Buying term insurance plans online, and 5 mistakes you should avoid before buying

What Is Term Insurance? And What Does It Mean To Buy Term Insurance Plans Online?

It is the kind of life insurance that gives you coverage for a specified period. It secures your family’s future in case an unfortunate event of death occurs to you. It acts as an income replacement in your absence. Your family’s future is of utmost importance and cannot be at stake at any point in time, so buying term insurance becomes a crucial decision and must be done carefully if you want to get the most out of it. Your motto in life should be ‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance!’

You can buy term insurance online quite easily as well.

Create an estimate of your financial liabilities like household expenses, children’s education, parent’s medical check-ups, family weddings, retirement expenses, etc. Compare these expenses to your savings and understand where you are falling short. Only then will you be able to select a plan that may fill the gap between your expenses and savings effectively while not burning a hole in your pocket.

Inaccurate information, buying the cheapest policy, buying it to save tax, delayed purchases are some common mistakes leading to inadequate cover. The following sections list some mistakes you may make and how to avoid them when buying a term plan.

Online Term Insurance Plans And The 5 Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Them

1. Buying insufficient cover

Many people fail to consider current expenses such as home loans, car loans, personal loans, credit card bills, utility bills, and end up buying insufficient cover. Moreover, they forget to account for inflation, future expenses like children’s education etc. This should be avoided entirely. An appropriate way to estimate the right amount of life cover to meet your family is by following a thumb rule i.e. your policy’s sum assured should be twelve times your yearly income. For example, if your annual income is Rs10 lakhs, your policy cover should be Rs 1.2 Crore.

Another mistake to avoid when buying the plan is choosing a lower cover to keep the premium amount low. This means getting inadequate sum assured, which would ultimately result in your funds drying up quickly. Remember, a term plan aims to help your family in case something happens to you. An insufficient cover could affect their financial stability.

2. Choosing shorter policy terms

Sometimes just to save the premium amount, you might end up opting for a shorter duration to pay lesser premiums. However, this decision could cost you more in the long run. Why? Because once a policy ends, you will have to buy a new one. As you get older, the cost of your premium will increase making it more difficult to afford a plan. Also, if you aren’t in the best of health, then it’s possible that you may be denied getting a new term insurance plan.

And so you should buy a term plan keeping the future in mind. Consider all parameters like your age, health condition, and your family expenses. Buying a term plan at an early age is a wise decision.

3. Inaccurate information

Incomplete or erroneous disclosure of information while buying a term plan is another mistake to avoid when buying a plan that can have a negative impact. If you keep your medical history a secret from your insurer and the cause of your death is traced back to an undisclosed health condition, there are chances that your claim could be rejected, and the policy would be declared null or void. It is recommended that you fill the application form carefully. Ensure information like your age, health condition, personal habits, pre-existing diseases etc. are certain discrepancies, which will be easier to make claims.

4. Delayed purchase

People often think that they do not need insurance when they are young as they are healthy and fit. However, in your 30s, your responsibilities increase and that’s when you realize you need a term insurance plan to secure your family’s future. But at this point, your insurance premium is likely to increase. This is because premium increases as you get older and this additional amount which could have been avoided will eventually add to your expenses. Do compare term insurance premiums across different plans when making your decision.

5. Not buying online

Online term insurances are cheaper as compared to regular protection plans. It is also quite easy to compare term insurance plans online and make an informed decision. Term insurance online can now be purchased in a click.