constant throughout the policy term.
  • Affordable premiums.
  • Provides a fixed amount of cover throughout the policy term.
  • Tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 under the old tax regime

 

Who should consider Level Term Insurance?

Level-term Insurance is an excellent choice for people who want a fixed amount of coverage throughout the policy term. It is an ideal option for people with a fixed income and budget. It is also suitable for people who want to provide financial security to their families in case of their untimely demise.

This type of Term Insurance is similar to the Level Term Insurance plan but with a critical difference - the sum assured increases yearly by a fixed percentage. This increase is usually linked to the inflation rate and ensures that your coverage keeps up with the rising cost of living. With this plan, you can be assured that your family's needs will be cared for even if you cannot provide for them.

 

Features and Benefits of Increasing Term Insurance

  • The sum assured increases yearly, providing inflation-adjusted coverage to your loved ones.
  • This plan is especially suitable for young families with growing financial responsibilities.
  • The premium for this plan is usually higher than the level-term plan due to the increasing sum assured feature.

 

Who should consider increasing Term Insurance?

Individuals who want to ensure that their family's financial needs are met even in an inflationary environment should consider this plan. If you are a young earner with a growing family and expect your financial responsibilities to increase over time, this plan may be suitable for you.

As the name suggests, the sum assured under this plan decreases over time. This plan is usually suitable for individuals with specific financial liability, such as a loan or mortgage, which decreases over time.

 

Features and Benefits of Decreasing Term Insurance

  • The premium for this plan is usually lower than other types of Term Insurance.
  • This plan provides coverage specifically tailored to the needs of individuals with a decreasing financial liability.
  • This plan ensures that your family is not burdened with liability in case of your untimely demise.

 

Who should consider Decreasing Term Insurance?

Individuals with a specific financial liability that decreases over time, such as a loan or mortgage, should consider this plan. It is also suitable for individuals who want to ensure that their family is not burdened with their financial liability in case of their demise.

Renewable Term Life Insurance is a type of life insurance that allows you to renew your Term Life Insurance Policy at the end of each term without a medical exam. You can purchase Term Life Insurance for a particular period, such as 20 years, and at the end of each term, you can renew the policy for another term. It is important to note that the premium of this policy typically increases at each renewal. 

 

Features and Benefits of Renewable Term Insurance

  • This plan ensures that your coverage is not affected by any changes in your health status.
  • This policy is a good option for individuals with short-term insurance needs and who want to renew based on their choice.
  • The policyholder can continue to renew the policy as long as the policy allows.

 

Who should consider Renewable Term Insurance?

Renewable Term Life Insurance can be an excellent option for older individuals concerned about insurability. With age, it gets challenging to qualify for Life Insurance. Renewable Term Life Insurance allows renewing your policy without any hassle. This policy typically has lower premiums, making it a good choice for people with limited budgets. 

Convertible Term Insurance lets the policyholder convert their coverage to Permanent Life Insurance without undergoing a medical examination. This plan ensures that your coverage is not affected by any changes in your health status.

 

Features and Benefits of Convertible Term Insurance

  • This plan allows the policyholder to convert their coverage to Permanent Life Insurance Policy. 
  • The policy offers guaranteed insurability as long as the policy is converted within the specified time frame. 
  • The premium for this plan may be higher than other types of term insurance.

 

Who should consider Convertible Term Insurance?

Convertible Term Insurance is an excellent option for people who want to gain more financial confidence over risks and uncertainties of life. If you are worried about developing health issues or the cost of renewing your term life, then consider getting a convertible feature to your term life before signing up for the policy.

Return of Premium Term Insurance is a type of term insurance plan that refunds the premium paid by the policyholder at the end of the policy term if the policyholder manages to survive the policy term. This plan ensures that your investment in the policy is not lost if you outlive the policy term.

 

Features and Benefits of Return of Premium Term Insurance

  • Option to add riders: You can enhance your policy coverage by adding riders such as critical illness insurance, accidental death benefit rider, etc.
  • Maturity benefit: Besides the return of premiums, some insurance companies offer a maturity benefit if the policyholder survives the entire policy term.
  • Premium payment options: You may pay your premiums in a single lump sum or opt for regular payment options such as monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly.
  • Premiums returned: The most prominent feature of this plan is that if you outlive the policy term, you get all your premiums back. It is a unique feature not offered by other term insurance plans.
  • Death benefit: In case of a sudden demise during the policy term, the beneficiary receives a lump sum as the death benefit.

