Postal Life Insurance

Postal Life Insurance was launched in February 1884 as a welfare/insurance scheme exclusively tailored towards the needs of postal employees. The scheme was later extended to cover employees working in universities, Central and State Governments, Central and State PSUs, nationalised banks, government-aided educational institutions, officers, staff of defence forces, etc.

In addition to offering individual life insurance policies, Postal Life Insurance or PLI also offers a group insurance scheme to cover additional departmental employees, working in the Department of Posts. At present, PLI offers over 43 lakh policies with varying benefits and features to meet the needs of their customers. The Indian Post Office has around 1,55,669 branches across the country and is a well-recognised and trusted service provider.

Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) 

The Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) was introduced by the Postal Department in the year 1995 in response to the extremely low life insurance penetration in the rural areas of India. Due to the extensive presence of post office networks in rural areas, it was easier to reach out to the people in these regions. Moreover, the cost of operation was also due to this reason. This scheme primarily focuses on providing life insurance coverage to the weaker sections of the society who always find it difficult to afford life insurance plans. 

Eligibility Criteria for PLI and RPLI 

The eligibility criteria for availing coverage under PLI and RPLI are given in the following table: 

Features of Postal Life Insurance Plans 

In addition to providing postal services to the nation, the Post Office also provides other services like pension payments, insurance plans, issue of cash certificates, etc. Some of the key features of PLI and RPLI schemes are listed as follows: 

• These policies are affordable policies, and they offer a high sum assured at a low premium amount. 
• When the PLI was set-up the upper limit of a life insurance policy was Rs.4,000. This has now been increased to a sum of Rs.10 lakh. 
• There are about 6 different plans available under PLI and RPLI schemes. 
• PLI and RPLI also provide coverage for children. 
• PLI and RPLI offer policy buyers all the facilities of regular insurance policies, such as nomination facility, assignment, loans, etc. 
• The claim process for all types of claims – Death, Maturity, and Surrender – is time-efficient and hassle-free. 
• Insurer also provides a bonus in addition to the base sum assured that is guaranteed under one’s base policy. 
• Prospective policy buyers can calculate their premiums directly through the official website with the online Premium Calculator tool.

Benefits of Postal Life Insurance

By investing in a Postal Life Insurance plan or Rural Postal Life Insurance Plan, policyholders stand to avail the following benefits:

• High Returns: PLI insurance plans offer the highest returns at the lowest premium rates. In addition, PLI has also paid an additional bonus to policyholders since their very first year of inception.
• Nomination and Assignment Facility: Customers are provided the facility to nominate a beneficiary when purchasing a policy. In addition, they can also change their nominee during the policy tenure. Assignment of the policy to a financial institution when availing a loan is also permitted under PLI.
• Loan against policy: Policyholders have the added benefit of opting for a loan against their policy. In the case of Endowment Assurance Plans, a loan can be availed after the completion of 3 policy years. Loans can be taken after 4 policy years in the case of Whole Life Assurance Plans.
• Revival of Lapsed Policy: Policies that have been in force for less than 3 years will lapse if the policyholder has not paid 6 consequent premiums, while policies that have been in force for over 3 years will lapse if 12 premiums are missed. However, policyholders are provided the option to revive their lapsed policy.
• Issue of duplicate policy document: Policyholders can apply for a duplicate policy bond if their original policy is lost or torn.
• Conversion of Policy Type: Policyholders are provided the right to convert their Whole Life Assurance Plan to an Endowment Assurance Plan. Additionally an Endowment Assurance Plan can also be converted into another Endowment Assurance Plan, as per the insurer’s pre-defined rules.
• Tax benefits: Policyholders can also claim tax benefits for premiums paid and benefits received as per the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Eligibility Criteria for Postal Life Insurance

• Postal Life Insurance plans and schemes can be purchased by employees of the following organizations - Central Government, State Government, Local Bodies, Nationalized Banks, Autonomous Bodies, Reserve Bank of India, Government- Aided Educational Institutions, Extra Departmental Agents in Department of Posts, Paramilitary forces, Defence Services, State Government, Public Sector Undertakings, and Financial Institutions.
• Most PLI plans can be purchased by individuals between the ages of 19 and 55 years.
• Policyholders can continue the policy cover and make the due premium payments even if they have resigned from government service.
• Private-sector employees are not eligible to purchase a PLI plan.

