Workers or employees are the lifeblood of any organisation. The success of a business depends largely on how its employees perform. However, talented employees are often very tough to retain for longer periods. They are well aware of the job opportunities in the market and are always looking for better options. And the shortage of skilled workforce only adds to this problem.
Therefore, as a business owner, employee retention should be your topmost priority. You need to take adequate steps to keep your employees motivated and happy while working for your organisation. One of the tools that you can use to achieve this objective is the Employer-Employee Insurance scheme. Apart from employee retention, it can also help you save on taxes*.
Let’s learn the details of the Employer-Employee Insurance scheme and how you can benefit from it.
What is the Employer-Employee Insurance scheme?
An Employer-Employee Insurance scheme is an arrangement in which an employer purchases a life insurance scheme for its employees. It means that the ownership of the policy is with the employer and the premiums are paid by the employer, employee is the beneficiary of the policy.
This kind of arrangement helps an employer ensure the social security of their employees and also reduces the employee attrition rate. Besides, the premiums paid towards an Employee Insurance scheme can be claimed as business expenses, and hence, the employer can use them to reduce their income tax* outgo.
What are the Eligibility Criteria For Buying Employer Employee Insurance?
Any business entity with any number of employees can buy Employer-Employee Insurance in India. It can be a sole proprietorship business or a large corporate house, or any other legal firm. Below are the key parameters that define the eligibility criteria for procuring Employee Insurance in India:
- Any business, be it a proprietorship or a partnership firm or a pvt .ltd. company/trust/public ltd. company or any other business entity with any number of employees, is eligible to buy this policy for its employees.
- There has to be some sort of financial relationship between the employer and the employees. For example, they must be under a legal contract to get a monthly salary for offering their services
- An employer can even purchase this scheme to provide benefits to its NRI employees, provided that they have a registered office in India
These are the general eligibility parameters for an Employee Insurance scheme. For specific details, you can visit the Employer-Employee Insurance section on the website of your insurance provider.
What are the Benefits of the Employer-Employee Insurance Scheme?
The Employer-Employee Insurance scheme has some benefits for employees as well as employers. Let’s explore them one by one:
Benefits for the employer
Here are the benefits that you can get as an employer by taking an Employer-Employee Insurance scheme:
- It can help you immensely in retaining your existing employees. Knowing that they are financially secure against adversities, your employees will feel motivated to work for your organisation. Opting for such a scheme can also help you attract a talented workforce to your organisation.
- Your employees are the backbone of your business. They work day in and out for you. Hence, it becomes your moral responsibility to take care of them and their family members if something happens to them. With an Employee Insurance Policy, you can ensure the social and financial security of your employees.
- You can claim the premiums paid by you towards an Employee Insurance Policy as business expenses and hence, claim tax* deductions on them under section 37(1) of the Income Tax* Act of 1961. Apart from the Employer-Employee Insurance tax benefits, you can also get several other monetary advantages by opting for this scheme
Thus, there are benefits of the employer insurance scheme to the employer.
Benefits for the employees
Employees are the main beneficiaries under the Employer-Employee Insurance scheme. Below are the benefits that an employee can get under this scheme:
- This scheme works like a reward program for an employee. It offers an additional benefit for them apart from the salaries that they receive from their employer. Thus, they remain motivated and loyal to their employer.
- It ensures the financial and social security of the employees and their dependents. It means that even if something happens to them while working for their employer, their loved ones can continue to live peacefully with the policy benefits that they will receive.
- The scheme insures the employees against unforeseen accidents, illness, disability, and death. In the case of the untimely death of an employee, the benefits are paid to their nominee.
How is an Employer-Employee Insurance policy different from a Keyman Insurance Policy?
It is quite common to get confused between an Employer-Employee Insurance policy and a Keyman Insurance Policy. Although they both seem similar, they are completely different from each other. On the one hand, a Keyman Insurance policy is a term life insurance policy wherein the death benefits are paid to the employer and attract income tax*.
On the other hand, the Employer-Employee Insurance scheme is an arrangement where the policy benefits are paid directly to the employees after the policy is assigned to the employee (insured person).
The Conclusion
At the current time, taking an Employer-Employee policy can be a great idea for all businesses as it provides benefits for employees as well as employers.
Here, you can fulfil all your insurance requirements in a hassle-free manner. You can visit our website or your nearest office to know the details of the policies offered by us before buying the best-suitable plans for yourself.
L&C/Advt/2023/Jan/0006