Written by : Knowledge Center Team
2025-11-13
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11 minutes read
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Insurance is one of the ways you can mitigate and hedge against the risk of unforeseen losses. While risks lead to rewards, the downside is a possible loss. Losses can happen due to multiple reasons both on professional and personal fronts.
When you start a new venture by investing your savings, you have a chance to either make a profit or a loss by selling those goods. However, if you happen to lose the goods in a mishap you lose the chance to sell them at all. While a business risk is expected and can lead to higher profits, unexpected loss of goods can only lead to financial loss. Therefore, risks like serious damage to movable and immovable property, hospitalisation, theft and similar calamities must be insured against.
Key Takeaways
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What is Insurance?
Insurance is a financial safety net that protects individuals and businesses from unexpected losses. At its core, it is a risk-sharing mechanism where a large group of people contribute small amounts (premiums) to create a collective fund. When an insured person faces a covered event, like an accident, illness, or property damage, this fund helps them recover financially.
Think of it as a promise of protection. Instead of bearing the full cost of a loss alone, insurance spreads that risk across many people. This ensures that a single unfortunate event doesn’t lead to financial ruin.
How Does Insurance Work?
Insurance operates on a simple yet structured process designed to protect individuals and businesses from financial setbacks. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how it works:
1. Paying Premiums
When you purchase an insurance policy, you agree to pay a specific amount known as a premium. Depending on the policy and provider, this payment can be made monthly, quarterly, annually, or as a lump sum.
Premium amounts vary based on several factors, including:
The type of insurance (health, auto, life, etc.).
The level of coverage you choose.
Your personal risk factors (age, health status, driving history, etc.).
The insurance company’s assessment of overall risk.
Your premium contributes to a shared pool of funds, which the insurer manages to pay out claims for policyholders facing covered losses.
2. Coverage for Risks
Each insurance policy outlines specific risks it covers. These risks are defined in the policy document, which acts as a contract between you and the insurance company.
Types of Coverage
Comprehensive Coverage: Protects against a wide range of risks (e.g., full car insurance covering accidents, theft, and natural disasters).
Specific Coverage: Only covers particular events (e.g., life insurance that pays out in case of death but not disability).
Exclusions & Limits:
Insurance policies often have exclusions (situations they do not cover). For example, a health insurance policy may not cover pre-existing conditions or cosmetic procedures.
Policies also have limits, meaning there’s a maximum amount the insurer will pay for a covered loss.
It’s essential to understand the terms, conditions, and exclusions of your policy to avoid surprises when filing a claim.
Why is Insurance Important?
Insurance works like a cushion which helps you or your family bounce back financially after an unfortunate event. Whether it's business or family, both can benefit immensely from insurance.
- Distributes Large Risks: Insurance is a financial instrument. The risk of significant loss due to an event is borne by a large group of people exposed to the same possibility in a business. Thus, the losses are distributed over a large group, making it bearable for each individual.
- Provides Financial Stability: Without insurance, it will be extremely costly for businesses to bounce back after a major loss of inventory. Natural hazards, accidents, theft or burglary can affect the financial status of a business or a family. With Insurance compensating a large part of the losses, businesses and families can bounce back rather easily.
- Helps Economic Growth: Insurance companies pool a large amount of money. Part of this money can be invested in support of government investment activities. Due to safety concerns, insurers only invest in Gilts or government securities. On the other hand, governments can raise funds easily from insurers for large public projects, which aids in economic growth.
- Generates Long-Term Wealth: Insurance is often a long-term contract, especially life insurance. Life insurance plans can continue for more than three decades. Within this time, they will collect a large amount of wealth, which will be returned to the investor if they survive. If not, the wealth goes to their family.
Need for Insurance
Insurance is an essential financial tool that helps manage unforeseen expenses smoothly and without much hassle. However, this is not the only reason a person needs insurance. Listed below are a few more reasons you need to buy insurance:
- Tax Benefits: Any payments received from life insurance plans are completely tax-free if your investments have met a few simple conditions. Most life insurance premium payments and investments are tax-deductible. Thus, insurance reduces your tax liability in the present and future.
- Achieve Retirement Goals: Insurance plans like guaranteed savings plans and ULIPs are some of the best retirement saving options available. You can also use deferred annuity plans to safeguard your post-retirement income when you are close to retirement.
- Stress-Free Life: With the right insurance plan, you can remain stress-free from unforeseen risks that cause major financial damage. Insurance will help you and your family return to your normal financial life quickly after a mishap. Insurance also keeps your long-term investments safe from sudden financial shocks caused by emergencies.
Which Insurance is Important?
Insurance is a financial protection or mitigation tool against possible unforeseen hardships. The insurer assesses the possible hardship and pays in line with the agreed policy. Such an amount is termed “Sum Assured” or “Sum Insured” or “Insured Value” etc. It is imperative to know how insurance can make a positive impact on our lives.
