In 2026, term cover is the cheapest it has ever been
The GST change, the bigger-cover market, and the new insurance law — why now is the moment to act.
What term insurance is — and what it is not
Pure protection vs endowment, ULIP and whole life, with the 'buy term and invest the difference' arithmetic.
How much cover you actually need
The Human Life Value sum, the group-cover gap, a second quick method, and worked examples at three life stages.
The 2026 price map
Rs. 1 crore by age, the GST saving on a real premium, two quotes side by side, and what else moves the price.
Reading a term plan like an insider
Policy term, sum assured on death, the 45-day waiting period, the one exclusion, grace, revival and free-look — with a worked schedule.
Riders: what is worth adding
Accident, disability, critical illness and waiver riders, when each earns its premium, and three cautions.
Saral Jeevan Bima — the standard plan explained
Every term of the IRDAI standard product in one table, who it suits, and when to look beyond it.
Choosing your insurer without being misled
The claim settlement ratio and why it misleads, the 30-day metric, solvency, grievance record, and IRDAI's own figures.
The buying process, step by step
Ten steps from quotes to the free-look window, and the documents to keep from day one.
Disclose everything
The questions people answer wrongly, Section 45's three-year shield, and the real causes of rejected claims.
Nomination, e-insurance and your claim-ready file
Naming a nominee, the e-insurance account, and the one file that turns a claim into a short exercise.
Tax in 2026-27
Section 123 (was 80C), Schedule XV, Schedule II Clause 2, the tax-free death benefit, and the two-year clawback.
When the claim happens
The claim process, the timelines, and the grievance ladder to IRDAI and the Insurance Ombudsman.
Special situations
NRIs, freelancers, smokers, older and unwell buyers, and women — what changes in each case.
Twelve mistakes that cost families
The recurring errors that leave Indian families underinsured or unpaid, and the test to apply before you buy.
Your seven-day action plan
A day-by-day plan, a cover map for the years ahead, and three worksheets you can fill in.
Quick reference card
The 17 rules and numbers to keep on your phone — plus seven myths corrected and a plain-English glossary.
