Postal Life Insurance (PLI) is a life insurance scheme that started in 1884 and is one of the oldest in India. The PLI is managed by the Department of Posts, under the Government of India. The Postal Department offers two types of life insurance schemes, Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI). Read on to know more:
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PLI (Postal Life Insurance) was introduced by the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, in 1884, as a welfare scheme for the benefit of Postal Department employees. In 1894, it was the first insurance company to extend its coverage to female employees. Over the years, PLI has grown substantially and extended insurance coverage to all Central and State Government Employees. Also, it is currently catering services to the employees of various government departments such as Central & State Government Employees, Defense & Para-Military Services, Banks, Local Bodies, Public Sector Undertakings, Educational Institutes and Professionals like Chartered Accountants, Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, MBA, etc. and the company’s employees listed with Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)/ National Stock Exchange (NSE), all graduates and diploma holders from Universities/Institutions recognized by Central/State Governments.
With PLI, you can easily get life insurance benefits at affordable prices compared to other life insurance plans.
Same as PLI, Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) was introduced by the Department of Posts to offer financial coverage to people living in rural areas.
What is Rural Postal Life Insurance?
Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) started its operations in 1995 to extend life insurance coverage to individuals residing in rural areas. In 1993, the Malhotra Committee observed that only 22% of the Indian population had been insured, and life insurance funds accounted for about 10% of the total household savings. The Indian Government approved the committee's suggestions and helped extend insurance coverage to rural areas. The extensive post office networks in rural areas and the low operational costs made reaching out to individuals in such areas quite convenient.
This welfare scheme aims to offer insurance coverage to the rural population and to provide benefits to the weaker sections of society and female workers. It also works to spread awareness about insurance in rural areas.
Term Plans
₹1 Crore
Life Cover
@ Starting from ₹ 16/day+
₹50 LAKH
Life Cover
@ Starting from ₹ 8/day+
₹75 LAKH
Life Cover
@ Starting from ₹ 12/day+
What Is The Eligibility Criteria Of Postal Life Insurance?
Postal Life Insurance covers many Central and State Government employees and others working in public sector institutions and organizations. As of now, Postal Life Insurance scheme covers-
Parameters
Details
Eligible Persons
All employees of
Central / State Governments (including people engaged/appointed on a contract basis)
Defence Services and Para Military Forces
Local Bodies
Autonomous Bodies
Reserve Bank of India
Financial Institutions
Nationalized Banks
Scheduled Commercial Banks
Public Sector Undertakings
Department of Posts (Gramin Dak Sevaks)
Government-aided Educational Institutions
Deemed Universities
Credit Co-operative Societies and other Co-operative Societies registered with the Government under the Co-operative Societies Act
Professionals such as Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, CA etc.
Employees of listed companies of BSE and NSE
All Graduates and Diploma holders from Universities/institutions recognized by Central/State Governments.
Entry Age of Person
19-55 years for all schemes except the Children Policy (Bal Jeevan Bima) in which the maximum age of parent is 45 years;
The child’s age should be between 5 and 20 years
Sum Assured
Min: Rs. 20,000 Max: Rs. 50 lakh
Types of policies offered by PLI
There are six type of schemes:
Whole Life Assurance (Suraksha)
Convertible Whole Life Assurance (Suvidha)
Endowment Assurance (Santosh)
Anticipated Endowment Assurance (Sumangal)
Joint Life Assurance (Yugal Suraksha)
Children Policy (Bal Jeevan Bima)
What Are The Benefits of Postal Life Insurance?
Here is a list of all the benefits of opting for the Post Office Term Insurance scheme in India:
Discount on Premiums: By making a PLI premium payment in advance, you can claim a discount of 1% and 2% on a 6-month and 12-month policy, respectively.
Easy and Quick Claims: The postal life insurance scheme’s centralised accounting facility processes claims easily and hassle-free.
No Charges on Transfer: You can transfer your post office insurance scheme to any circle within the country at no additional charge.
Premium Payment Mode: You can pay your PLI premiums annually, semi-annually, or monthly on any working day before the due date.
Income Tax Benefits: The postal life insurance scheme offers tax benefits on the premiums paid under section 80C of the Income Tax Act.
What Are The Features of Postal Life Insurance?
Following are the advantages of various plans under Postal life insurance scheme:
Superlative Returns: The postal life insurance scheme (PLI) offers the highest bonus rates on payment of the lowest premium compared to any other life insurer in India.
Modification and Appointment of Nominee: PLI schemes allow the appointment of a nominee for the policy. The policyholder can also change the nominee during the policy term.
