Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has announced the launch of a unit-linked plan that offers a minimum guarantee of 170% at maturity. This Ulip with guaranteed returns will be available for customers from January 11. This is a single-premium life insurance policy, known as Shield Plus, and the term is fixed at 10 years and the minimum premium requirement is Rs 25,000. The returns, which work to around 5.45% on this product, could be compared to that of a bank or a post office deposit. But since the product has an equity exposure, there is a strong possibility of outperformance over the long term, say experts. The sum assured could be equal to 1.1 times or five times of the single premium paid, which takes care of the protection element of the Ulip. However, the insurer has capped the maximum sum assured at 1.1 times the single premium for individuals in the age group of 56-65 years. The product offers a choice of six funds but only Shield Plus Fund offers minimum guaranteed unit price at maturity.
WE ARE all familiar with the anxiety and uncertainty that we feel when applying for a loan. After all, it's the lender who decides whether we can own our dream home, our first car, or whether our children can pursue higher education. In a nutshell, a better life depends on the lender's decisions. While other factors do play a part in the lender's decision, the Cibil Credit Information Report ( CIR ) plays a crucial role in a lender's decision to approve a loan application. Previously, lenders would treat all loan seekers equally. Each applicant, if approved by the lender's internal credit policy, would be charged at the same interest rate for a particular loan size and purpose. The lenders would charge a higher interest rate to all the borrowers, in order to compensate for the possible default of a small portion of the loan disbursed. In other words, it's like a professor (the lender) punishing an entire class (borrowers) for the mischief played b...