 

Who should consider the Return of Premium Term Insurance?

The Return of Premium Term Insurance Plan is a good fit for individuals seeking a risk-free investment option. This plan is also recommended for those with a steady income who can afford to pay a higher premium in exchange for a refund of their premiums at the end of the policy term. Additionally, it can be an excellent choice for those who want to ensure that their loved ones receive a significant payout in case of their untimely death

4 Key Benefits of Term Insurance Plans

Term plans offer a wide range of benefits from financial security to simplicity to peace of mind - the list goes on. Some of the key advantages include: 

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Financial protection

Offers your loved ones financial security during your untimely death. The payout can help your family pay off outstanding debts, mortgages, and other expenses.

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Affordable premiums

Offer affordable premiums, making them accessible to most individuals. You can choose the policy term, sum assured, and other features based on your needs and budget

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Flexibility

Offers flexibility regarding policy terms, sum assured, and riders such as Accidental Death Benefit Rider, Accidental Permanent Disability Rider, Critical Illness rider, etc.

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Tax benefits

The amount of money you spend to buy a Term Plan is tax-free under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Also, under Section 10 (10D) of the same act, the life insurance amount received by the nominee, including the bonus, is exempted from tax.

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How does Term Insurance Work?

Term insurance works on a simple concept. It provides financial support to your loved ones if you pass away. It ensures that essential expenses like home loans, education fees, daily living costs, and more will be covered in your absence. 

The Term insurance plan works as follows:

  • The policyholder pays the insurer a fixed premium for a specific term
  • If the policyholder does not survive this period, the insurer offers the death benefit to the assigned beneficiary (typically wife and kids)
  • There is no survival or maturity benefit 
  • You can buy term insurance for a specific year as you wish; it could be 10 years, 20 years, 30 years or more
 

Let's look at an example:

A 29-year-old Rahul protects his family's future with a 20-year insurance plan covering INR 1 Crore. He is a non-smoker, so he pays just Rs 620/month, ensuring financial protection for his loved ones in case of any unfortunate event (untimely death). All this while he enjoys his peace of mind.

Why Choose ACKO Life Flexi Term Plan?

ACKO Life Flexi Term Plan is a highly flexible term plan that offers a financial safety net for your loved ones and unmatched flexibility for your unique needs. With this plan, you can change how much money your family would receive, how long the plan lasts, how often you make payments, and even how the money is given to your family with just one click in the ACKO App - it’s that simple and straightforward!

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Full Flexibility

- Sum Assured: Increase or decrease your sum assured as per your life stages and requirements.

- Policy tenure: Increase or decrease as your financial dependents, loans (home, car, education), lifestyle and income change

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Affordable Prices

We believe in being fair and friendly with your wallet. Our insurance plans give you excellent coverage without breaking the bank. So you can stay protected and save money at the same time. That's a win-win!

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Easy and Convenient

We're all about making life easier! Being digital-first means you can easily buy or make claims on your term insurance policy with us. No more hassle, just simple and quick steps.

What makes the ACKO Life Flexi Term Plan unique?

You get the following benefits with your ACKO Life Flexi Term Plan

Larger Life Cover

Provides comprehensive coverage at affordable premiums

Change Sum Assured

You can increase it (once a year) and decrease it (after 3 years of policy tenure).

Change Policy Term

You can increase your policy term (once a year) and decrease it (after 5 years). 

Add Optional Riders

You can opt for ACKO Life Accidental Death Benefit Rider, ACKO Life Accidental Total Permanent Disability Benefit Rider, or ACKO Life Critical Illness Benefit Rider.

Change Payout Options

Allows you to control how the sum assured will be paid to your nominee. You can choose if the claim settlement is partially done through monthly payments or as a one-time full payment.

Enjoy Tax Benefits

The ACKO Life Flexi Term Plan protects your family’s financial future and lets you save taxes under Section 80C. Easily save up to  ₹54,600* on your taxes.

