Contact us

To Buy: 1800-258-5899 (9:30 AM to 6:30 PM)

|

For Existing Policy: 1800-103-0003/ 1800-180-0003/ 1800-891-0003

|

customerservice@canarahsbclife.in

|

Locate Branch

|

LoginLogin

Search Button

Difference between Guaranteed and Assured Returns

dateKnowledge Centre Team dateApril 22, 2021 views121 Views
Difference between Guaranteed and Assured Returns

Life insurance and retirement plans are necessary to safeguard your family's future, but very often, the jargon used by banks and insurance agents is difficult to grasp. These kinds of misunderstandings will lead to many problems in future like overspending or extravagant future plans with the confidence that their saving plans have them covered, only to realize that the sum they will be paid is far less than they realized.

This is a global problem faced by insurance agents everywhere when customers show up and ask for benefits that were not covered in their contracts. Two terms people often confuse with each other are 'guaranteed returns' and 'assured returns", which may sound similar, but relate to entirely different things. While both terms are linked with the monetary benefits of Savings scheme, they are not the same.

What are Guaranteed Returns?

In case of guaranteed returns, the conditions that have to be fulfilled regarding the bank's financial health do not exist. This means that the benefits will have to be paid to the investor, regardless of the financial state of the bank or the insurance provider. A guaranteed, predetermined (at the time of the plan's purchase) sum of money will be paid as a monetary benefit.

In life insurance, the guaranteed return is the minimum sum that the policyholder or nominee receives when they reach the age of maturity, or in other words, outlive the life insurance policy tenure.

A policy buyer who wants to buy investment plans in India should look at the amount of the guaranteed returns on the plans they are going through. The higher guaranteed returns sum is far likely to secure your family's future than highly volatile assured returns.

ULIPs for planning your retirement

Advantages of Guaranteed Returns

  • Regardless of its financial health, the insurance provider is liable to pay the policyholder a premeditated sum of money upon maturity.
  • Such plans involve fewer risk factors and often better benefits.

Disadvantages of Guaranteed Returns

  • The amount for guaranteed returns is usually lesser than how much an assured return could be. This is because the bank wants to minimize its risk factor to avoid bankruptcy.
  • Premiums may be higher.

Things to Consider before Buying a Guaranteed Life Insurance Plan

Before you buy a life insurance plan to meet your investment goals based on guaranteed returns, consider the following factors:

  • Non-participatory Plans

    Non-participatory plans may guarantee returns in the form of guaranteed additions instead of declaring the bonus assured returns that depend on the profit that insurers make.

  • Convoluted Phrases

    Sometimes banks claim to offer 'guaranteed returns of 126-138 percent of annual premiums', but these are often convoluted ways of phrasing simple guaranteed returns, which are usually just 8-9% of the premiums.

  • Accuracy

    Guaranteed additions are not the same as guaranteed returns because guaranteed benefits only accrue and become valid when the policy reaches maturity, and the amount is rarely disclosed accurately to the customer.

  • Lower Guarantees

    Guarantees come with a cost. The actual guarantees may be low to safeguard the bank's personal interests. The average internal rate of return in a plan is somewhere between 4-6% per annum, and sometimes even lower returns are paid out.

  • Start Dates

    Guaranteed returns sometimes start on a later date in some cases, when some plans only begin adding guaranteed returns to the policy after a few years. Often, the payouts for guaranteed returns savings plans are paid over a certain number of years after maturity.

The death benefit usually is the higher of the sum assured on maturity or the premium amount multiplied by a certain percentage. Sometimes, it is 105% of the total premiums paid and is more or less consistent across investment plans in India.

What are Assured Returns?

Assured returns, to put it simply, is offered by the provider of insurance or saving plans when it is already decided that the benefits will be provided, regardless of the market performance of the fund option. Even if the market performance is poor and not up to the mark, or if the bank is experiencing market-related volatility, the investor will have to be paid the money that they were assured.

However, this assured benefit does depend on the capital-resource health and financial state of the insurance company. If the bank or insurance provider declares bankruptcy or simply does not have enough funds to pay off the investor, they will not be entitled to any benefits.

