LIC Bima Bachat Single Premium Insurance Plan-Review

LIC Jeevan Bachat Single Premium Insurance Plan-ReviewLIC Bima Bachat Single Premium Insurance Plan-Review

Last week there were advertisements in leading financial news papers and FM Radio about LIC Bima Bachat Single Premium insurance plan. This is a money back policy where you get money back at specific intervals. In this article, I would articulate about its features and drawbacks of LIC Bima Bachat Single premium plan.

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Features of LIC Bima Bachat Insurance plan

  1. You need to pay single premium for the entire tenure for this insurance plan.
  2. Insurance plan is available for 9 years, 12 years and 15 years period.
  3. Assured returns of 15% on Sum Assured (SA) every 3 years.
  4. If you retain the policy till the end of the policy period, loyalty additions if any, (but not guaranteed) would be paid.
  5. Maturity amount would be premium paid + loyalty additions (if any).
  6. On death of insured, sum assured is paid to nominee
  7. No riders available in this insurance plan
  8. This is the only insurance plan under money back policy which offers loan on the policy.
  9. Minimum sum assured is Rs 20,000 and maximum no limit

How does this work?

This insurance plan is available in 9 years, 12 years and 15 years tenure period.

  • 9 years plan – You would get 15% returns each at the end of 3rd year and at the end of 6th year. After 9th year, at maturity, premium amount is paid back to insured.
  • 12 years plan – You would get 15% returns each at the end of 3rd year, at the end of 6th year and at the end of 12th year. After 12th year, at maturity, premium amount is paid back to insured.
  • 15 years plan – You would get 15% returns each at the end of 3rd year, at the end of 6th year, at the end of 9th year and at the end of 12th year. After 15th year, at maturity, premium amount is paid back to insured.

Let us discuss this with an example

If an individual of 30 years has taken this policy for 9 year period, this is how it would work out.

30 years age – 9 year policy – Single premium of Rs 66,816 for Rs 1 Lakh sum assured.

15% of Rs 1 Lakh is Rs 15,000

Receipts from this insurance plan would be:

  • Rs 15,000 at the end of 3rd year (15% of sum assured)
  • Rs 15,000 at the end of 6th year (15% of sum assured)
  • Rs 66,816 at the end of 9th year (Premium paid)
  • total amount paid back would be Rs 96,816 in 9 years

If we consider single premium of Rs 66,816 paid for 9 years and consider subsequent payouts of Rs 15,000 every 3 years, the annualized returns would work out to be 5.1%. The loyalty bonus (not guaranteed) is not considered while computing the above.

Thought nothing is indicated on LIC website as bonus for this insurance policy (as on 28-Jul-13), some financial advisors are considering Rs 25,000 to Rs 27,000 for Rs 1 lakh insurance as bonus and revising the calculations to 9% returns considering such bonus. While in absence of information, we can consider a 7% to 8% returns on overall returns from such single premium plan.

Drawbacks of this policy

  • The annualized returns without considering bonus/loyalty additions are low at 5.1%. Even if you consider taking a term insurance plan and investing the amounts in Bank FD or mutual funds or in Post office schemes, we would get better returns
  • The loyalty additions are not guaranteed. This makes the policy unattractive.
  • End of the policy period, if insured is survived, he would just get the amount of premium what he paid.
  • This is the only money back insurance plan which offers loan on policy. However the interest rates are 9%+. So LIC would pay you 5.1% returns and charge you 9% if you take loan on this insurance plan
  • Any returns on insurance plan would be tax free if the premium paid is less than 20% of sum assured. Since the premium paid is more than 65% of sum assured, the returns from such insurance plan is taxable. Post tax, the returns would be very low.

Also read: Why should you opt for Max Bupa Heartbeat Health insurance plan?

Conclusion: LIC Bima Bachat insurance plan is not an exciting plan. Though it provides insurance coverage along with 15% assured returns at the end of every three years on sum assured, considering overall returns, you can think of alternative options before proceeding for such insurance plan.

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Suresh
LIC Bima Bachat Single Premium Insurance Plan-Review

Suresh KP

15 comments

  1. I interested to 5-6 years premium paid and high risk benefits. This types policy given me. And details provid.

  2. Hi Suresh,

     

    Nice Article. But if we reinvest those 15% to FD's which looks attractive that will yield some returns. We need to consider that also right. Correct me if i'm wrong.

    Regards

    Sivaraman V.K

     

      1. Thanks Suresh for your prompt reply. So people who smartly reinvest those money back amount can go for such schemes right. Because I have already invested on New Bima Gold also in LIC. Also I have invested for a policy on Jeevan Tarang. I need a clarification on Jeevan Tarang. I invested on 2 Lakhs policy and payment term is 12 years. Will I be getting my Premium amount paid on the end of my payment term since I will be getting some pension amount till my life from that policy. Please throw some light if you  have idea on this

        1. Sivaraman, I am yet to do analysis on the policy name you specified. If you want, you can put a request on suggest a topic so that I can cover them in coming weeks.

  3. Dear Suresh,

    I agree the fact that except the term policies, the remaining policies (like Endowment, Moneyback etc)  are very expensive and the agents are cheating the public for the sake of their commission. While taking any insurance plan, people should not think about the returns but to think about the family in the absence of the bread-winner of the family. Hence, there is a need of awareness among the public about the term policies. The idea of taking term policy and investing the remaining amount in any bank FD / MFs / PPFs is very good and must follow.

    Thanks

    Ravikumar N

  4. Even if we invest the money for 8.5% FD, then the money would have doubled in 8.7 Years. But, the total benefit of the 9 years plan itself is very very less. Hence, it is not at all a good insurance policy.

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