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.
For those seeking comfort in safety of returns, the Government of India issued 8% savings bond once again comes to the fore. First launched in 2003, these bonds are issued by the government with a maturity of 6 years. The bonds are available at all times with specified distributors through whom you can apply to invest in them. Here is a quick guide to what the bond offers and its features to ascertain to check for suitability. What are Government of India bonds Government of India bonds are like any other government bonds with specified rate of interest. The rate is fixed at 8% per annum paid half yearly, or you can opt for cumulative payment of interest at the end of the tenure. You can buy these bonds from State Bank of India and its associates, other nationalized banks and some private sector banks such as HDFC Bank Ltd and ICICI Bank Ltd, among others. The bonds can be bought from the offices of Stock Holding Corporation of India as well. They are available in physical form onl...