You may be surprised that market performance sometimes has an important role to play in how each insurance plan pays you - banks are businesses too, and lending large sums of money and safeguarding the lives of thousands of people is only possible if there are some profits to keep the infrastructure and the machinery functioning. Small banks often offer assured returns instead of guaranteed returns to ensure that they do not go bankrupt.

Sum Assured does not mean Assured Returns

There are different types of investment options available in INDIA that offers assured return on investment.

The minimum sum payable by the insurer in case of policyholder's untimely demise is referred to as the sum assured. This implies that the sum assured is the actual coverage offered by the plan you chose. It also directly determines how much money the policyholder has to pay a premium for his installments.

Clearly, the sum assured amount is something you have to look out for when picking out your investment plans.

Advantages of Assured Returns

  • If the monetary value of your life insurance grows over the tenure of your policy, your assured sum may increase.
  • The risk factor is usually low when a reliable bank is chosen.
  • When the bank denies claims they are not in poor financial health, you can always take them to court and ask for compensation.

However, if you are making plans with assured returns, make sure you have a few backup plans ready to avoid a situation where there are no returns.

Disadvantages of Assured Returns

Things to Consider before Buying a Plan with Assured Returns

  • Risk Factor

    Assured returns come with a risk factor that depends entirely on the insurance provider's financial health.

  • Bank's Financial State

    Make sure that you research the bank's financial status over the past few years. Collect all the information about the bank before you buy a life insurance plan that offer assured returns.

  • Track Record

    Try to find out the insurance provider's CSR. The claim settlement ratio of any insurance provider is their track record of paying out insurance claims made by their clients.

  • Extra Guarantee

    Check if your assured plans have guaranteed benefits that you can purchase at extra cost - this way, you will get the benefits of assured sums as well as the guaranteed returns.

While guaranteed returns, assured sum, and assured returns are all elements of life insurance policies and Savings plans , you do not always have to buy two separate plans to avail of these benefits. Most policies offer both a sum assured and a guaranteed return, with the catch being that the policyholder will receive only one of the two. The risk you want to take on when you choose a saving plan may not always be clear at the outset, which is why you should have the necessary knowledge to choose the right plan for you.

Guaranteed Savings Plan by Canara HSBC Life Insurance offers guaranteed benefits and the option to choose your savings horizon. If all premiums have been paid, you will receive guaranteed benefits at maturity. This plan provides life cover for the entire term, where you have to pay premiums only for a limited, predetermined period. Nominees will be paid a guaranteed lump sum of money on the untimely demise of the policyholder, and the remaining premiums will have wavered. Guaranteed benefits will be paid to the nominees when the maturity date is reached.

Related Articles

Browse by Categories

Get a Call Back

Do you want us to call back Please fill the form below

Annual Income (In Lacs)

Our Products

TERM Insurance PLAN

TERM Insurance PLAN

Whole life cover option available

Increase your life cover with changing life stages

Return of premium & in-built protection options

Multiple premium payment options

Avail tax benefits on premiums paid as per tax laws

ULIP PLAN

Unit Linked Insurance Plan

8 funds and 4 portfolio strategies to invest

Loyalty additions and wealth booster

Return of Mortality Charge is available on Maturity under all three cover Options

Flexibility of switching between the fund options to take benefits of market movements or change in risk preference

Pos Easy Bima Plan

Top Benefits

Hassle free

Get double life cover in case of accidental death

Choice of flexible premium payment and policy term

Avail tax benefit on premium paid

Frequently Asked Questions

How Savings Plans by Canara Help You?

Every person has a unique reason to save and invest. With ULIP savings schemes, the company caters to people seeking wealth creation through capital appreciation. Contrarily, the traditional plans can help you save for important life goals without worrying about the fluctuation in fund value. All major savings plan offers partial withdrawal facility that can help you take care of unplanned contingencies. With savings plans from Canara HSBC Life Insurance, you get adequate flexibility while investing and receiving the savings benefits.

Who should invest in a Savings Plan?

