group-term-insurance

Group Term Insurance

Unpack the essentials of group term insurance: why it matters, how it works, and what makes it a best bet for every team and organisation’s future

Unpack the essentials of group term insurance: why it matters, how it works, and what makes it a best bet for every team and organisation’s future

Group term insurance provides a financial safety net for workers or members of a group in case of the death of the insured person. It is usually provided by employers, associations, or other large organisations as part of an overall benefits package. Unlike individual life insurance, a group term plan covers all members under one master policy, often with minimal medical underwriting.

Whether you're an employer seeking to protect your employees or a member evaluating your coverage options, it's crucial to understand the details of group term insurance. In this guide, we'll take you through the basics, coverage, eligibility, and how to select the best group term insurance plan for yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • Group term insurance offers low-cost life cover to all members under a single policy without medical checks

  • It ensures financial security for families with a guaranteed lump-sum payout in case of a member’s death.

  • Employers can customise plans with riders like critical illness and accidental death for enhanced protection.

  • The policy is renewable annually, with flexible coverage and the option for members to convert it into individual plans.

  • Choosing the right plan involves assessing group needs, checking claim settlement ratios, and evaluating coverage flexibility.

What is a Group Term Insurance?

Group term insurance is a life insurance policy that covers a group of people under a single master policy. Often, the policyholder is an employer, association, or any organisation that wants to provide life cover to its employees or members. The amount assured is paid to the nominee if the insured dies during the policy term.

The coverage is usually offered for a specified period, e.g., one year, and can be extended each year. Premiums are normally lower than those of individual policies because of the group-based plan. While the basic cover is uniform, employers can usually choose additional riders or customisations in order to take the benefits further.

Calculate Term Insurance Premium

A term insurance calculator is a useful online tool that helps you determine how much coverage you need based on your income, lifestyle, and family’s needs.

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Our Recommendation
My Income
My current Cover
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Total Life Cover Recommended
50 Lakh
12.5 Lakh
75 Lakh
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1 Crore
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To secure your family’s financial future and protect their dreams,
you’ll need an additional cover of
rs 10,000
Note: This is a very brief calculation of HLV
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Desclaimer-

The above calculation and illustration of figures are indicative only and not on actual basis.

What is the Need for a Group Term Insurance?

Group term life insurance has a crucial part to play in ensuring financial security and employee well-being. It helps ensure that employees' or members' families are financially secure in case of an untimely death.

  • Protection for Families: It gives employees confidence knowing that their families will be protected in the event of their death. This financial assistance can be used to pay for immediate expenses as well as future liabilities.
  • Affordable Protection: Group term insurance is relatively low-cost since the risk is spread across the group. Employers often subsidise the premiums, making it an affordable benefit for employees.
  • Boosts Employee Morale and Retention: Offering life insurance as part of the employment package enhances employee satisfaction and can improve retention rates. It reflects the employer’s commitment to staff welfare.
  • No Medical Tests Required (for Basic Cover): One of the significant benefits is that the majority of group term insurance policies provide coverage without the need for personal medical check-ups, particularly for base cover limits.
  • Flexible Customisation Options: Companies can customise the group policy by including riders like accidental death benefit, critical illness cover, or permanent disability cover to increase the level of protection.
  • Complies with Statutory Guidelines: Group term insurance can also assist organisations in fulfilling statutory requirements, particularly for employee welfare schemes in labour laws or industry-specific legislation.

Important Advantages of Group Term Insurance

Group term insurance policies have been structured to provide simplified, effective, and dependable coverage. Some of the most significant benefits are as follows:

  • Provides a lump sum payment to the nominee in the event of the death of the insured member within the term

  • Involves minimal paperwork and administrative work by the individual

  • Choice to add-on covers to the policy benefits

  • Tax advantages for the employer (in business expenditure) and employees (in Section 10(10D))

  • Promotes a financially stable working environment that fosters employee well-being

Features of Group Term Insurance

Group term policies have features that make them suitable for organisational coverage. These features differ slightly from one insurer to another, but in general, they fall along the same pattern. Some of them are:

  • Master Policy Structure: One master policy covers the entire group, which makes management and renewals simpler. It allows adding new members during the policy term and accepts exits as well.
  • Uniform or Graded Sum Assured: The sum assured could either be the same for all members or calculated based on certain criteria, such as salary, designation, or level of membership. This allows employers to tailor coverage according to jobs.
  • Renewable Annually: The majority of group term insurance plans are renewable once a year. Employers can modify the sum assured and members covered upon renewal to accommodate organisational changes.
  • Coverage from Day One: Employees or members are generally protected from the time they are covered by the policy. They do not have a waiting period except as mentioned in the policy conditions.
  • Rider Add-ons: Insurers provide optional riders such as critical illness, accidental death, and permanent disability that can be attached to the standard plan to enhance coverage. 
  • Conversion Option: In a few instances, when the employee exits the organisation, the group term plan may be transferred to an individual life insurance policy without new medical underwriting.

