Do you need personal accident insurance?

Invest In Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms

Buy Gold Mutual Funds

Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

For 2,250 a year, you can get a 50 lakh cover against death or disability due to accident

You need a life insurance policy to cover the risk of death and a health insurance policy as a cushion against hospitalisation expenses. While most readers are bound to be familiar with these essential covers, very few would have heard of the personal accident cover. Personal accident schemes cover the policyholder against death or disability due to an accident. All general insurance companies offer these policies, but it's very unlikely that an agent will try to sell you one. These low-priced policies are not very popular because the agent earns barely 20-30 as commission from selling such a policy.

However, you should buy a personal accident policy because it plugs an important hole in your insurance portfolio. Firstly, it will provide financial support to the policyholder if he is disabled after an accident. Secondly, the magnitude of the mishap doesn't matter; even minor ones like falling off a bicycle and breaking an arm, or fracturing a leg while playing football are covered by the policy. A personal accident cover is very essential, especially for young people who are at greater risk of an accident than others

If you thought term insurance policies were cheap, wait till you find out about the premium rates of a personal accident policy. For as little as 225 a year, you can get a cover of 5 lakh. The daily cost works out to about 60 paise. However, this is the rate for a basic cover from a PSU insurer and will only cover death and permanent disability. If you want enhanced protection, you will have to shell out more (see graphic).

One way to get the agent interested is to buy it along with your health or motor insurance. Since agents get very low commissions, they usually try to bundle the personal accident cover with some other insurance product. However, this doesn't mean that you will pay a lower premium, though some companies may give you a discount. A basic personal accident cover against death and permanent total disability is already built into a motor insurance policy. You can enhance the cover by paying extra.

While PSU insurers offer cheap personal accident covers, private insurance companies offer a wider range of benefits, but the premium rates are higher too. You can take a cover of up to 8 times your annual salary. Apart from the basic death and permanent disability cover, you can buy additional protection against partial and temporary disability, even loss of livelihood. A personal accident policy covers the buyer against costs that can shatter him financially.

It's important to understand the terms and conditions clearly before you buy a policy. For example, hospitalisation benefit can be availed of only if the policyholder is admitted within seven days of the accident and is hospitalised for at least 24 hours. A fractured leg is a temporary disability, and if you have taken a cover against it, your policy will pay a weekly sum of 5,000 for up to two years. However, this weekly cash benefit is paid only if you are unable to go to work and the payment starts only 60 days after the accident. One also has to submit proof, including a doctor's certificate for the disability that prevents one from attending work.

Also, be very clear about the definition of disability. When a Delhi-based policyholder lost his index finger in a car accident, the hospital gave him a certificate of 15% disability. Yet, the life insurance company denied his claim because he had a cover against total disability. The policy document defines the loss of hand as total disability. The loss of one digit, even though it was the index finger, was not covered.

Permanent total disability is defined as total loss of sight in both eyes, or total loss of use, or dismemberment of both hands or legs, or one hand and one leg. Losing one eye is a permanent, but not total, disability. Ask the insurance company or agent to explain the exclusions clearly to you.

Most companies offer personal accident insurance to their employees through a group cover. However, this is a very basic cover and may not offer the benefits offered by a standalone policy. Recommend an individual policy only if one can afford it and if his company's cover is insufficient.

You can also buy an accident cover with a rider along with a life insurance policy. However, these riders come with strings attached and don't offer certain covers. Since life insurance companies cannot offer anything but life cover, you will not be covered against other damages, such as hospitalisation expenses. Riders can never as comprehensive as a standalone policy.

 
A plain vanilla personal accident cover is not very expensive, but it can come handy in case of a mishap. Self-employed professionals who travel a lot during the course of their work will find this especially useful. Buy one right away so that there is nothing left to chance in your insurance portfolio.

Happy Investing!!

We can help. Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

Leave your comment with mail ID and we will answer them

OR

You can write back to us at PrajnaCapital [at] Gmail [dot] Com

---------------------------------------------

Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Applications

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

1. ICICI Prudential Tax PlanInvest Online
2. HDFC TaxSaverInvest Online
3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver FundInvest Online
4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) FundInvest Online
5. Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96 Invest Online
6. IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) FundInvest Online
7. SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993Invest Online
8. Sundaram Tax SaverInvest Online
9. Edelweiss ELSS Invest Online

------------------

Best Performing Mutual Funds

1. Largecap Funds Invest Online
1. DSP BlackRock Top 100 Fund
2. ICICI Prudential Focused Blue Chip Fund
3. Birla Sun Life Front Line Equity Fund
2. Large and Midcap Funds Invest Online

1. ICICI Prudential Dynamic Plan
2. HDFC Top 200 Fund
3. UTI Dividend Yield Fund
2. Mid and SmallCap Funds Invest Online

1. Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund
2. DSP BlackRock Small & Midcap Fund
3. Sundaram Select Midcap
4. IDFC Premier Equity Fund
3. Small and MicroCap Funds Invest Online

1. DSP BlackRock MicroCap Fund
4. Sector Funds Invest Online

1. Reliance Banking Fund
2. Reliance Banking Fund
5. Tax Saver MutualFundsInvest Online
1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
2. HDFC Taxsaver
3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
6. Gold Mutual Funds Invest Online

1. Relaince Gold Savings Fund
2. ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund
3. HDFC Gold Fund