Savings plan require you to invest a pre-decided amount on a regular basis. People with a regular stream of income who require a lump-sum amount after a period should opt for a savings plan. Working professionals, self-employed people and businessmen should consider a savings plan to meet their long-term financial obligations. Savings plans are also ideal for people who are risk-averse and want to accumulate funds through relatively safer mediums. These plans inculcate financial discipline in policyholders which make them crucial for every portfolio.

What is saving plan?

A savings plan is likely to be different for everyone depending on the financial goal, risk profile, returns, and investment horizon. If you are young and want to save for your retirement, ULIPs like Invest 4G or Titanium Plus plan would be the best option. You are likely to create a large corpus by your retirement through market-linked returns. If capital protection is your aim, then traditional insurance plans such as Guaranteed Money Saving Plan should be suitable for you.

How much money should you put in savings each month?

The amount that should be invested in a savings plan each month depends on the income, existing financial obligations and the long-term financial goal. If you have a steady income, you should save at least 20% of your monthly income. It is not necessary to invest your entire money into a savings scheme as investments should be diversified. Ideally, you should aim to have a financial buffer of over 10 times of your annual income.

Read More
Saving plan for retirement

The Invest 4G plan with its multiple investment options and various portfolio management strategies for capital protection is an ideal saving plan for retirement.

Saving plan for future

The Smart Goals plan with its unique features such as modification of the sum assured partial withdrawal and fund switch can help you plan for your long-term financial goals.

Saving plan for girl child

The Future Smart unit-linked plan from Canara HSBC Life Insurance is the ideal savings plan for the girl child.

Where should I invest my money?

You should spread your investments across financial instruments. However, having a suitable savings plan in your portfolio is extremely important. It ensures financial stability and also helps in fulfilling short, medium and long-term monetary goals.

What is a good age to start saving money?

When you plan to invest in a financial product, it always pays well to start early. The earlier you start saving and investing, the better. When you start investing early, the capital gets adequate time multiply. Even a small amount invested for a long time can give substantial returns due to compounding.

Tax Saving Investment for retired mother

Savings plans are tax-efficient investment instruments. Samridh Bhavishya traditional savings scheme designed to ensure regular income after retirement is the best savings plan for retired mothers.

Should you use a savings plan for retirement planning?

Yes. Retirement planning is one of the most important financial decisions of our lives. Saving plans offer a host of features that may help you build your retirement corpus. Some of the saving plans like Guaranteed Income4Life offer guaranteed returns at policy maturity. Such returns can act as a regular income stream even after your retirement to help you stay financially stable.

Are saving plans beneficial for managing unexpected expenses?

Yes. Best saving plans in India offer partial withdrawal system that can be utilized during your rainy days. Being financially prepared to tackle such odds will help you manage any unforeseen expenses in a smooth manner.

How to save tax by using savings plan?

Saving plans are known for helping us achieve our financial goals. Best saving plans allow you to grow your wealth while providing life cover. Saving and investment plans are also beneficial for tax planning. Premiums of savings cum protection plans come with tax benefit under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Moreover, proceeds received upon the death of the policyholder or upon the maturity of the policy are tax free under Section 10 10(D).

What is the right age to start saving money?

When you plan to invest in a financial product, it always pays well to start early. The earlier you start saving and investing, the better. When you start investing early, the appreciation in capital is significant. Even a small amount invested for a long time can give substantial returns due to compounding.

Read More
How a savings plan can help in building your child’s education fund?

Saving plans help in building wealth over time against the investments that you make. Choose the best savings plan to build an education fund for your child. The best saving plan for kids offered by Canara HSBC Life Insurance eases the stress of planning your child's future by providing a lump-sum payout on the investment.

Read More
How Savings Plans by Canara HSBC Life Insurance can help you?

Every person has a unique reason to save and invest. With ULIP savings schemes, the company caters to people seeking wealth creation through capital appreciation. Contrarily, the traditional plans can help you save for important life goals without worrying about the fluctuation in fund value. All major savings plan offers partial withdrawal facility that can help you take care of unplanned contingencies. With savings plans from Canara HSBC Life Insurance, you get adequate flexibility while investing and receiving the savings benefits.

Read More
Call BackCall Back Pay PremiumPay Premium