Passbook Facility: The policyholder can easily track the premium payments towards the pli scheme and loan transactions using the passbook facility.
Loan facility: The policyholder is permitted to easily avail loan against his/her policy through the Department or through any other financial institution by assigning the policy.
Revival of lapsed policy: The policy can be revived on several occasions during the entire term. However, five (five) consecutive years should not have passed from the date of the first unpaid premium.
Policy Conversion: The policyholder can convert his/her whole life assurance policy to an endowment assurance policy. This switch can be made between different endowment assurance plans per the pre-defined rules and regulations.
Issuance of duplicate policy papers: The department can also issue duplicate policy documents if the originals are destroyed, misplaced, or damaged.
Multiple Policies: Policyholders can take one or more than one policies offered under Postal Life Insurance scheme provided the aggregate sum assured under all the policies is not less than Rs. 20,000 and not more than Rs. 50 lakh.
What Are The Types Of Policies Offered By Postal Life Insurance?
The organization offers six traditional PLI schemes that range from whole life assurance plan to children insurance plan. Let’s look at the postal life insurance scheme details:
Under this post office insurance scheme, the assured amount with accumulated bonus is paid to the policyholder either on attaining 80 years or to their legal assignees or representatives on the policyholder’s death (whichever occurs earlier).
Parameters
Minimum
Maximum
Entry Age
19 years
55 years
Sum Assured
Rs. 20,000
Rs. 50 Lakhs
Policy Term/Maturity
80 years or death, whichever is earlier
Policy Conversion
The plan can be converted into Endowment Assurance up to the maximum age of 59 years
Premium Payment ceasing Age
May be opted as 55, 58 or 60 years of age of insurant
Loan Facility
Available after 4 years
Surrender
After 3 years (no bonus is payable if surrendered before five years)
Bonus rate
Rs. 76/- per Rs. 1000 SA /year as on 01.03.2023
Postal Life Insurance Plan – Convertible Whole Life Assurance Policy (Suvidha)
A convertible whole life assurance plan comes with an option to convert the plan to an endowment assurance plan after completion of five years of the opting plan (but before completion of 6th year). In case of the policyholder’s death, the nominee/assignee or the legal heir shall be paid the sum assured with the accrued bonus.
Parameters
Minimum
Maximum
Entry Age
19 years
55 years
Sum Assured
Rs. 20,000
Rs. 50 Lakhs
Policy Conversion
It can be converted into an endowment assurance plan after 5 years but not after 6 years of taking the policy. The plan will be considered as whole life assurance if not converted into Endowment Assurance Plan.
Loan Facility
Available after 4 years
Surrender
After 3 years (no bonus is payable if surrendered before five years)
Bonus rate
Rs. 76/- per Rs. 1000 SA /year as on 01.03.2023 *
*Bonus of endowment assurance will be paid in case of conversion of the policy
This life insurance plan offers the proponent to get life coverage for a pre-determined term and get sum assured with accrued bonus at the pre-determined maturity age (35 to 60 years of age).
Parameters
Minimum
Maximum
Entry Age
19 years
55 years
Sum Assured
Rs. 20,000
Rs. 50 Lakhs
Loan Facility
Available after 3 years
Maturity at predetermined age
35 years 40 years 45 years 50 years 55 years 60 years
Surrender
After 3 years (no bonus is payable if surrendered before five years)
Bonus rate
Rs. 52/- per Rs. 1000 SA /year as on 01.03.2023
Postal Life Insurance Plan – Anticipated Endowment Assurance Policy (Sumangal)
The Sumangal policy is a money-back plan with a maximum life cover of Rs. 50 Lakhs. This scheme is suitable for individuals who need returns periodically. In this, survival benefits are paid periodically.
A Yugal Suraksha Plan (Joint Life Assurance plan) is meant where at least one of the spouses is eligible for a Postal Life Insurance scheme. Under this, life coverage is given to both of the spouses to the extent of Sum Assured and bonuses are accrued with a single premium.
Parameters
Minimum
Maximum
Entry Age (for both spouses)
21 years
45 years*
Sum Assured
Rs. 20,000
Rs. 50 Lakhs
Policy Term
5 years
20 years
Loan Facility
After 3 years
Surrender
After 3 years (no bonus is payable if surrendered before five years)
Bonus Rate
Rs. 52/- per Rs. 1000 SA per year as on 01.03.2023
*Maximum age of the elder assured should not be above 60 years at the time of maturity and the couple’s age should be between 21 to 45 years.
Postal Life Insurance Plan – Children Policy (Bal Jeevan Bima)
This scheme is meant to insure the children of individuals who have a Postal Life Insurance scheme.
