Introduction
What’s the smartest financial decision you can make for your family’s future? Buy life insurance! With term life insurance policies, you get high coverage at affordable costs. But it’s also very common to find that premiums vary so much. Two people of the same age might pay different premiums or the price for a life insurance term plan may come out differently from what’s shown in the ads. This is because insurance companies use a structured method to calculate it. The premium amount is based on your personal profile, lifestyle habits and risk factors involved. The fitter and safer you seem, the less you pay. Read on to know how to make those numbers work in your favor.
What Exactly Is a Premium?
In simple terms, a premium is the price you pay to the insurance company for the financial protection that they offer. You can think of it like a subscription fee that you pay on a monthly or yearly basis and as long as you pay this fee, your life insurance plans will keep your family financially protected. If, unfortunately, something happens to you during the policy term, the insurance company pays the sum assured to your family.
So, when you see a company advertising their term plan as “₹1 crore cover for just ₹500 per month,” know that the amount of ₹500 is your premium. But is this number fixed for all? Calculation is the most important part here.
Key Factors That Decide Your Premium
Insurance companies always calculate. They study a bunch of factors and refer to data to decide your risk level. If you are on a high-risk side, your premium will naturally be higher. Here are the top factors considered:
- Age– The Younger You are, the Cheaper the Premium
Age is literally the first thing insurers look at. A person in their 20s will pay a much lower premium than a person in their 40s, even for the same coverage. This is because younger people are naturally healthier and there are lower chances of their death. Buying a life insurance term plan early is always cheaper.
- Health Condition– What’s Your Medical History
Insurance companies often ask for health details or even a medical test before they issue term life insurance policies. A person with conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues, or some other serious illnesses is at increased risk. A healthy and fit person will pay less and the one with pre-existing health problems will pay more.
- Lifestyle Habits– Smoking, Drinking etc
Smoking is never liked by insurers and they charge smokers up to 40–60% more than non-smokers for the same life insurance plans. Similarly, those who consume excessive alcohol also face higher premiums. The reason is simple. These habits tend to shorten life expectancy and increase insurer’s risk.
- Occupation– What’s Your Nature of Work?
People with a regular office job are considered at low risk. Those who work in high-risk jobs (like mining, construction, armed forces etc) will be charged higher premiums. After all, these professions involve greater danger to life.
- Policy Term and Coverage Amount
In providing longer term plans, the insurer is taking a risk for more years and so, they cost more. Similarly, a higher sum assured means a higher premium. But at the end, term insurance remains the most cost-effective way to get large coverage.
- Gender– Women Often Pay Less
Stats show that women live longer than men and so, the premiums for women under life insurance term plans are often slightly lower. Yes, men of the same age and health profile have to pay extra.
- Family Medical History
Insurers may charge more if genetic diseases run in your family like heart issues or cancer. However, if your family history is clear of illnesses, you may most likely enjoy lower premiums.
- Add-On Benefits (Riders)
Riders add an extra protection. Accidental death cover, critical illness cover, or disability benefit are very useful but they also increase the premium. A term plan with a critical illness rider will be more expensive than a plain policy with the same coverage amount.
Let’s take an example to understand premiums.
Varun, age 25, buys life insurance term plan of ₹1 crore for 30 years. The annual premium is ₹8,000. Abhishek, age 40, buys the same policy for 20 years. He pays ₹22,000 per year.
Here, Abhishek pays almost 3 times more for the same coverage. Why? Because he wasted so many years waiting. It shows how age and health are such big factors in premium calculation.
How Do Insurers Actually Calculate?
Let’s make things very simple for you to understand. So, all insurance companies use “mortality tables”. These are data banks of statistical information that is all regarding life expectancy. In this, they look at:
- The age bracket you fall in
- Chances of survival at different ages
- Risk factors, if any, like smoking, diseases or occupational hazards
They use this data to calculate the total cost of covering you. On top of it, they add in extra charges for expenses, riders and profit margins and that’s how it’s decided what your final premium will be. So, for example the company is calculating the car insurance amount. Now, the premium of a person with a clean driving record will obviously be less than that of someone with a history of accidents.
Why Premiums Differ Between Companies
As it ever happened that you found out that one insurer is offering a life insurance term plan for a lesser price than the other for the “same” cover? Yes, it happens because:
- Not all insurers use the exact same data and assumptions.
- Some may also offer lower premiums to attract more customers to buy.
- Some insurance plans have built-in benefits that just make the plan costlier.
That’s why it’s always recommended to compare life insurance plans before signing up for one.
How to Keep Your Premium Low: Useful Tips
- Buy Early– Don’t wait for your later years. The younger you are, the less you pay.
- Stay Healthy– Stay fit, eat well and avoid bad habits (addictions) because it really reflects in your premium.
- Choose Only Necessary Riders– Extra benefits are definitely useful but you don’t need to add on unnecessary ones.
- Compare Term Plans– Always check the quotes of a few insurers before finalizing.
- Go Online– Many companies offer lower premiums on online policies (since there are no agent commissions).
Why Premiums Are Worth Paying
It’s very common for people to wonder why they should keep paying for 20–30 years when they may actually never use it. However, the reality is that:
- The premium for your term life insurance policies is for your peace of mind; it’s not another expense.
- You’re buying financial security worth crores for your family by spending as much as for a few coffee cups.
- The purpose of term plans is protection, not investment. You buy it to safeguard your family from financial stress that life may throw at them after you.
Conclusion
Premiums for term life insurance policies are not just some random amounts. Instead, they’re carefully calculated considering certain important factors. When purchased early, a life insurance term plan can actually be very affordable and is actually the most straightforward form of protection.
Now that you know how premiums are calculated, you can pick the best life insurance plans for you that gives your family complete and lasting financial protection. For more details or assistance, PolicyWings team is always there!
