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Ingredients to a Perfect Recipe - Term Insurance – Policy Tenor – Part 2

Continuing our previous article on the policy payment term to be selected, we will continue from the second question that is often asked. “Should I buy insurance till 85-90 years of age, as it guarantees that our nominee will get the sum assured?”

As already seen in the Part 1 of the Perfect recipe for Term Insurance, the time value of money plays a major role in calculations of premiums and payouts. Coming straight to the point, let me ask you if an insurance payout by the time you reach 85-90 years of age, enough? Let’s calculate.

What you pay v/s what you get?

I have compared the plans from Max Life insurance for a 25 Years old non-smoking male. There are 2 plans that I am comparing, one offers insurance till the age of 60 Years and another till the age of 85Years. Shown below are the premiums for both of these.

Sum Assured

1,00,00,000

Age (In Years)

25

 

Plan 1

Plan 2

Cover Till Age

60

85

Premium

₹ 8,754

₹ 12,413

 

Now the premium for Plan 2 is almost 40% costlier than Plan 1. As the probability that a person will die before reaching 85 is higher than that that of the death before reaching 60 years of age, insurance companies charge higher premiums to compensate for the additional risk.

To Consider or Not to Consider?

I have done some calculations considering an inflation of 5%, I have arrived at the present value of all the payments to be made and the expected value to be received. You can refer to my calculations here.

 

Plan 1

Plan 2

Value of all Premiums Paid in today’s terms

Rs. 1,50,507

Rs. 2,31,941

 

If you save the differential premium amount, every year at the rate of 7% by the time you reach age of 85, you would have accumulated Rs.35.30Lacs, which you (or your nominee) will receive. On the other hand, if you go with Plan 2, your nominee will receive Rs.1Cr. Thus, buying longer tenor will be beneficial if the insured person dies between the age of 60-85 years, wherein the nominee can gain anything between 18Lacs to 9Lacs in terms of today’s value depending upon the age at the time of death. This is hardly anything that will have an impact the fortunes of your loved ones. On the other hand, if you outlive 85 years of age or die before 60, there’s much to lose, on account of not getting anything or getting the same payout despite paying higher premiums.

Buying a term insurance is extremely personal issue and depends upon multiple factors, if you expect that you will have dependents even at the age of 85 - 90 or 100 years of age you should buy insurance for that tenure. If you expect your liabilities/dependency to end by 50, no need to buy insurance even beyond 50. It’s your requirement which should decide it.

For me, I have taken term insurance till 65 Years of age, by when I expect my family's financial dependencies on me will end. I will use the premium saved will be used to buy another term insurance of shorter tenure may be from age of 33-60 of another 50-60Lacs when my responsibilities are highest specifically due to Child education.

Tips to buy Term Insurance:

  • Don’t try to profiteer from your life insurance. Insurance companies have access to far too much data and resources to design products so that they don’t end up in losses. You are betting against them just for a small gain. Just buy what you need for how long you need, and focus on wealth building somewhere else.

Feel free to share your queries or comments regarding term insurance through e-mail or drop a message @Money.Matrs.


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