Types of Postal Life Insurance Plans

The salient features of certain PLI plans are the same as that of the RPLI (Rural Postal Life Insurance) plans with the corresponding name. However, there are differences in the sum assured limits and age ange. Listed below are the key features and benefits of the 7 types of insurance plans being offered under PLI:

Whole Life Assurance (SURAKSHA)

• Benefits Payable: If the policyholder suffers from an untimely death, the nominee/legal heir/assignee will be paid the sum assured with the inclusion of the accrued bonus.
• Age Range: The policy can be purchased by any individual between the ages of 19 – 55 years.
• Sum Assured: The minimum and maximum sum assured as per this plan is Rs.20,000 and Rs.50 lakh, respectively.
• Policy Conversion: This plan can be converted into an Endowment Assurance Plan after 1 policy year.
• Loan facility: Policyholders can opt for a loan after four policy years.
• Policy Surrender: The policy can be surrendered after three policy years. However, if the policy is surrendered/assigned before 5 years, no bonus will be paid.
• Pre-Policy Medical Examination: All policy buyers will have to undergo a medical examination before purchasing the policy.

Endowment Assurance (SANTOSH)

• Benefits Payable: The sum assured with the accrued bonus will be paid as the maturity/death benefit to the policyholder or the nominee, as per the eventuality.
• Age Range: Individuals between 19 – 55 years can purchase this plan.
• Sum Assured: For this plan, the minimum sum assured is Rs.20,000 and the maximum sum assured is Rs.50 lakh.
• Loan facility: Policyholders can opt for a loan against this policy
• Policy Surrender: The policy can be surrendered after the completion of three policy years. If the policy is surrendered/assigned before the completion of 5 policy years, the bonus will not be paid.
• Pre-Policy Medical Examination: Prospective policy buyers will need to undergo a medical screening.

Convertible Whole Life Assurance (SUVIDHA)

• Policy Conversion: After 5 policy years, this policy can be converted into an Endowment Assurance plan, provided the policyholder is not over the age of 55 years. Policy conversion will have to be done within the first 6 years of the policy tenure, else this policy will be considered a Whole Life Assurance plan for the remainder of the policy tenure.
• Sum assured: The sum assured amount for this policy ranges between Rs.20,000 and Rs.50 lakh.
• Loan facility: Policyholders can take a loan against this policy
• Policy Surrender: This policy can be surrendered after 3 policy years. If the policy is assigned to a lender or surrendered within 5 years, no bonus will be paid.
• Pre-Policy Medical Examination: Policy buyers will have to undergo a medical test in order to purchase this policy.
• Other features: Other policy benefits and features are the same as that of the Endowment Assurance Plan.

Anticipated Endowment Assurance (SUMANGAL)

• Sum Assured: This money-back insurance plan offers a maximum sum assured of Rs.50 lakh.
• Benefits Payable: Survival benefits are paid periodically to the policyholder. If the policyholder succumbs to an untimely death, the sum assured with the accrued bonus will be paid.
• Policy Tenure: One can opt for a 15-year policy or a 20-year policy. For a 15-year policy, survival benefits will be paid upon the completion of the 6th year, 9th year, 12th year, and 15th year. For a 20-year policy, survival benefits will be paid upon the completion of the 8th year, 12th year, 16th year, and 20th year.
• Pre-Policy Medical Examination: Pre-policy medical screening is compulsory for all policy buyers.

Joint Life Assurance (YUGAL SURAKSHA)

• Eligibility: As per this plan, life insurance will be provided to both spouses, provided at least one of them is eligible to avail a PLI plan.
• Benefits Payable: The sum assured with the addition of the accrued bonus with a single premium will be paid.
• Age Range: In order to purchase this plan, the policy buyer should be between 19 – 55 years of age.
• Sum Assured: The minimum sum assured under this plan is Rs.20,000, whereas the maximum sum assured is Rs.50 lakh.
• Loan facility: Policyholders are provided the option to take a loan against this policy.
• Policy Surrender: This insurance plan can be surrendered after the completion of three years.
• Pre-Policy Medical Examination: Medical examination is required for all prospective policy buyers.

Scheme for Physically Handicapped Persons

A physically handicapped person can purchase any one of the PLI insurance plans with the same sum assured as other policy buyers. However, the premium rate will be determined, after the medical examination is conducted, on the basis of the nature and extent of the handicap. The benefits payable, in the event of the life assured meeting with an untimely death, will be decided as follows:

• If the policyholder’s death occurs within 1 year of purchasing the policy, 35% of the sum assured amount and accrued bonus will be paid.
• If the policyholder’s death occurs within 2 years of the policy term but after one year of purchasing the policy, 60% of the sum assured and accrued bonus will be paid.
• If the life assured passes away within 3 years of the policy tenure but after 2 years of the date of commencement of the risk cover, 90% of the sum assured and accrued bonus will be paid.
• If the policyholder passes away after 3 years, the full sum assured with the accrued bonus will be paid.