Parameters
Minimum
Maximum
Insurance coverage Eligible for
Max 2 children of policyholders
Entry Age for child
5 years
20 years
Entry Age for Parent (Policyholder)
-
45 years
Sum Assured
Rs. 20,000
Rs. 3 Lakhs or equivalent to the SA of the parent (whichever is less).
Medical Check-up
Not necessary for child
Loan Facility
Not Available
Surrender
Not Available
Bonus Rate
Rs. 52/- per Rs. 1000 SA per year as on 01.04.2023
*No premium amount to be paid on policyholder’s death (parent). Full Sum Assured along with accrued bonus shall be paid on completion of term.
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What Are The Postal Life Insurance Scheme Bonus Rates 2023-24?
Here are the bonus rates of Postal Life Insurance schemes:
Types of Insurance Plan
Bonus Rates of PLI Scheme
Whole Life Assurance (Suraksha policy)
Rs. 76/- per 1000 SA per year
Convertible Whole Life Assurance (Suvidjha policy)
Rs. 76/- per 1000 SA per year (for Whole life insurance if not converted to EA i.e., endowment assurance) Bonus of endowment assurance will be paid on conversion
Endowment Assurance (Santosh)
Rs. 52/- per 1000 SA per year
Joint Life Assurance (Yugal Suraksha policy)
Rs. 52/- per 1000 SA per year
Anticipated Endowment Assurance (Sumangal policy)
Rs. 48/- per 1000 SA per year
Bal Jeevan Bima – Children Policy
Rs. 52/- per 1000 SA per year
What Are The Bonus Rates of Postal Life Insurance Over The Years?
Financial Year
PLI
Rate of Bonus per thousand of sum assured
Whole Life Assurance (WLA)
Endowment Assurance (EA) (including Joint life & children policies)
Anticipated Endowment Assurance (AEA)
2009-10
85
60
55
2010-11
85
60
55
2011-12
85
58
53
2012-13
85
58
53
2013-14
85
58
53
2014-15
85
58
53
2015-16
85
58
53
2016-17
85
58
53
2017-18
85
58
53
2018-19
85
58
53
2019-20
85
58
53
2020-21
76
52
48
2021-22
76
52
48
2022-23
76
52
48
2023-24
76
52
48
What Are The Premium Payment Mode of Postal Life Insurance Schemes?
Below mentioned are the premium payment modes of Postal Life Insurance:
The policyholders can pay their PLI premiums at any nearest post office across India through cash or cheque.
In case of cash payments, the life assured is provided with a premium payment receipt book (PRB) where the premium deposit receipt can be affixed.
The PLI premium deposit facility through pay deduction is also available to Central and State Government employees, employees of defense personnel and paramilitary forces.
Policyholders can also pay premium through these ways:
Online at the customer portal, of the official PLI website through credit/debit card, UPI/BHIM, net banking and online wallets.
Cashless transaction through IPPB(India Post Payments Bank) application, Gramin Dak Sewa (GDS) using Micro ATM, and Standing Instructions (SI).
Why Use the Postal Life Insurance Premium Calculator?
The postal life insurance premium calulator is an online tool that helps you calculate the premiums amount you would need to pay for the desired life cover. Let us take a look at the benefits of using the PLI scheme calculator online:
The PLI Calculator is convenient, easy to use, free of cost.
You don’t need to register or log in to the website to access PLI calculator
The PLI calculator saves time and energy spent in manually calculating the premiums payable
You always get accurate results no matter how many times you calculate
You can use the PLI calculator from anywhere in the world at any time
Citizen Charter
Sl. No.
Nature of Work
Qualifying description
Service standards (in days)
1.
Issue of acceptance letter and policy bond
Time taken from the receipt of completed documents
15
2.
Revival/Conversion
Time taken from the receipt of
completed documents
15
3.
Loan, change of nomination, assignment of policy, issue of duplicate policy bond.
Time taken on receipt of request
10
4.
Change of address
Time taken on receipt of request
5
5.
Maturity claim/
surrender/paid up value/survival benefit payment
Time taken from the receipt of
completed documents
15
6.
Settle of PLI/RPLI death claims
With/ without nomination (Time taken from the receipt of completed documents)
30
Involving investigation
90
How Can You Buy a Postal Life Insurance Policy?
You can buy any of the above policies from the following individuals:
Employees of the Department of Posts like the Inspector staff, Clerical staff, Postmen etc.
Field Officers of Postal Life Insurance.
Gramin Dak Sevaks of Branch Post Office / Gramin Dak Ghar.
What Is The Claim Settlement Process of Postal Life Insurance?
