Which is Better? Term vs Endowment Insurance

It is obvious for you to worry about your family’s financial security in your absence, but wouldn’t it be pleasant to have a plan, the benefits of which you can enjoy too with your family? Endowment insurance gives you the best of both worlds; insurance coverage along with long-term savings benefits takes care of your financial stress both in your absence and presence.  

Basic Differences: Term Vs Endowment Insurance  

This table gives you a better clarity on the differences of these two types of plans : 

Factors 

Endowment Insurance 

Term Insurance  

Objective 

Insurance with long-term savings for wealth accumulation 

Provides only insurance coverage 

Suitability 

Suitable for those looking for life coverage as well as an investment plan 

Ideal for someone only interested in life coverage 

Benefits 

Extensive benefits are offered. Hence, premiums are on the higher side. 

Focuses on providing death benefits with a higher sum assured at a minimum cost. 

Sum Assured 

If you want a high sum assured, you need to pay a very high premium 

A sum assured as high as 15 to 20 times your income is available at a minimal price. 

Premiums Charged  

The premiums are higher since it offers a dual benefit 

Premiums are cheaper as it offer only life coverage with no benefit of returns 

Maturity Benefits 

It pays out a fixed amount, which is an accumulation of all your payments, returns on your investments, any bonuses acquired and other additions like top-up premiums.  

There is no maturity benefit. Instead, payout happens with the policyholder’s demise.  

Withdrawal Benefits 

Withdrawal benefits are offered in case of emergency after a few years only.  

No such benefit is incorporated in term insurance.  

Tax benefits 

There are tax benefits on the invested premium as well as the maturity amount paid out post-completion of policy tenure. 

A deduction on your premium up to rs. 1.5 lakh annually is allowed under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act of 1961.  

Also, the maturity amount is tax-exempt under 10(10D), subject to conditions mentioned in the policy.  

The tax benefits are similar to endowment insurance plans. However, since there is no maturity benefit, an exemption of 10(10D) applies to the sum assured amount only.  

Benefits of Riders 

Three common riders can be added to your basic policy: 

  • An accidental death benefit rider 

  • Physical Disability Rider 

  • Critical illness rider  

The riders that can be added here are similar: 

  •  An accidental death benefit rider 

  • Physical Disability Rider 

  • Critical illness rider  

 

Now that the differences are clear, you must know how to decide which policy you should choose and what factors to consider as it has a significant impact on your financial condition:  

1. Financial Goals:  

These goals are as unique as a person's DNA. So, you need to consider your current financial condition along with your financial future and what you intend to do at policy maturity. These decisions also heavily depend on your lifestyle, number of dependents, and number of earners in your family. If you have many people depending on your income, you might want to go for a lower premium and higher sum assured offered by term insurance. If you are concerned about your financial future along with your children, probably endowment insurance is a better choice.  

2. Current and Future Expenditures:  

If you are engaged in hazardous work and fear for your family’s financial future in case of your untimely and accidental death, an endowment insurance plan that gives you the flexibility of partial withdrawals would be best suited for you. If you are comfortable waiting for the completion of policy tenure to get the benefit in your absence, a term plan should be good enough for you.  

3. Disposable Income:  

It is important for any long-term investment plan to continue payment of premiums without fail. You need to calculate the disposable income and your family expenses to infer the amount that you can pay as premiums for at least a tenure of 10 years. Term insurance plans are less pricey compared to endowment policies. Hence you need to choose accordingly, keeping the tenure and your earnings in mind.  

4. Life Objectives:  

Clarity on long-term life goals and identifying your future plans is a smart way to start your decision for choosing term or endowment plans.  

 

Conclusion

Author Bio

Paybima Team

Paybima is an Indian insurance aggregator on a mission to make insurance simple for people. Paybima is the Digital arm of the already established and trusted Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd., a reputed name in the insurance broking industry with 17 years of experience. Paybima promises you the easy-to-access online platform to buy insurance policies, and also extend their unrelented assistance with all your policy related queries and services.

Choose from India’s top insurers

Latest Post

When you're planning to take a personal loan, knowing your monthly EMI in advance can help you stay financially prepared. The Muthoot Personal Loan EMI Calculator is a simple and efficient tool that provides instant EMI estimates based on your loan amount, interest rate, and tenure.

See nowSee now

See nowSee now

Relocating your two-wheeler to a different state needs to follow many procedures. Depending on the duration for which you are moving to the new place, it becomes necessary to transfer your vehicle papers if it is for more than a year. Although tedious, the process of relocating vehicles can become easy if you follow certain tips mentioned in this post. Read on!

See nowSee now

In what’s being called a quiet healthcare revolution, India’s young working professionals are reportedly making the most health insurance claims – outpacing even senior citizens. Surprised? So are the insurance providers. Young adults ranging between 25 and 35 years, who are often assumed to be in peak health, are now dominating the charts in health insurance claims by age. 

See nowSee now

If you think lifestyle-related health issues only show up after 40, think again. Youth no longer guarantees immunity. Today’s 25 - 35 age group is increasingly facing medical issues that only plague older adults. The reason? Long working hours at the desk, deliveries on speed dial, and a social life that rarely includes a decent amount of sleep are some of the reasons for the early onset of medical conditions like diabetes, anxiety, and hypertension.   

See nowSee now