Let’s debunk nine common life insurance myths and offer some valuable personal finance tips to secure your financial future this festive season.

A common mistake is assuming that the value of retirement savings will remain constant over time. For example, a ₹5 crore corpus today will lose significant purchasing power over 25 or 30 years due to inflation.

The insurance plans were launched on Monday by LIC CEO and MD Siddhartha Mohanty and will be available both available offline and online.

ITR Filing Date 2024 Live Updates: The income tax return deadline might be extended beyond July 31. Fresh updates from Income Tax Department on ITR deadline extension! What we know so far about the current status and when to expect refunds after e-verification and processing of income tax return.

Any individual may submit an updated return, with certain exceptions, irrespective of whether they have previously filed an original, late, or amended return for the applicable assessment year.

Taxpayers eagerly await budget announcements that will increase their disposable income. Here are a few of the main anticipations that taxpayers have for Budget 2024.

ITR Filing 2024: Penalty amount for filing income tax return after due date will be imposed. Taxpayers need to be alert as the deadline to file ITR is approaching fast.

It is crucial to remember that your financial information holds significant value, encompassing all your investments and earnings for the year. Here are several important considerations to bear in mind before disclosing your ITR details.

The existing standard deduction of Rs 50,000 is considered inadequate to address the rising expenses linked to the increased cost of living and, therefore, it is imperative to raise the limit of this deduction.

The Income Tax Department has issued a strong advisory to taxpayers, advising them against submitting income tax returns with inaccurate claims for exemptions and deductions.

Regularly monitoring your financial records and staying alert for any suspicious activities is crucial for early fraud detection.

In order to file a tax return online, you can access the new income tax portal logging in with PAN-based credentials and following certain steps that simplify tax filing process.

There are 7 ITR forms the Income Tax Department has notified, and often, taxpayers get confused which ITR form is applicable to them.

Taxpayers required to file their income tax return should take into consideration the following.

Currently, the benefit of section 80C is not available under the default (new) tax regime and it would be expected that this benefit be extended to even the default tax regime.

After the new government formation, the focus is now shifted to the Union Budget 2024-25. Taxpayers are hopeful that the Modi government will give them a tax relief in the upcoming budget. Experts too are of the view that FM Sitharaman would at least make some revision in deduction limits under Section 80C and 80D.

Every taxpayer should make an effort to mitigate their tax liability by claiming all the available deductions and exemptions at the time of furnishing their tax returns. However, such deduction/ exemption amount should be correctly computed after considering the tax regime, residential status etc.

Under Section 30 of the Indian Succession Act, if someone dies intestate, the court may issue a notice to invite claims over the property left behind after the death certificate is issued.

With a comprehensive financial retirement plan, it is easy to tide over apprehensions of exhausting the corpus that may have been built during the work years.

By working together, insurers, regulators, and stakeholders can further create a more inclusive and equitable insurance ecosystem that empowers women to protect themselves and their families effectively.

Having insurance coverage is crucial for managing a health emergency, but it’s equally important to maintain financial stability when faced with a health crisis. Often there are many confusions and doubts when you purchase a term insurance plan, but these can be addressed if you carefully assess your requirements

To qualify for GST refunds on health insurance, the proposer must be a Non-Resident Indian.

Understanding the reimbursement process and adhering to the necessary steps and documentation requirements is essential for a smooth and successful reimbursement claim experience.

Check for exclusions, deductibles & limitations in the insurance policies

Buy these add-ons early in life to get higher and wider coverage

Upgrade your policies as you move from one life stage to another.

LIC Jeevan Kiran (Plan 870): The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a new plan named Jeevan Kiran.

Let’s understand differences between Term Insurance and Life Insurance, enabling you to make the right decision when choosing the coverage for your specific needs.

Personal recommendation from friends and family or a known agent is the top trigger for insurance consideration for approx. 80% of the respondents.

Life insurance helps to safeguard individuals and their family against financial risks because of untimely death. Life insurance policies can also be pledged to avail loans during any financial emergency.