Insurance is now a “must-have" rather than a “good-to-have" part of our financial plan. There are broadly two types of insurance. Let us understand how they are relevant to you:
Life Insurance:
Like any responsible person, you would have planned for a comfortable life basis your income and career projection. You and your family will be dreaming of basic things such as a good house and quality education for children. But what if you will not be around to fulfil those dreams and plans? Life insurance plans can help you plan for the financial future of your family, even in your absence.
- Child Insurance Plan: Child insurance plans like ULIP and savings plans gain investment value over time. They also provide life insurance coverage to the insured. These plans are perfect for investing in your child’s higher education and marriage goals.
- Term Insurance Plan: Term life insurance is the pure form of life insurance. Term life cover only offers a death benefit for a limited period. The benefit of term insurance is that you can provide an adequate financial safety umbrella to your family at a nominal premium cost. Although the emotional loss can never be made up for, the loss of family income can be backed by life insurance. iSelect Smart360 Term Plan is an example of a term life insurance policy offered by Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company.
- Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP): ULIPs are investment cum insurance plans that come with a dual benefit of life cover plus return on investment. In case of the unfortunate demise of the policyholder, the nominee would receive the sum assured, or the policyholder would receive the fund value at the end of the policy term. ULIPs allow partial withdrawals, too. Amounts paid towards premiums are deductible from taxable income under section 80C, whereas all payouts are exempt from tax under section 10(10D).
- Endowment Plans: An endowment plan is designed as a safe investment strategy that also gives your family a financial cushion in case of your untimely demise. At the time of maturity, endowment plans give back the guaranteed amount + bonuses + guaranteed annual additions, if any. Most endowment policies give extended life cover even after the maturity value is paid out.
- Pension Plans: The pension plans give you a pension in the form of annuities. You can choose one of the following options after retirement for the income:
- Immediate Annuity: The pension starts as soon as you invest lump sum amount.
- Deferred Annuity: Invest gradually and start a regular stream of income a few years later.
If you have recently retired and would like to invest a lumpsum amount to earn a pension, the immediate annuity suits you best. If you have some time to retire, a deferred annuity gives you time to invest over the years and build a corpus. You will get income streams called “annuities” till the end of your life.
Non-Life Insurance:
Non-life insurance is also referred to as general insurance and covers any insurance that is outside the purview of life insurance. Motor insurance, property insurance, transit insurance, health insurance, etc. fall under non-life insurance.
- Auto Insurance: Auto insurance offers protection from accidental damages to your automobile. Auto insurance also includes cover for third-party damages, including bodily injury or property damage. Auto insurance is also a mandatory policy if you drive a vehicle on public roads.
- Home Insurance: Home insurance is a useful insurance cover for homeowners. Home insurance can include insurance for the home structure (building) and the contents within it. The tenant’s home insurance will only include the cover for home contents and not the structure. Home insurance will cover you against property damage and loss of goods due to fire, theft, etc.
- Health Insurance Plan: Health insurance offers financial support against sudden medical expenses and health emergencies. You can buy Mediclaim and critical illness health insurance plans. Mediclaim insurance can take care of medical bills and surgery expenses, whereas critical illness insurance offers a lump sum amount for life-threatening illnesses.
- Education Insurance: Education insurance is a savings and investment plan designed to fund a child’s future education. It ensures that even in unforeseen circumstances, such as the death or disability of a parent, a child’s education expenses are covered. These policies often come with tax benefits and investment options, making them a smart financial tool for long-term planning.
Selecting the Right Insurance Plan
Choosing the right insurance policy involves evaluating different factors to ensure adequate coverage without overburdening finances. Here are key considerations:
- Adequate Coverage: The insurance plan should provide enough financial protection to cover potential risks. For example, health insurance should cover major medical expenses, while auto insurance should include both own damage and third-party liability. Evaluating policy inclusions and exclusions helps in selecting the best coverage.
- Ability to Pay Premium: Affordability plays a crucial role in insurance selection. While higher coverage offers better protection, premiums should be within one’s budget. Comparing different policies and premium payment options (monthly, quarterly, or annually) helps in making an informed decision.
- Policy Duration: The duration of an insurance policy should align with financial goals and potential risks. Short-term policies may be suitable for temporary coverage needs, while long-term plans like education insurance or home insurance offer extended protection. Renewability and policy term flexibility should also be considered.
- Personal Aspects: Personal factors like age, health condition, lifestyle, and financial responsibilities influence insurance choices. For example, a young professional might prioritise health and auto insurance, while a homeowner would focus on home coverage. Understanding personal needs ensures that the chosen plan provides the right level of security.
