Tax Benefits of a Life Insurance Policy

Life insurance does not only provide life coverage but also provides tax benefits. The government has implemented these benefits to encourage a professional to get insured and to help people save more.Life insurance tax benefits not only help a person save tax but also helps him in attaining financial security. Various tax benefits for life insurance policy holders are:

Under the Section 80C of Income Tax Act, 1961, individuals and members of HUF or Hindu Undivided family can claim tax exemption for a maximum amount of 1,50,000. It is applicable only on 20% of the total life insurance amount. The maximum tax deduction one can avail in a financial year is up to Rs. 1.5 Lakhs. It can be taken in the name of any of the family members that may also include spouses and children (under 18).
You can claim the deduction for premium paid towards life insurance policies of yourself, your spouse and the dependent children.

Section 10 (10D) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 ensures that the dependant who receives the lump amount in case of death of the policyholder gets the money without any tax deductions.Those who do not get any benefit due to Keyman Insurance Policy can benefit from this section.Keyman Insurance Policy: In this type of policy, the policy provider is an employer and the policy buyer is the employee or the Keyman. The benefit of such a policy goes to the employer.A key point of Section 10 (10D) is that there is no upper limit on the tax exemption like Section 80C.

This tax exemption benefits a disabled dependant of the policyholder. Tax deductions are allowed not exceeding Rs. 50,000 per annum. If the person has severe disability, tax exemptions may be given not exceeding Rs. 70,000.This section can also act like a medical insurance. It helps in case of emergency medical insurance and can be used at times of critical illnesses. The maximum tax deduction allowed is 20,000 for people below 60 years and 50,000 for people above 60 years (senior citizens).You can claim the deduction for premium paid towards life insurance policies of yourself, your spouse, dependent children and parents, irrespective of whether or not they are dependent on the policy holder.It is evident that the government wants people to get insurance tax benefit and avail life insurance and medical coverage. Tax exemptions help people profit from policies and get the maximum return on investment.

The information contained herein is generic in nature and is meant for educational purposes only. Nothing here is to be construed as an investment or financial or taxation advice nor to be considered as an invitation or solicitation or advertisement for any financial product. Readers are advised to exercise discretion and should seek independent professional advice prior to making any investment decision in relation to any financial product. Aditya Birla Capital Group is not liable for any decision arising out of the use of this information.