Joint Term Insurance Plan

As more and more women join the workforce and become financially independent, a joint term insurance plan has been introduced by several insurers of the country.

A term insurance plan is the simplest and basic form of life insurance that offers coverage, purely for the risk of life. If the life insured in a term insurance plan dies within the policy term, the predetermined sum assured is paid to the beneficiary as a death benefit.

What is a Joint Term Insurance Plan?

A joint term insurance plan offers coverage to a couple through a single plan. If either of the spouses dies, the sum assured is paid to the surviving spouse by the insurer.

Features of Joint Term Insurance Plan

The entire process can be accomplished in a few defined steps by invoking the “Buy Online” or “Buy Now” Tab in the portal. The involved steps are:

• The Joint Term Plan offer multiple payout options:
  1: In the first option, the claim payout is made to the first claim on the death of one of the policyholders. In this case, the entire sum assured is paid to the surviving spouse.
  2: In the other option, the payout can be done in a way to receive a portion of the sum assured on the unfortunate death of each policyholder
• When compared with individual term plans, Joint Term plans are economical and budget-friendly when compared to the premium cost of two individual Term Insurance Plans.
• The tax benefit is applicable for premiums paid by policyholders as per the Indian Income Tax Act, 1961. The sum assured received as the death benefit is eligible for tax benefit under the Indian Income Tax Act.
• Since it is a single policy that offers cover for both the partners, it is simpler and more convenient to keep track of the premium payment of the Joint Life Term Insurance policy.
• Some insurers offer additional benefits in the form of built riders. This additional coverage may include critical illness benefit (one of the policyholders gets diagnosed with a critical illness), accidental death benefit (one of the policyholders dies as a result of an accident).

How does a Joint Term Insurance Plan work?

• The working of a joint term insurance plan is like that of an individual term plan.
• In this case, a single plan offers life cover for two people and not one.
• The policy has a single premium even though the coverage is for 2 people.
• The coverage offered under a joint term insurance plan remains fixed.
• The premium payment term is generally the same as the policy term.
• If any of the policyholders die during the policy term, the surviving partner can claim for the benefit of sum assured.

Claim Payout Options in a Joint Term Insurance Plan

The payout options available under a joint term plan can be any among the following. On the death of any one of the policyholders, the sum assured is paid to the surviving partner as per the selected payout option.

• The complete sum assured is paid as a lump-sum payment, and the policy ceases to exist from then.
• The sum assured is paid to the surviving member, following which the policy continues either with the waiver of subsequent premium payments or without any waiver. The policy terminates on the occurrence of any one of the following events happening before the policy term or the death of the surviving insured member.
• In some cases, the surviving insured member gets the sum assured accompanied by regular payouts that are given for a certain period.

Comparison between a Joint Life Term Insurance Plan and an Individual Term Plan

The main differences between a joint life term insurance plan and an individual term plan are: 

Who should take a Joint Term Insurance Plan?

A joint life term insurance policy is suitable in the following cases:

• Partners who have a minor difference in their ages or are approximate of the same age must prefer a joint life term insurance policy.
• Couples who are middle-aged and wish to buy term plans at an economical premium rate are suitable for a joint life term insurance plan.
• Couples with a similar lifestyle – non-smokers, smokers, non-alcoholic, etc., are suitable for a joint life term insurance policy.