LIC Dhan Vridhhi (Plan 869): The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has launched a new close-ended plan – LIC’s Dhan Vridhhi plan. Check key details

Individuals with a family history of diseases such as cancer or coronary artery bypass should opt for adequate critical illness cover. While a comprehensive health insurance policy provides coverage for expenses like hospitalisation, a critical illness policy will provide a lump sum benefit upon diagnosis of a covered critical illness, regardless of medical expenses.

If policyholders have higher income and can afford higher medical expenses, they can go for a higher deductible amount to lower the total premium payout.

Don’t just go for the policy with the lowest premium. Conditions could apply, and you could end up spending a lot more than you saved on the premium.

Most individuals are cognizant of the need to factor in inflation and rising medical expenses while planning for their life’s new chapter.

The policyholder can claim tax benefit of up to `25,000 under Section 80D for self, spouse and children year on year for the entire tenure of the policy.

Life insurance helps safeguard one’s family and oneself against two types of financial risks – untimely death and old age.

The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has launched Jeevan Azad (Plan No. 868), which is a new plan aimed at individual savings and life insurance. As per LIC, the plan offers an attractive combination of protection and savings.

Acquaintances often request me to suggest life insurance products that can fetch high returns. Occasionally, they are subjected to product presentations by insurance advisors, showing returns that make them thrilled but also make them circumspect on whether the insurance products can really earn such high returns.

Group medical cover (GMC) covers the employee and their dependents such as the spouse and children and in certain cases, parents are also covered.

As young people are more healthy compared to the older people and have lower risks of getting ill, their participation helps in reducing the health insurance premium and make it more affordable for everyone.

There are two primary kinds of No-Claim Bonuses that you can take advantage of in a health insurance policy.

Life insurance is the fastest and easiest way to ensure that your family remains financially protected. It can clear debts, pay for a child’s education, bear medical expenses, and secure the business and assets of a family.

Your health insurance premium increases, especially if the sum covered is large and you have certain medical conditions.

It is better to revive a lapsed policy rather than buying a new one

Optimise your policy with cashless OPD & restoration benefits.

The Income Tax rules have several provisions through which employees can reduce their overall tax outgo.

Having a comprehensive health insurance becomes absolutely necessary in old age to cover the increase in expenditure on medical treatment and to cope with the high rate of inflation in the healthcare sector.

Physical illnesses may have tangible and evident symptoms, but most mental concerns go unnoticed or ignored.

This Diwali, rather than getting into a spendthrift mode, invest in your future and make a long lasting choice of being invested in a Guaranteed Life Insurance Plan.

LIC Dhan Varsha (Plan No. 866) Scheme Details – Features, Benefits, Maturity, Minimum and Maximum Premium – Life Insurance Corporation recently launched the Dhan Varsha scheme.

A Complete Health Insurance Portfolio Review is the need of the hour amidst the uncertainties we continuously experience.

While there is a relatively better understanding now regarding term insurance policies, the wealth accumulation products can be a bit confusing for the new customers.

While the policyholder completes his part of the commitment by paying due premiums; fulfilment of the promise from the insurer’s side is completed by payment of the rightful claims.

Life Insurance Underwriting is the process by which life insurance companies determine a customer’s eligibility for a particular policy.

The MWP Act is a provision that protects the insurance money from creditors, banks and government agencies.

There are several grounds on the basis of which your health insurance claim can lead you straight to rejection or partial settlement.

If you hold a car cover with Zero-Dep benefit, then at the time of a claim, the full IDV can be claimed without deduction for depreciation and damaged parts.

Taking an adequate insurance cover before you start your investment journey is like laying a proper foundation before constructing a building.

Factors like age, financial assets, liabilities, annual income, lifestyle and expenses of the dependents are some of the factors which make one decide the required life cover.

Using wrong fuel in a vehicle can cause some serious damage to its engine. However, motor insurance policies do not provide any protection against such act of negligence. 

Review your home insurance requirement every year so that your home does not remain underinsured following an enhancement in the value of your home

A sound financial plan for mothers has to take cognizance of their evolving needs as they go through different stages of motherhood, right from pregnancy to their old age.