3 Key Things to Consider Before Buying a Term Plan

When choosing a term life insurance policy that provides adequate financial protection for your family, it's crucial to consider three key factors:

Evaluate Your Financial Obligations:

Consider outstanding loans, family's day-to-day expenses, children's education, and other financial commitments.

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Compare Quotes:

Get quotes from insurance companies and compare their offerings, such as premiums, sum assured and other benefits.

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Consider Your Financial Limits:

Your budget is crucial in choosing the right sum assured. Ensure the premium you'll pay fits your budget.

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How to Buy Term Insurance Online?

Buying term insurance online can be straightforward, paperless, and quick. 

Research and Compare

Research various insurance companies and their term insurance plans. Compare features, coverage, premiums, and riders offered by different insurers. When choosing an insurance company,  keep in mind that all online insurers must be registered with IRDAI and can be verified on the official IRDAI portal.

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Determine the Ideal Coverage Amount

Evaluate any major financial liabilities, living expenses, healthcare costs, and additional responsibilities requiring future support through insurance proceeds if an untimely event occurs

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Choose the Preferred Tenure

Select a policy tenure that spans ongoing major obligations requiring coverage, such as home loans, children's future education, and supporting spouses/parents if the earning member is no longer. Ideally, align the end date with the retirement life phase, permitting dipping into maturity assets then.

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Compare Premium Rates Diligently

Premium costs vary significantly across similar offering insurers based on age, tenure, and health history. So, always check quotes across 4-5 leading insurance providers via aggregator sites before locking in the most competitively priced option that meets your needs.
 

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Check Policy Inclusions & Other Features

Look beyond premium costs. Consider claims processing transparency and responsiveness, associated riders' options, ease of servicing, and more. 
 

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Purchase Digitally

Visit the chosen insurer's website or online term plan marketplace and provide basic personal, income, family, and health details for real-time custom quotes.
 

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Why Buy Term Insurance Online?

Here are four key reasons for buying term insurance online. 

Cost-effectiveness

Online term insurance plans are often more affordable because they eliminate intermediaries and agents. You can easily compare quotes from different companies and select one that fits your budget.

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Transparency

No hidden surprises here! Buying health insurance online gives you the gift of transparency. You can easily access all the nitty-gritty details of the policy, like coverage limits, exclusions, and benefits. It's all right there on our website for you to see and review. So, you can make an informed decision without any guesswork. Transparency is key!

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Instant Quotes

You can obtain instant quotes from multiple insurance companies with just a few clicks. 

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Quicker Process

Unlike traditional methods involving paperwork and meetings, the online process is faster and can be completed in a matter of minutes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answer to the given questions below related to types of term insurance in India.

The most common term life insurance policy is level term life insurance.


 

Yes, you can buy multiple-term insurance policies from different insurance companies. However, you must disclose all your existing policies to the insurance company while applying for a new one.

Yes, most insurance companies allow you to change the sum assured of your Term Insurance plan during the policy term. However, you may have to pay an additional premium for the increased coverage.


 

If you miss paying a premium, the policy enters into a grace period during which you can pay the premium without penalty. On failing to pay the premium during the grace period, the policy can lapse, and you will lose coverage.

Yes, most insurers mandate you to undergo a complete medical examination before allowing you to purchase an insurance policy. However, some companies offer coverage without a medical exam, but the premium for such plans may be higher.


 

The required coverage varies for each individual. Considering financial commitments, income replacement needs, outstanding debts, future expenses, and more is important.

 Level-term life insurance is considered highly cost-effective. 

There are a range of riders to fulfil your unique requirements, such as Accidental Death Benefit Rider, Accidental Permanent Disability Rider, and Critical Illness rider.

As per the IRDAI, you can purchase an Accidental Death Benefit Rider with coverage up to three times (3x) the base sum assured of your life insurance policy.

As per the IRDAI, you have the option to decrease the premium amount or sum assured of your life plan after 3 years instead of the previous restriction of 5 years.

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Written by Neviya Laishram

1.5K Linkedin Followers Author dot Icon

Reviewed by Vaibhav Kumar Kaushik Author info Icon

A professional Life Insurance writer, editor, and copywriter with a background in magazines, healthcare, education, and insurance.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on industry experience and several secondary sources on the internet, and is subject to changes.

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