Your family's security
starts with one decision.

LIC has strong government backing and public trust. But private insurers like HDFC Life, ICICI Pru, Max Life often have higher claim ratios (98–99%), faster processing (7–15 days vs 30+), and significantly lower premiums for the same cover. We compare both honestly.

Yes, absolutely. The insurer will either accept with a premium loading of 10 to 30% extra, or a temporary exclusion, or a specialist plan. Full honest disclosure is required. We find the insurer most favourable for your specific health profile.

Three riders are worth adding: (1) Accidental Death Benefit — doubles payout if death is accidental, just ₹50–100/month extra. (2) Critical Illness — cancer, heart attack etc par lump sum. Highly recommended. (3) Waiver of Premium — future premiums are waived if you become disabled. We explain every rider clearly.

Aadhaar (identity + address), PAN (tax), last 3 months salary slips or ITR for income proof, and a passport photograph. Above ₹50L cover or age above 40, a medical test may be required. We guide you through every single requirement.

15-day free look period — cancel within 15 days for a full refund. After that, term plans have no surrender value. ULIPs and endowment plans have surrender values after 3 to 5 years. We explain every detail clearly before you buy.

No — from 22 September 2025, GST was removed entirely on individual life insurance premiums, including term, endowment, and ULIP plans, dropping the rate from 18% to 0%. Only employer-sponsored group life cover still attracts 18% GST. This applies to new policies and renewal premiums alike.

Up to ₹1,50,000/year, combined with other 80C investments like PF, PPF, ELSS, and home loan principal repayment. Note: Section 80C is only available under the old tax regime — the new tax regime (now the default since FY 2023–24) does not allow this deduction. We help you check which regime actually saves you more. See our Tax & Compliance page for details.

The death benefit is fully tax-free under Section 10(10D), regardless of premium amount. Maturity proceeds are tax-free too, but only if your annual premium doesn't exceed 10% of the sum assured (for policies issued after April 2012) — and for ULIPs, only if total ULIP premiums in a year stay within ₹2.5 lakh. We check this condition before recommending any plan.

It's the percentage of claims an insurer actually paid out of all claims received in a year — published annually by IRDAI. A higher ratio (98%+) means your family is more likely to receive the payout without dispute. We only recommend insurers with consistently strong, multi-year settlement ratios, not just one good year.

Term plan: pure protection, no maturity payout, lowest premium — best for most families. Endowment: protection plus guaranteed savings, higher premium, lower returns. ULIP: protection plus market-linked investment, returns vary with markets, has lock-in. For most people needing maximum cover at minimum cost, we recommend a term plan and investing the difference separately.

Insurers typically allow a grace period — commonly 15 days for monthly premiums and around 30 days for quarterly, half-yearly, or annual modes — during which your cover usually continues. If the grace period lapses, the policy lapses and you lose continuity benefits; some insurers allow reinstatement within a defined window with health re-declaration. We always confirm your insurer's exact grace period before you buy.