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Endowment plans

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Endowment Plans Coverage in India

What is Endowment plans ?

Definition:

An Endowment Plan is a type of life insurance policy that combines both investment and insurance. It provides a lump sum payout at the end of a specified term or upon the policyholder’s death. The payout can either be in the form of a death benefit or a maturity benefit, depending on the circumstances.

Purpose

The primary purpose of an Endowment Plan is to provide financial security to the policyholder’s family in the event of death and to help build savings for future financial goals, such as education, marriage, or retirement.

Benefits:

  • Dual benefit of life insurance and savings.
  • Provides financial protection to the family in case of the policyholder’s death.
  • Offers lump sum payout at the end of the policy term (maturity benefit).
  • Can be used for long-term financial goals like education, marriage, or retirement.
  • Tax benefits under section 80C of the Income Tax Act.

What Is an Endowment Plan?

An Endowment Plan is a unique combination of Life Insurance and investment, designed to provide both Financial Protection and disciplined savings. This Savings Plan ensures that policyholders receive a Maturity Benefit upon policy completion or a Death Benefit in case of an unfortunate event.

Endowment policies are highly preferred in India for securing future financial goals like children’s education, home purchases, and retirement. According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the life insurance sector collected first-year premiums worth Rs 3.71 lakh crore in FY 23, reflecting a significant rise from Rs 3.14 lakh crore in FY 22. The sector’s penetration stood at 4% in FY 23, largely driven by life insurance products.

As insurance providers compete to attract customers, they offer diverse Endowment Insurance plans to cater to varying financial needs.

Key Features of Endowment Plans

  1. Dual Benefit
    • Endowment policies combine Insurance Coverage and investment, ensuring a Guaranteed Policy payout for the Beneficiary while accumulating wealth.
  2. Guaranteed Returns
    • Unlike Unit Linked Endowment Plans (ULIP), traditional Endowment Policies offer Guaranteed Returns at maturity, making them a reliable option for Risk-Averse Investments.
  3. Tax Benefits
    • Premium Payments qualify for Tax Exemptions under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, and the Maturity Benefit is typically tax-free under Section 10(10D).

Who should consider buying an Endowment Plan?

An Endowment Insurance plan is ideal for:

  • Individuals seeking Financial Discipline and assured savings.
  • Those who need both Insurance Coverage and a Wealth Creation component.
  • Risk-Averse investors looking for Stable Returns.
  • Individuals saving for specific goals like home buying, children’s education, or retirement.
  • Those who prefer Low-Risk Investment options.

However, an Endowment Policy may not suit individuals:

  • Seeking Higher Returns from market-linked investments.
  • Prioritizing pure Life Insurance over savings (Term Life Insurance is a better option in this case).

Choosing the right Policy Term depends on personal Financial Protection needs and risk appetite. Consulting a financial advisor ensures the best decision.

Types of Endowment Plans

  • Full Endowment Plan

    Guarantees a Sum Assured plus potential Reversionary Bonuses and Terminal Bonuses, providing higher returns over time.

 

  • Unit Linked Endowment Plan (ULIP)

    Combines Investment Component with Insurance Coverage, offering market-linked returns.

 

  • Low-Cost Endowment Plan

    Designed for targeted savings, such as repaying loans, at affordable Premium Payments.

 

  • With-Profit Endowment Plan

    Includes Additional Bonuses (like Reversionary Bonus and Terminal Bonus) based on insurer profits.

 

  • Non-Profit Endowment Plan

    Offers a fixed Sum Assured with no variable bonus additions.

 

  • Money-Back Endowment Policy

    Provides periodic payouts before maturity, ensuring liquidity.

 

  • Limited Premium Payment Endowment Policy 

    Requires Premium Payments for a limited term while maintaining full coverage.

How Do Endowment Plans Work?

An Endowment Plan requires the policyholder to pay premiums regularly. In return, the insurer provides Insurance Coverage along with an investment return. If the policyholder survives the term, they receive a Maturity Benefit consisting of the Sum Assured and accumulated Bonuses. If the policyholder passes away, the Death Benefit (including any Additional Bonuses) is paid to the Beneficiary.

How to Choose the Best Endowment Plan?

  • Sum Assured: Ensure it meets your financial needs.
  • Policy Term: Align it with your long-term goals.
  • Premium Payments: Choose a plan with a premium structure that fits your budget.
  • Bonuses & Benefits: Look for policies offering Guaranteed Returns, Reversionary Bonuses, and additional benefits.

Why should a person purchase an Endowment Policy?

An endowment policy is a life insurance policy that carries a savings and life cover benefit. The amount earned is made payable in one sum either when the policyholder dies or after a certain term of years. Some benefits include the following:

 

  • Dual Benefit: Protection + Savings

Life Coverage: A term end policy covers the financial security of the beloved ones during their lifetime, meaning at the time of death.

Savings Goal: If you survive the term, they give you the payout as a lump sum, so you can save for future goals, for example retirement or your children’s education.

  • Guaranteed Returns

Endowment policies commonly have a guaranteed sum assured. Even in case of failure of the investment part of the policy, the policyholder gets some minimum.

  • Low-Risk Investment

As compared to other available market investment products like stocks or mutual funds, endowment policies are relatively less risky. The premiums you pay are put in instruments that are low-risk, and therefore, the returns from these are more stable.

  • Tax Benefits

– Premiums paid towards the policy may be tax-deductible under certain sections of tax laws (depending upon the country). In most cases, the amount on maturity or death is also tax-free .

  • Disciplined Savings

Since endowment policies require premium payments every year over a long time, they encourage disciplined savings and allow people to create a corpus for the future .

  • Bonuses

Many endowment policies carry bonuses, for instance, reversionary bonuses, which are added annually to the policy, and terminal bonuses, which are received at the expiration of the term. Such factors may bring an enormous boost to the payout increasing the returns accrued in the policy.

  • Financial Security

An endowment policy also provides security through the provision of a guaranteed lump sum amount, either at death or upon maturity, which may help in the facilitation of funds for significant expenses of life, such as the purchase of a house, education, and retirement.

  • Loan Facility

Many endowment policies are now allowing the policyholder to borrow against the cash value of the policy after years. This shall be helpful to give liquidity in a situation when there exists a requirement at hand and not necessarily insisting on surrendering the policy.

  • Maturity Benefit

When the policy matures, the policyholder receives a one-time lump sum payout. It may be helpful in funding retirement, repaying loans, or in achieving life goals.

An endowment policy could be a suitable choice for those searching for insurance together with some investment with relatively minimal risk.

Additional Rider Benefits

  • Accidental Death Rider: Extra payout in case of accidental death.
  • Critical Illness Cover: Financial aid if diagnosed with critical diseases.
  • Disability Cover: Assists in case of permanent disability.
  • Hospital Cash Benefit: Daily cash payout during hospitalization.
  • Waiver of Premium: Continues the policy without premium payments if the policyholder becomes disabled.

What Are the Documents Required for an Endowment policy?

The exact documents required for an endowment policy vary from insurer to insurer and the type of policy you would like to opt for. However, some of the common ones that usually included are:

  • Proof of Identity: It could be your passport, Driving License, Aadhaar card or voter ID card
  • Proof of Address : Utility bills, rental agreement, and bank statements .
  • Medical Check-up: May be required based on the sum assured and age.
  • Income Proof: This would usually be necessary to determine the premium amount.
  • Nominee Details: You must provide the details regarding the nominee, who receives the death benefit in case of untimely death.

Once again, these are general requirements, and individual insurance companies might ask for more documents or have specific criteria.