Insurance: How does it works, tax & life benefits

Insurance- an important safety net for an individual and for the whole family. Many a  time people asks why we go for insurance? We all have been advised to buy insurance more than once – for life, health, and even for buying a new car or starting a new business. Experts have given three to eight reasons- why we should go for an insurance”. I will not go into that debate. Here are some basic information about Insurance.

1. What is Insurance?

First of all everyone should know about the Insurance or what is Insurance? Insurance is a legal agreement between two parties i.e. the insurance company (insurer) and the individual (insured). In this, the insurance company promises to make good the losses of the insured on happening of the insured contingency. The contingency is the event which causes a loss. It can be the death of the policyholder or damage/destruction of the property. It’s called a contingency because there’s an uncertainty regarding happening of the event. The insured pays a premium in return for the promise made by the insurer.                                

 2. How does it works

The insurer and the insured get a legal contract for the insurance, which is called the insurance policy. The insurance policy has details about the conditions and circumstances under which the insurance company will pay out the insurance amount to either the insured person or the nominees. Insurance is a way of protecting yourself and your family from a financial loss. Generally, the premium for a big insurance cover is much lesser in terms of money paid. The insurance company takes this risk of providing a high cover for a small premium because very few insured people actually end up claiming the insurance. This is why you get insurance for a big amount at a low price. Any individual or company can seek insurance from an insurance company, but the decision to provide insurance is at the discretion of the insurance company. The insurance company will evaluate the claim application to make a decision. Generally, insurance companies refuse to provide insurance to high-risk applicants.                                   

3.What are the tax benefits on insurance?

Apart from the safety and security benefits of buying insurance, there are also the income tax benefits that you can avail.

Life insurance premium of up to Rs1.5 lakh can be claimed as a tax-saving deduction under Section 80C.

Medical insurance premium of up to Rs 25,000 for yourself and your family.

(Writer is a financial expert, could be contacted -9818442997)