Insurance

A practical guide to choosing the right health insurance cover in India. How much is enough, what to look for, and the mistakes most people make.

Section 80D is one of the most underutilized tax deductions in India. Many people claim it partially, claim it wrong, or miss deductions they are entitled to. Here is the full picture. What Section 80D Actually Covers Section 80D allows deduction from taxable income for: Health insurance premiums paid for yourself, spouse, and dependent children Health insurance premiums paid for your parents Preventive health check-up expenses (within limits) Medical expenditure for very senior citizens (if no insurance available) These are separate buckets with separate limits, which is where the confusion starts. ...

Walk into any conversation about term insurance in India and someone will say “take at least Rs. 1 crore cover.” It is repeated so often it has become unquestioned gospel. The problem is that for most families with a decent income, Rs. 1 crore is nowhere near enough. Here is why - and how to actually calculate what you need. Why Rs. 1 Crore Became the Default Ten years ago, Rs. 1 crore sounded like an enormous sum. It was the benchmark thrown around by insurance agents and financial columnists alike. But consider this: Rs. 1 crore today, invested conservatively at 7% per year, generates roughly Rs. 58,000 per month in interest. Before inflation. ...

Health insurance claim rejections often happen due to avoidable reasons. Here are the most common causes and the exact steps to prevent them before you ever need to file.

If you bought your term insurance through an agent or walked into an LIC branch, there is a reasonable chance you are paying 15-30% more in annual premium than someone who bought the exact same policy online. Over a 30-year term, that is Rs. 1-3 lakh in excess premium paid. Here is why the gap exists and how to buy online without sacrificing service or claim security. The Economics of Agent-Sold Insurance Insurance agents in India earn a commission on the first-year premium (typically 15-40% for term plans) and a smaller renewal commission in subsequent years. This commission is not shown to you as a line item - it is embedded in the premium you pay. ...

Most Indians buy health insurance exactly once, under pressure from a ULIP-pushing agent, and never think about it again until they need to use it. By that point, the policy has gaps you did not know about, and your claim is either partially rejected or the cover is embarrassingly low. These are the five mistakes that cause most of the damage. Mistake 1 - Buying for Tax Benefit, Not for Coverage Section 80D gives you a deduction of Rs. 25,000 on health insurance premiums (Rs. 50,000 for senior citizens). This is excellent. But many people buy a Rs. 3-5 lakh policy simply to exhaust the deduction, without thinking about whether that cover is adequate. ...

Buying term insurance ten years later does not just mean slightly higher premiums. Here is the actual rupee difference and why it compounds in ways most people never calculate.

ULIPs have been reformed, rebranded, and re-pitched. The math still does not work for most buyers. Here is why the product persists and why it keeps underperforming.

Most Indians who buy health insurance for the first time pick a round number - Rs. 5 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh, Rs. 15 lakh - based on a vague sense of what is “enough.” The better question is: what does actually adequate coverage cost more than just barely adequate coverage? The answer, for most people, is surprisingly little. How Insurance Companies Price Higher Cover Health insurance premiums are not linear. A Rs. 50 lakh policy does not cost twice as much as a Rs. 25 lakh policy. Here is why: ...

The life insurance coverage gap in India is staggering. Most families have coverage that would last their dependents 18 months, not 10 years. Here is why and how to fix it.