Children Policy (Bal Jeevan Bima)

• Eligibility: This plan is exclusively for children of PLI and RPLI plan policyholders. Up to 2 children per family, between the ages of 5 and 20 years, can be covered under this policy. Also, the main policyholder/parent should be lesser than 45 years of age.
• Sum Assured: The maximum sum assured that one can opt for is Rs.3 lakh or the sum assured of the main policy, based on whichever is the lesser of the two.
• Premiums: If the main policyholder passes away, future premium payments for the Children Policy will be waived off. The child will receive the due payout at maturity of the policy. If the child passes away during the policy tenure, the parent will receive the sum assured and accrued bonus.
• Bonus: The bonus will be paid at the same rate that is applicable to the Endowment Policy.
• Other Features: No pre-policy medical examination is required. Main policyholder will be held responsible for payment of premium towards the Children Policy. There is no facility to take a loan against this policy. If due premiums have been paid for a minimum of 5 years, the policy can be converted into a paid-up policy.

Postal Life Insurance Statistics

Types of Rural Postal Life Insurance Plans

There are about 6 RPLI plans offered by the Postal Department. Certain features of these plans are similar to those of PLI plans. However, there are differences in the sum assured limits and age range. The RPLI plans offered by the company are:

Whole Life Assurance (Gram Suraksha)

• Eligibility: Anyone between the age of 19 years and 55 years can get access to this policy.
• Sum assured: The minimum sum assured amount is Rs.10,000. The maximum sum assured available for customers is Rs.10 lakh.
• Loan facility: It is possible to get a loan on this policy after 4 years of continuous policy coverage.
• Surrender facility: After three years of continuous policy coverage, this policy can be surrendered to get back some returns.

• Bonus: The accrued bonus amount in this policy will be paid to the policyholder upon the attaining the age of 80 years or to his/her dependents following death.

Endowment Assurance (Gram Santosh)

• Eligibility: The minimum entry age for this policy is 19 years and the maximum entry age is 55 years.
• Sum assured: Policyholders can choose a sum assured amount between Rs.10,000 and Rs.10 lakh.

• Maturity age: Policyholders can choose the maturity age at the time of signing up. The maturity age of this policy ranges from 35 years to 60 years.
• Loan facility: Policyholders can avail the loan facility after three years of continuous policy coverage.
• Surrender facility: This policy can be surrendered after three years of coverage.

Convertible Whole Life Assurance (Gram Suvidha)

• Eligibility: The minimum entry age of this policy is 19 years and the maximum entry age of this policy is 45 years.
• Sum assured: The minimum sum assured amount for this policy is Rs.10,000 and the maximum sum assured amount is Rs.10 lakh.
• Policy conversion: This whole life policy can be converted into an endowment policy at the end of five years.
• Loan facility: After four years of coverage, policyholders can avail a loan on their outstanding surrender value.
• Surrender facility: This policy can be surrendered after three years of coverage.

Anticipated Endowment Assurance (Gram Sumangal)

• Policy term: This policy is available in two different policy terms – 15 years and 20 years.
• Eligibility: The minimum entry age for this policy is 19 years. The maximum entry age is 40 years for a 20-year policy term and 45 years for a 15-year policy term.
• Sum assured: The maximum sum assured amount for this money back policy is Rs.10 lakh.

• Survival benefits: The 15-year policy term offers survival benefits at 6 years, 9 years and 12 years. The 20-year policy term offers survival benefits at 8 years, 12 years, and 16 years.

10 Years Rural PLI (Gram Priya)

• Policy benefit: This is a short-term money back policy designed only for people living in rural areas.
• Eligibility: Anyone between the age of 20 years and 45 years can enter this policy cover.

• Sum assured: The minimum sum assured amount is Rs.10,000 and the maximum sum assured amount is Rs.10 lakh.
• Policy term: This policy comes with a fixed policy term of 10 years.
• Survival benefit: Survival benefit is paid at the end of 4 years, 7 years, and 10 years.

Children Policy (Bal Jeevan Bima)

• Eligibility: This policy is designed specifically for the children of RPLI policyholders. Children between the ages of 5 years and 20 years can get this coverage. The age of the parent should not be over 45 years.
• Extent of coverage: Up to two children of the policyholder can be covered under this policy.
• Sum assured: The maximum sum assured amount available under this policy is Rs.1 lakh.
• Special feature: The premium amount is waived in the case of the unexpected death of the parent.
• Medical examination: The child need not undergo any medical examination to be eligible for this cover.

Rural Postal Life Insurance Statistics

Postal Life Insurance Premium Calculator

• In order to calculate your payable premium, you will have to navigate to the insurer’s official website and click on the ‘PLI Premium Calculator’ tab.
• On the PLI Premium Calculator webpage, you will have to key-in certain details about yourself, such as your age, policy type, sum assured, date of birth, etc.
• Upon successfully entering all the relevant data, you will be able to view your insurant/premium details.

Postal Life Insurance – Citizen’s Charter

The turnaround time for various services that the insurer offers are listed in the table below:

Know More About Postal Life Insurance

FAQs on Postal Life Insurance