Buying Term Insurance? Don't Ignore Claims Settlement Ratio
Table of Content
When it comes to financially securing our loved ones, most of us rely on term insurance. Designed to provide life cover for the policyholder, term plans provide a lump sum pay-out to the family, if Life Assured dies within the policy term. Since term insurance (pure risk) plans offer only the death benefit and there’s no investment element, premiums are relatively low.
Moreover, with a term life insurance plan, the deduction of premium upto Rs. 1,50,000 can be claimed under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 19611 subject to conditions mentioned therein. The death proceeds received from the term plan by the beneficiaries on the death of the policyholder is exempt from tax without any cap on the claim.
Indeed, one of the primary reasons behind its popularity is its cost-effectiveness. However, it is important to assess all the pros and cons of a plan before deciding to invest in one.
So, what else does one need to check? The claim settlement ratio tops the list here.
What is a claims settlement ratio?
A claims settlement ratio (CSR) is the ratio of settled claims to the total number of claims received by the insurer and is calculated in percentage. For example, if an insurance company receives 100 claims, out of which 95 are settled, then the CSR is 95%.. For a term insurance company, the higher the ratio, the higher its credibility and the chance of a claim getting settled.
How to find the CSR of an insurance company?
It is important to check and compare the CSR figures before finalising a particular insurance plan. To help applicants, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India mandatorily publish a list of CSR figures of the registered insurance companies of the country in its annual report. You may also find the report on the IRDAI website. The CSR figures of each company change every year due to the varying numbers of claims and settlements. Thus, it’s advised to rely on the 5-year average figures to get a clear understanding of the credibility factor. The list provided by IRDAI contains these average figures too.
Can High CSR always ensure claim settlement?
No. Despite the insurer having high CSR figures, a claim can get rejected. The following can be the reasons for the same.
Discrepancy in medical records
If you haven’t disclosed your past medical issues and actual health conditions like surgeries, cardiac issues or smoking habits, it might create a discrepancy in your records. In such a scenario, the death claim by your nominee can get rejected.Documentation errors
It is important to cross check the details filled in the application form. Sometimes, erroneous, incomplete or misleading information can creep in, particularly if an agent or third party has helped to fill the forms, and can consequently lead to claim rejection.
However, all of the above-stated problems can be avoided, making death claim settlements a smooth process. Just remember not to ignore the claims settlement ratio while buying term insurance.
Related Articles
- "Non-working" Spouse - Term Insurance Cover"
- Term Insurance Maturity Benefits: A Comprehensive Guide
- Secure Your Future: Understanding the Differences Between Term and Endowment Insurance
- Your Family Needs You, You Need Insurance
- Planning for the Future
- Insurance - The First Thing on Your Bucket List After Marriage
ARN - ED/08/23/3727
Term Plan Articles
Investment Articles
Savings Articles
Life Insurance Articles
Tax Articles
Retirement Articles
ULIP Articles
Subscribe to get the latest articles directly in your inbox
Health Plans Articles
Child Plans Articles
Popular Calculators
Here's all you should know about life insurance.
We help you to make informed insurance decisions for a lifetime.
HDFC Life
Reviewed by Life Insurance Experts
HDFC LIFE IS A TRUSTED LIFE INSURANCE PARTNER
We at HDFC Life are committed to offer innovative products and services that enable individuals live a ‘Life of Pride’. For over two decades we have been providing life insurance plans - protection, pension, savings, investment, annuity and health.
1. Tax benefits are subject to conditions under Sections 80C, & Section 10(10D) and other provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Tax Laws are subject to change from time to time.
Popular Searches
- Term Insurance Calculator
- Investment Plans
- Investment Calculator
- Investment for Beginners
- Best Short Term Investments
- Best Long Term Investments
- 5 year Investment Plan
- savings plan
- ulip plan
- retirement plans
- health plans
- child insurance plans
- group insurance plans
- income tax calculator
- bmi calculator
- compound interest calculator
- income tax slab
- Income Tax Return
- what is term insurance
- Ulip vs SIP
- tax planning for salaried employees
- HRA Calculator
- Annuity From NPS
- Retirement Calculator
- Pension Calculator
- nps vs ppf
- short term investment plans
- safest investment options
- one time investment plans
- types of investments
- best investment options
- best investment options in India
- Term Insurance for Housewife
- Money Back Policy
- 1 Crore Term Insurance
- life Insurance policy
- NPS Calculator
- Savings Calculator
- life Insurance
- Gratuity Calculator
- Zero Cost Term Insurance
- critical illness insurance
- itc claim
- deductions under 80C
- section 80d
- Whole Life Insurance
- benefits of term insurance
- types of life insurance
- types of term insurance
- Benefits of Life Insurance
- Endowment Policy
- Term Insurance for NRI
- Term Insurance for Women
- Term Insurance for Self Employed
- Benefits of Health Insurance
- Health Insurance for Senior Citizens
- Health Insurance for NRI
- Best Term Insurance Plan for 1 Crore
- personal accident insurance
- Annuity Calculator