Documents Required to Purchase Group Term Insurance

Purchasing a group term insurance plan is a simple process that the organisation must complete. The documents required to facilitate easy onboarding and policy issuance are:

  • Employer registration documents or organisation proof

  • Employee/member information with details like age, designation, and salary

  • ID proof and address proof of members

  • The authorised signature on the proposal form

  • Master policy application form

  • Good health declaration (where applicable)

Who May Purchase a Group Term Insurance?

Group term insurance is designed for recognised groups that have a formal organisational structure. 

Qualified buyers are employers (corporates, SMEs), banks, associations of professionals, NGOs, and housing societies. The group needs to have a defined purpose other than the mere purchase of insurance. An added requirement is a minimum group size (typically 10 or more members). Each member needs to be actively associated with the group as well as within the acceptable age bracket defined by the insurer.

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Did You Know?

After the COVID-19 pandemic, it is required of employers to offer group insurance coverage to their employees


Source:
TheEconomicTimes

Young Term Plan - 1.5 Crore

How Does Group Term Insurance Work?

Group term insurance offers coverage under a single master plan, and the process from joining to claiming is simple. Here’s what it looks like:

  1. Proposal & Member List Submission: The group (often the employer) fills in a proposal form and a list of members to be insured under the policy

  2. Underwriting & Premium Calculation: The insurer assesses the risk profile of the group and calculates the premium based on age composition, sum assured, and riders opted for

  3. Policy Issuance: After the documents and payment are received, the master policy is issued. A certificate of insurance is issued to all insured members

  4. Coverage Period: The policy continues for the stipulated period (typically one year), after which it can be continued

  5. Claim Process: If a member dies, unfortunately, the nominee files a claim form and supporting documents. The insurer checks and pays the claim amount

How to Choose the Best Group Term Insurance?

Choosing the right group term insurance requires careful evaluation of your organisation’s needs and available options.

Assess Group Demographics:

Understand the age profile, health status, and job roles of your group members. This will help in selecting the right sum assured and optional covers.

Check the Insurer’s Claim Settlement Ratio:

A high ratio of claim settlements is reflective of the insurer's credibility and reliability. Seek at least 95% or above to guarantee an uninterrupted claim process.

Assess Coverage Options:

Make sure the policy provides flexibility to include riders such as critical illness or accidental death benefits. Customisation is essential for complete protection.

Assess Premium Affordability:

Compare the premium with the coverage provided. Select a plan that has an appropriate balance between cost and benefits, making it suitable for your organisation's budget.

Search for Portability Features:

Ensure that members have the option to transfer the group coverage to an individual policy when they exit the organisation. This brings long-term value to the plan.

Examine the Insurer's Service Network:

High-quality digital interface and good customer support infrastructure facilitate easy handling of the policy by both the organisation and members.

Why Choose Canara HSBC Life Insurance Group Term Insurance?

We provide a reliable and effective group term insurance policy that's designed to cover your employees or members. With a distinguished claim settlement ratio of 99.43%, the company proves its adherence to policyholder protection and prompt claims settlement.

Our group term plans offer simple enrolment, flexible coverage options, and the support of a large and well-known joint venture by Canara Bank, HSBC, and Punjab National Bank. We provide end-to-end digital servicing, hassle-free renewals, and add-on riders that extend coverage based on your group's specific requirements.

Conclusion

Group term insurance is a vital component of a holistic employee benefits programme or member welfare plan. It provides much-needed financial protection to families while also improving morale and retention in the workplace. With low premiums, simplified processes, and the ability to customise coverage, group term insurance is a valuable investment for any organisation. Choosing a trusted provider like Canara HSBC Life Insurance ensures that your group members are in safe hands, backed by a legacy of reliability and service excellence. Consider your choices, know your group's requirements, and ensure their future with the proper group term insurance plan.

Glossary

  1. Master Policy: A single insurance policy covering all members of a group under one contract
  2. Graded Sum Assured: A varying life cover amount based on salary, role, or rank in a group insurance plan
  3. Conversion Option: It lets members switch group cover to personal life insurance without a new medical check-up
  4. Portability Features: Ability to retain or shift insurance benefits when leaving or changing groups
  5. Declaration of Good Health: A basic self-health statement needed when no medical tests are required
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Uncertain About Insurance

FAQs

The majority of minimum group term plans have no individual medical tests, particularly for coverage under a predetermined limit.

Yes, certain group plans have a provision wherein the employees can enhance the sum assured by contributing to the premium.

Depending on the policy, the employee can lose the coverage or be offered the choice of converting it to an individual policy.

Premiums paid by the employer are normally considered business expenses. Death benefit is tax-free under Section 10(10D).

As soon as all necessary documents are provided, claims are settled within a few working days, as per the process of insurer.

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