Insurance

An insurance is an agreement between the insurance company and the insured, wherein the insurer will cover the losses of the insured up to the amount guaranteed. However, there are terms and conditions applicable on the insurance policies which the insured must be aware of before signing the policy.

The insured individual usually pays the insurer a certain amount as premium monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annually based on his/her convenience. The premium amount would be mostly a smaller amount when compared to the insured amount which could be massive in return. Everyone would be surprised how an insurance company is able to promise such a huge amount against a smaller premium. The insurance scheme taken can be claimed only in the event of unfortunate events. Hence, only a few people end up claiming the insurance amount. This enables the insurance companies to provide such a high cover at lower premiums. For example, you may have taken a health insurance for a critical illness which provides a higher cover at low premium. If you never got any such critical illness, you may not be able to claim the insurance amount.

There are also insurance schemes where you can get guaranteed returns. Such type of schemes may have lower returns with tricky terms and conditions.

Types of Insurance Schemes

In today’s scenario, you can cover almost anything under an insurance scheme. Following are some of the most common and popular insurance schemes that one must be well informed. They are:

Life Insurance

This is the most essential and must have scheme in your insurance portfolio. This insurance provides complete security to your family during the untimely demise or disability. Financial experts strongly emphasize on taking this plan especially if you are the only breadwinner of your family.

There are two types of life insurance schemes that everyone often gets confused about. One is term plan and the other is whole life insurance plan. A term plan gives you the coverage only up to a specific period of your life, and you won’t be able to claim the benefits if you outlive the tenure. In a whole life insurance scheme, you can get guaranteed returns at the maturity. The premiums may be higher, and the returns may be lower than the term plans.

Health Insurance

A health insurance provides a cover against the medical costs incurred due to any unforeseen illnesses or disability. It is very beneficial for you and your family to cover the cost of treatment and medication costs.

There are 34 critical illnesses listed by the insurance companies which can be covered by the health insurance schemes. You can also buy a health insurance policy for specific illnesses. A great deal of money is saved when you fall into some serious illnesses.

Vehicle Insurance

Unlike other insurance schemes, vehicle insurance is not a choice that one can make. It’s a mandatory to get a vehicle insurance for all types of vehicles. Failure to hold a vehicle insurance will result in payment of penalty or legal cases being filed against the owner. Hence, one must buy a vehicle insurance while purchasing the vehicle.

Accidents, life, liability risk, theft or damage caused due to any natural calamity are covered under vehicle insurance. Separate insurance schemes are available for each type of vehicle. The insurance amount will differ based on the type of vehicle you own. High end cars and commercial vehicles will carry higher premium than ordinary ones. You can buy the insurance cover from 1 year to 5 years, and it has to be renewed for the upcoming years before the expiry date.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance schemes cover the losses in a travel, such as accidents, unexpected medical expenses, theft of baggage, cancellation of flights, etc. You do not have to buy a travel insurance every time you travel; you can rather opt for annual plans which will cover many trips. The premium amount on a travel insurance depends on the length of your travel. Longer stay will attract higher premiums.

Home Insurance

Home insurance schemes are offered in two types i.e. structure only policy and content only policy. The former covers the building alone and later covers the contents of the house. You can also go for a comprehensive coverage by buying both. A home insurance protects you from any financial loss due to natural calamities, accidents and theft.

Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs)

This is best suited for individuals who wish to use their insurance policies as investment. The premium paid under this policy is partly is used as a risk cover and partly invested in funds. The amount is invested in bonds, equities, debts, market funds, hybrid funds, etc. This is a long-term scheme that offers the best of both the worlds, i.e. investment and insurance. You stay protected while you invest the amount you pay as premium.