To ensure a hassle-free process, the insured/claimant can provide the concerned Central Processing Centre (CPC) with their:
Submit the claim form along with:
Original policy bond.
Premium Receipt Book (PRB).
Loan repayment record, if applicable.
Claims are reviewed and processed within the stipulated time (15-90 days, depending on claim type).
Receive the claim amount electronically or via cheque.
The policyholders are also offered many additional facilities like:
Revival of his/her lapsed policy
Change of nominee
Assignment of Policy to any financial institution for a loan
Conversion of Whole Life Assurance to Endowment Assurance and of Endowment Assurance to other Endowment Assurance (for change in policy term).
Issue of Duplicate Policy Bond.
Key Takeaways of Postal Life Insurance Scheme
The key takeaways of post office term insurance scheme in India are as follows:
Customer prefer buying Post office insurance schemes because of their flexibiity and several benefits
You can change the name of the nominee at any point during the cover term
In case of burned, lost, or torn policy bond, a duplicate policy bond can be issued
A lapsed policy can be revived in case of six unpaid premiums for active policy of less than 3 years and for twelve unpaid premiums for active policy of more than 3 years
You can convert your policy from Whole Life Assurance to Endowment Assurance and from Endowment Assurance to other Endowment Assurance as per the policy's T&Cs.
FAQs
Who can buy Postal Life Insurance policies?
Ans: The postal term insurance policy is available for purchase to various groups of people, including government employees, defense personnel, public sector employees, professionals like doctors, engineers, and accountants, individuals working in listed companies, and graduates from recognized universities. The Rural PLI scheme benefit is accessible to anyone living in rural areas.
When was Postal Life Insurance introduced in India?
Ans: Postal Life Insurance (PLI) was introduced on 1st Feb 1884.
What are the benefits of Postal Life Insurance?
Ans: The benefits of post office insurance scheme are as follows: Low premium High bonus
Is rebate allowed in Postal Life Insurance premium payment?
Ans: Rebate@ 1% and 2% shall be applicable for premium payment for 6 months and 12 months or more advance deposits, respectively. Also, for each Rs. 20,000 Sum Assured, ₹1/- rebate is allowed for each monthly premium in WLA/EA/AE plans.
What will happen if I forget to pay my premium of 1 month?
Ans: You can easily pay the premium in the subsequent month by paying a penalty of 1% of the premium rate per month.
Is the PLI scheme eligible for an Income tax rebate?
Ans: Yes, it is eligible for income tax rebate u/s 80C of the Income Tax Act.
Is the Medical examination of the Proposer compulsory?
Ans: A post office insurance scheme plan up to Rs 2 Lacs of life cover will be treated as non-medical, irrespective of age limit. And, a medical check-up is not required for a plans where: Up to 5 Lacs, provided the proposer’s age does not exceed 40 years, in PLI Up to 1 Lacs, provided the proposer’s age does not exceed 35 years, in RPLI
What are the benefits of a medical examination in PLI?
Ans: Non-medical examination policies attract deduction of a certain percentage of death claim payment if the policyholder dies within three years from the date on which policy is accepted.
When can I convert my PLI scheme?
Ans: Policy conversion simply means any changes affecting the maturity date of an insurance contract. Along with alteration, it also includes post-dating or ante-dating of the EA plan maturity and, consequently, the decrease/increase in premium.
When does PLI scheme declare bonus?
Ans: The reversionary PLI scheme bonus is declared annually.
How can I get my post office insurance scheme policy details?
Ans: You can directly call on post office insurance scheme Toll-free number -1800 266 6868.
How can I update my contact details in the Postal Life Insurance policy?
Ans: You can call on their toll-free number 1800 266 6868 to update your mobile number and email ID.
What are the benefits of buying a PLI Scheme?
Ans: The benefit of purchasing a PLI scheme is that you can enjoy lower premiums and higher bonuses compared to other life insurance policies offered by different insurance companies.
Is PLI better than LIC?
Ans. PLI and LIC serve different needs. Post Office Term Insurance offers lower premiums and higher bonuses but is limited to government employees and professionals. LIC provides diverse policy options and wider accessibility for all. The choice depends on individual goals, eligibility, and preferences. Comparing specific policies can help determine which suits your financial and insurance needs better.
What is the Postal Life Insurance interest rate?
Ans. The interest rate for loans against Postal Life Insurance (PLI) schemes is 10% annually. Policyholders are required to pay the interest on a half-yearly basis at the prescribed rate. It is essential to ensure timely interest payments to maintain the policy's benefits and avoid any complications with the loan terms.
†Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For a complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website, www.irdai.gov.in