While it’s great to have corporate insurance as an additional layer of protection, the key ingredient to shield you from rising medical inflation is, in fact, an individual health policy.

As healthcare continues to become expensive, it has become important for everyone to get adequately covered through health insurance. Experts suggest that one should be careful while selecting the right amount of health cover. 

This unique safety is also needed by the people who want to save with high guarantee of reasonable returns on the amount saved every year.

It is advisable to purchase a good health insurance policy at the right time to protect ourselves from getting into financial difficulties because of health emergencies.

According to some surveys, the awareness about the necessity of having insurance cover has been increased only after the damages done by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health insurers also offer top-up policies to meet the actual expenses over and above the limit available in the basic health policy.

These policies were introduced by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) in June 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic for financial protection in case of a medical emergency due to Covid.

Under monthly mode of payment the insurers offer a grace period of 15 days from the due date within which the premium installment must be paid.

General insurers already seeing surge in travel insurance demands, expect ‘significant increase’ in insurance cover demands in next couple of months

Given the nature of term insurance, you will be out of the picture at the time of claim settlement. So make it hassle-free for your nominee If your policy had lapsed earlier,

Opting for international travel insurance can help travelers enjoy their trips without any hassles or interruptions.

Section 80D allows taxpayers to avail tax deductions on the premiums paid towards health and medical insurance in a financial year

It’s time to give the due recognition to the women in your family during this Women’s Day for the responsibilities that they share with their male counterparts.

While India’s Life Insurance penetration is comparable to Asian peers at 2.8 per cent of GDP, the protection gap is alarmingly high especially among women.

Health insurance is one of the most important tools to help us pay hefty hospital bills and avoid a financial crisis.

Most of us do not read the offer documents of a health insurance policy and later blame the company for rejection/deduction of insurance claims. Most insurers apply sub-limits to the claim amount of health insurance policy to limit their liability under certain covers. It is important to note that being a part of original policy coverage limit, these claims are inclusive of sum assured.

To avoid crowding at the limited numbers of government-run hospitals and to get quick medical attention, many people have no option but to visit private hospitals. However, treatments in private hospitals are generally very costly and the rate of inflation in treatment costs are also very high.

Insurers have to specifically give reasons for any claim denial and refer to the corresponding policy condition

If you have resolved to buy a life insurance policy this year, here are some guiding points that can help you get started on your protection journey

LIC of India has revised the annuity rates of two annuity plans recently.

Here are some important tips senior citizens should not forget before buying a health insurance policy.

Cancer is dreaded across the globe and accounts for more than 10 million deaths worldwide every year.

Some minor changes under the income tax laws which affect individual tax payers have been proposed in the Budget 2022 by the finance minister.

Inadequate savings: When it comes to saving money, we as a nation are quite good at it, no? But do we save enough to encounter medical emergencies? The savings are inclined more towards being invested for better returns in the future.

Tax exemption on maturity proceeds of Ulips with an annual aggregate premium of over Rs 2.5 lakh has been removed. However, there will be no tax on proceeds in case of death of the policyholder

In an endowment plan, the sum assured along with bonus is paid on maturity while in the money-back plan, a portion of the sum assured is paid to policyholder at regular intervals.

How much will be enough? That’s the question everyone stops at. There is no one answer. It depends on your current income, your lifestyle, your dependencies, etc. And how much ever you need, you can’t save it all. You will have to let your money grow to that.

The CBDT has rolled out the new Annual Information Statement on the Compliance Portal which provides a comprehensive view of information to a taxpayer with a facility to capture online feedback.

As per the RBI rules, all Credit bureaus are mandated to issue one free full credit report, including credit score, to anyone who asks for such a report.

Insurers to increasingly focus on bundled offerings with hybrid features, innovative bite-sized or context-based solutions

Very soon we will be entering the last quarter of the financial year 2021-22, hence this is the time to do the necessary computation and transactions.

