Aviva India | wealthymatters

Online ULIPs

August 18, 2014 Leave a comment

wealthymatters Life insurers like HDFC Life, Aviva India and Bajaj Allianz have started focussing heavily on the online platform for selling ULIPS (unit-linked insurance plan), promoting them as low-cost products, in the last few months.These policies are cheaper than their offline counterparts, as the savings made on agents’ commissions are passed on to policyholders in the form of lower premium allocation charges.

Insurers are launching these online Ulips to counter distributors’ reluctance to promote ULIPS . Over the last four years (post September 2010, when IRDA imposed a cap on ULIP charges), many agents and brokers have stopped selling ULIPS.

While the broad structure of a lowcost ULIP sold online is similar to a regular ULIP, slashing of premium allocation charges is the key differentiating feature. HDFC Life’s online ULIP has completely done away with allocation charges.It only charges fund management fee and a risk premium for mortality cover and on this aspect, directly competes with ELSS Mutual funds. The entire premium paid by the customer gets invested. Aviva’s product levies a premium allocation fee of 4-5%, compared to its offline counterpart that charges 8-9%. Bajaj Allianz’s online ULIP levies premium allocation charges ranging from 0-5.5% in the first five years, depending on the premium amount and year. Read more of this post

Filed under Paper Assets Tagged with Aviva India, Bajaj Allianz, HDFC Life, life insurance, online ULIP, postaday, tax efficiency, ULIP

Opt For The Critical Illness Rider

July 10, 2013 Leave a comment

wealthymatters Its a common tendency to automatically opt for the Double Accident Benefit (DAB) rider in case of life insurance policies. Personally I feel it makes sense to similarly adopt the Critical Illness Rider (CI) too.The few extra rupees are probably well spent.Here’s why I think so:

According to a recent study conducted by the private non-life insurer ICICI Lombard, the maximum increment in critical illness incidence rates was experienced in the age bracket of 26-35 years.The vulnerability to illnesses such as cancer among the younger age group is increasing. In this age group, the incidence rate has doubled in the last three years. The study also noted that spike in critical illness incidence rates was more significant in IT and manufacturing sectors.

Other insurers also have a similar story to tell.According to Aviva India,claims for lifestyle diseases like cancer, heart attack and diabetes from people below 40 years of age stood at 23% in 2011-12 and it has shot up to 38% in FY2012-13.Due to a spurt in lifestyle diseases where people are exposed to various risk factors like diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol disorders there is an increase in the number of claims for cardiac diseases and cancer, which are covered under major critical illnesses.

Critical illness riders offer a fixed sum once the illness is diagnosed.They can be a valuable addition to your basic health cover if you contract any serious illness. Your health cover will take care of most of your hospital bills, and pay-outs from critical illness cover can be used to fund medical costs that are not covered,your travel, food, post-treatment recuperation expenses and other long term or permanent expenses such as colostomy pouches.It could also come to your aid should you have to travel abroad for treatment. In case of a critical illness rider the sum insured is paid once any of the illnesses is diagnosed irrespective of where the treatment is taken, at home or abroad.

In fact,if you prefer to take treatment abroad only,consider buying a standalone critical illness policy available from the general insurers.