In modern times, term insurance is one of the most important requirements for an individual, considering the extent of the uncertainty of jobs and health. It is important to plan for such uncertainties, particularly if your family depends on your income for their survival.
 

A term plan is an excellent way to safeguard the future financial stability of your family.
 

Therefore, let us delve a little deeper into what term insurance claim settlement ratio¹ is and how it is important for you. 
 

What is the Term Insurance Claim Settlement Ratio¹?
 

Term insurance claim settlement ratio¹ is the percentage of the number of claims settled by an insurer with regard to the total number of claims submitted to them in a particular policy year. It is calculated by dividing the total number of claims accepted and settled by an insurer by the total number of claims received by them.
 

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) releases information about the claim settlement ratio of different life insurance companies for every financial year.
 

Why is The Claim Settlement Ratio Important for Purchasing a Term Plan?
 

While purchasing term insurance online, you should check the claim settlement ratios¹ of various insurers and use it as one of the parameters for weighing a policy. Here are the reasons why the claim settlement ratio is important:
 

1. To understand an insurer's credibility:Term life insurance is one of the most important investments in your life. It ensures a death benefit for your family to enable them to fulfil their financial commitments in your absence. Therefore, it is important to understand the insurer's credibility to ensure that they can be trusted to honour their end of the deal in a term plan.
   
   If your claim gets rejected for some reason, then the whole idea behind your investment plan is negated. Thus, you need to be aware of the claim settlement ratio1 of an insurer before buying a term plan from them.
   


2. To safeguard the financial future of your family:If the claim settlement ratio¹ of an insurer is above 85%, you can consider them to be reliable. The more the ratio, the better is the performance of the insurer. If the ratio is more, you can be sure that your family's financial future is secure. It is your responsibility to ensure that the lump sum death benefit reaches your family in your absence, and selecting an insurer with more claim settlement ratio is an easy way to do so.
   
   
3. To have ease in claim settlement:When the term insurance claim settlement ratio¹ is at the enhanced end, it signifies that the claim settlement process of an insurer is happening at a robust pace. Therefore, you, as a customer, can be assured of the fact that your nominee will go through an easy and convenient procedure to get the claim settled in the wake of your demise.
   
   
4. To ensure swiftness of claim settlement:Another important aspect of a term insurance claim, aside from the convenience of the process, is the time required for the claim process. The quicker the lump sum amount reaches your family, the lesser the financial burden on them..

How Can Claim Settlement Guide You While Buying Term Insurance?
 

Now that we have discussed the importance of the claim settlement ratio¹ in life insurance, let us know the factors you need to check when you buy a term policy:

1. The number of claims received:An enhanced settlement ratio is a good measure to understand the reliability of your insurer. However, it is even more important to know the number of claims received to assess the ratio. For instance, if your insurer has received 50 applications and settled 45 among them, the claim settlement ratio is 90% which is certainly a fair value. However, an insurance provider receiving 500 applications and settling 450 among them is more reliable considering the quantum of claims handled.
   
   
2. Consistency:When you purchase a term insurance plan while considering the claim settlement ratio, you must check for consistency. The selected insurer must have maintained more claim settlement ratio over a long period. A consistent performance from the insurer should increase your confidence in purchasing a term insurance plan from them.

The claim settlement ratio¹ differs from one company to another. Before purchasing a term plan, remember to understand the claim process of the selected insurer, analyze it with other insurers, and choose the plan that you think will benefit you the most. 
 

Conclusion
 

A term insurance plan is regarded as one of the best ways to secure your family's financial future. It will provide the sum assured to your nominee in case of your unexpected death. However, ensuring that your nominee will receive the lump sum death benefit is crucial for the investment.
 

The term insurance claim settlement ratio¹ of an investor is, thus, an important criterion in this regard. It will let you know about your insurer's credibility to settle claims and the ease and speed of processing it for your benefit. You must consider the number of claims received and the consistency of an insurer to ascertain their reliability.
 

L&C/Advt/2023/Jan/0314