Not renewing an insurance policy even during the grace period defeats the purpose of buying a cover and your financial protection is at risk

Always remember to read your policy document and the terms and conditions of the policy to know what is included and what is not.

A normal health plan is a must for covering most of your medical treatment costs while the critical illness plan will come handy in case of critical illness, where the treatment costs are much higher.

Such policies provide the child enough funds to continue education even if he loses his parents.

The most important reason for planning exclusively for retirement is the change in the fabric of the family structure.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing out, vehicles are once again back on roads as usual. This might be the best time for you to re-evaluate your vehicle insurance needs.

Your health or life insurance document enumerates the terms and conditions of the policy contract. Strictly adhere to these to avoid any claim rejection

An annuity plan, designed to secure a guaranteed stream or source of income post-retirement, can help your parents with a financial cushion after they’ve retired.

Before one chooses the best insurance plan, it is important to understand the life insurance definition so that the best insurance can be chosen.

The recent pandemic brought home the acute need for proper financial planning. This festive season is a good time as any to gift your loved one’s life-long security by gifting them an insurance plan.

Look for medical insurance with the shortest waiting period and minimum number of diseases under this period

If you are planning to take a home loan, this is a favourable time to take the plunge. But do remember to have a repayment plan in place to avoid any financial stress later.

Buying a thing on debt or on equated monthly installment (EMI) may appear affordable, but making a habit of doing so may create tremendous financial stress on you in future.

The capital gains tax provisions for NRIs are similar to those for the resident individuals except for the applicability of TDS provisions. Like resident investors, the taxability of capital gains also depends on the holding period and the type of investments sold.

The only con of guaranteed income plans is the overall return of the product is usually lower than its counterparts but that is mainly because of the insurance portion in-built into the plan

Happy Dussehra 2021: An advice to remember especially when someone has just started out! Following a trusted expert or paying heed to market cues on future swings from a market leader, can help an investor to be watchful.

As one’s parents age, the hospital visits and ailments increase. In the backdrop of such a landscape, the best decision one can make for one's elderly parents and grandparents is to purchase a health insurance policy for them.

ITR Filing Tips for FY 2020-21 (AY 2021-2022): The deadline to file the income tax return for salaried or small business individuals has been further extended to 31st December 2021.

Not everyone has the time and skills to manage their financial portfolio optimally. For such customers, ULIP provides an effective way to participate in the market as well as an insurance cover to deal with uncertainties of life.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today cautioned people against frauds being conducted in the name of KYC updation. In a statement, the RBI said it has been receiving complaints/reports about customers falling prey to frauds being perpetrated in the name of KYC updation.

If an individual’s CIBIL score has been falling, they might have taken financial decisions that have dented their score. To fix that, he/she first needs to understand what has affected the score.

Section 80C includes an exhaustive list of investments on which you can claim tax deduction while filing for your taxes. Some of these are Employee Provident Fund, Public Provident Fund, life insurance and so on.

As equity shares of a company are considered as capital assets, selling such shares would either result in a capital gain or capital loss.

If handled carelessly, credit cards can adversely impact your financial health for a long time to time. These five common signs indicate you are using your credit card the wrong way.

Having a good credit score goes a long way. Experts say a good credit score is a gateway to a smooth financial life. That is the reason many individuals actively seek information to manage their creditworthiness.

This Independence Day, be well informed and choose to be free of financial worries by covering your risks with insurance.

Here's a five-point checklist to help you set your future goals and build a unique plan for your financial freedom and security.

Let's see 7 different types of health insurance plans and what they have to offer.

Try to improve your credit score even if you get a loan with a higher rate at the beginning so that the risk premium gradually gets lowered during the course of the loan

Pension plans are a combination of Insurance Plans with Annuity. Experts say the ideal way of investing in it is to start investing in the late 20s wherein the premium is relatively low comparing it with later years of age.

From budgeting missteps and impulse purchases to inadequate contingency planning and much more, nobody is immune to financial faux pas.

It is important to understand whether one should apply for a home loan with a co-applicant or as the sole applicant.