Gone are the days when investments were a risky aspect of your financial plan. With the introduction of the new-age investment product like a Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP), the fear of market risks can be controlled effortlessly. Although a ULIP policy is a market-linked product, you can invest your hard-earned money based on your risk appetite. Since you can diversify your investment portfolio with a ULIP policy, you might be willing to walk down the investment path.
Before you buy a ULIP policy for you, let’s go through the new-age features of a ULIP policy mentioned below:
- Low Charges
A ULIP policy has significantly reduced the costs after the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) introduced new rules. Under this plan, you can find the most common ULIP charges provided by many insurers, which are mentioned below:
- Mortality charge: It is deducted for the return of life coverage.
- Premium allocation charge: It is deducted directly from the premium.
- Policy administration charge: It is deducted from the administrative expenses, which can be paid towards the policy maintenance.
- Fund management charge: It is deducted for the management of equity funds and debt funds.
- Taxes
A ULIP policy falls under the Exempt-Exempt-Exempt (EEE) category. Hence, you can reduce your tax liability and save more money with the help of a ULIP policy. You can receive tax-saving benefits on the following in accordance with Section 80C and Section 10(10D) of the Income Tax Act, 1961:
- Premium:
You might be eligible to claim a deduction up to Rs. 1,50,000 on your taxable income as stated under Section 80C.
- Maturity proceeds:
The amount received after reaching the maturity period can be tax-free according to Section 10(10D).
- Riders
Riders can also be known as add-on coverage. Riders or add-ons can be the additional benefits that can be offered by your insurer to enhance the base ULIP policy. Typically, many insurers might provide riders such as accidental death, critical illness, waiver of premium, and so on either on the top of your ULIP policy or separately.
- Premium
Premiums are an inevitable part of your ULIP policy, which has to be paid in return for the life coverage. If you want to receive financial protection in the long run, you should pay the premiums regularly.
After being severely criticized in the Indian market, a ULIP policy has been re-introduced due to the major changes in the IRDA guidelines. The new IRDA guidelines have ensured that a ULIP product offers many benefits in your favor. Therefore, let’s go through ULIP benefits that are mentioned below:
- You can grow your wealth over the tenure of the policy
A ULIP policy is a long-term investment of five years. If you park your funds at a young age for a long duration, you can build a substantial corpus in the future. For instance, you have invested Rs. 5,000 every month. Now, by the time you grow older, your corpus would automatically increase to Rs. 75 Lakhs.
- You can ensure flexibility and transparency
A ULIP policy has re-emerged as a flexible as well as a transparent option of investment. While it allows you to decide the premium payment mode, your insurer can provide a benefit illustration to keep you well-informed about the ULIP product.
- You can purchase a ULIP policy without any hassle
Due to the advent of technology, many insurance providers have availed a ULIP policy on their online websites. An online ULIP policy can be time-saving as well as an affordable means of investment. As a first-time buyer, you can buy ULIP policy from any corner of the world with a single click.
- You can receive relatively high returns
Many of you might opt for a ULIP investment with the sole purpose to achieve high returns. However, you can garner high yields only if you invest in equity funds of a ULIP policy. Before investing in equity funds, you should consider your risk appetite since they are risky.
In a nutshell, a ULIP policy is a dual-benefit product, which can allow you to secure your family as well as participate actively in the equity market. Apart from its dual-benefits of investment and life insurance, you can fulfil your life goals such as planning your child’s wedding, meeting your child’s educational needs, buying a new house or a car, and so forth.