Importance of Life Insurance Policies
If the unfortunate early demise of the family’s sole breadwinner occurs, the family's economic status is jeopardised, and they face financial hardships, not to mention the dreams and plans ahead. In some cases, even basic sustenance becomes a question mark.
Insurance is the best-known financial instrument that acts as a saviour for the family and a tool for continued economic progress. The insurance cover is designed such that the amount substitutes the loss of income and ensures sufficient financial support for a reasonably long time. Life insurance policies offer several benefits ranging from financial protection to wealth transfer. Using the right policies and terms of investments, you can create long-term wealth with life insurance.
- Peace of Mind: Adequate financial safety offered by life insurance plans can keep you free from stressing about your family’s future. Along with term insurance, you can also safeguard important goals for your child with child insurance plans.
- Meet Long-Term Goals: Life insurance is a long-term investment which demands investment discipline and offers growth. Thus, you can start investing directly for long-term goals with appropriate life insurance plans. You can invest in safe plans or go for equity allocation with ULIPs based on your risk appetite.
- Create Wealth: Life insurance plans like unit-linked insurance plans (ULIPs) help you invest in a mix of equity and debt funds. While the funds stay safe from any tax deductions, the plan adds more bonus units if you invest for a longer period. Overall, ULIPs can help you build a significant corpus over time.
- Happy Retirement: The long-term nature and safe investment options make life insurance plans a good option for building a retirement corpus. After retirement, you can continue to invest the corpus in pension plans and draw a regular income from it.
- Leave a Legacy: Whole life insurance plans help you build an asset that directly benefits your family after your demise. Since the plan continues till your natural demise or 100 years of age, it helps you leave a legacy for the next generations.
- Tax Benefits: Life insurance plans are one of the best ways to save your annual income tax outflow. Also, the returns from life insurance plans are exempt from tax. Thus, life insurance investments also reduce your future tax spending.
Tax Benefits of Insurance
Investing in insurance not only provides financial security but also offers several tax benefits. Here’s how you can save on taxes while securing your future:
- Life Insurance: Premiums paid for life insurance policies are eligible for tax deductions under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. You can claim deductions of up to ₹1.5 lakh annually, reducing your taxable income. Additionally, the maturity amount and death benefits are tax-free under Section 10(10D), subject to conditions.
- Health Insurance:
Under Section 80D, you can claim tax deductions for health insurance premiums. The limits are:
Up to ₹25,000 per year for self, spouse, and children additional ₹25,000 for parents below 60 years (₹50,000 if they are senior citizens)
If you’re paying for both your and your senior citizen parents’ policies, you can claim up to ₹75,000 in total.
- Other Insurance-Linked Tax Benefits: Certain policies like pension plans and ULIPs (Unit Linked Insurance Plans) also provide tax benefits under Sections 80CCC and 80CCD, helping you save on taxes while investing for the future.
Wrapping Up
Insurance is now an essential part of financial planning that gives both life protection and return on investment. If you plan well in advance and invest judiciously, you will generate wealth, create a corpus for retirement, earn a pension, and mitigate against financial losses, thus giving you and your family complete peace of mind. Insurance premiums act as a form of risk transfer, allowing individuals and businesses to manage their risks more effectively. Furthermore, insurance policies can provide tax benefits and serve as savings instruments, contributing to long-term financial planning and retirement preparedness. Overall, the financial protection and risk management offered by insurance are essential in ensuring financial stability and peace of mind, especially during times of crisis.
FAQs on Importance of Insurance
The right insurance policy for you would depend on the amount of coverage and policy term you seek. In the case of non-life insurance policies, factors such as the age of the asset and deductible will also affect your choice of insurance plan. For life insurance plans, your age and health will affect the premium cost of the plan.
If you own an automobile, third-party insurance coverage is mandatory before you can drive it on the road. However, you should consider comprehensive automobile insurance, as third-party damage will not cover the cost of repair to your vehicle.
The term "waiting period" refers, quite simply, to the amount of time you must wait before receiving insurance benefits under most health insurance policies. The insured cannot make any claims for health insurance benefits during this period, which starts on the date the policy is initiated.
The frequency of premium payments to maintain the validity of the life insurance policy is known as the premium frequency. Within a year, the proposer has the option to pay the premium annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly.
The consensus among experts is that you should carry four types of insurance: health, life, long-term disability, and auto insurance.
Insurance is an essential financial tool that helps protect us from the unexpected. Its main purpose is to provide financial protection against risks and uncertainties that we may face in our lives. Whether it's car accidents, medical emergencies, natural disasters, or other unexpected events, insurance helps us manage these risks by transferring them to the insurance company. When something unexpected happens, insurance can cover the costs and help us avoid financial hardship.
Disclaimer - This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited or any affiliated entity. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the blog or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the blog for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. You should consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific circumstances before taking any action based on the content provided herein.
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