Insurance is not good product for investment

“Insurance is not good option for investment”

The headline of this article is very clear and I have mentioned it many times in my past blogs. Now you will question that why I am writing this simple line so many times that insurance is not good option for investment. In spite of writing many times on this subject, I still get the call from investors and friends and they all ask the same question which insurance policy is good for investment.

Increasing competition within insurance companies leads the high advertising and marketing budget. The no. of people is increasing to invest in insurance product inspired by glitzy aid and marketing. The people have been bombarded by the tricky insurance and return pitches at a rate that is much higher than earlier time. Internet, social networking sites are the main weapon to attract the young generation to invest in insurance. The whole focus of most insurance advertisement is on return not on the risk cover.

In today’s uncertain world, to insure yourself is most important thing and it should be done on priority basis. First, find out the right amount of insurance which will fulfill the need of your family in case anything wrong happen with you and go for any term insurance cover. A 35 year old person can get Rs 25 lakh insurance cover by paying only mere approx. Rs 4500 per year.

Actually, there is something deeply wrong in marketing and advised by insurance agent. The agent never suggest about the term insurance to the client as they get less commission on it as premium amount is less in case of client go with term insurance. In fact, term insurance is the best option for risk cover for client. The problem become more deep in that case when you ask about term insurance and they respond that you will get nothing back in term insurance and it has no benefit. After listening this statement from the agent that the term insurance has no benefit, you ask for other product with benefit and from here the miss-selling start.

The agent suggest you product which has more benefit for agent and insurance companies and poor people get trapped in the sweet talk of agent. The reasons why I am saying that insurance product is not good for investment purpose are it is illiquid investment. It means that whenever you need money you should get your money in your hand bit in this case insurance come with 10-20 years plan and your money get stuck for so long times.

Insurance products have lack of transparency in investment compare with mutual fund products. It has also more cost and agent commission when you compare it with mutual fund agents. In general, the agent get commission 15% of the annual premium in the first year and after that the commission get  reduce from 7.5% to 5% per year of the annual premium. Anyone can understand easily, in any investment product if an agent gets such huge commissions so how can such product will deliver the good return for investors. In fact, in 10-20 years poor investor get return on investment below than the bank fix deposit return in majority cases from invest in insurance product. I will again say please do not mix your investment with insurance products.

If you have doubt about investment product and want more information regarding investment or you need investment services, feel free to ask us. We also conduct the seminar on investment and financial planning. If you are interested for seminar in your city just drop the mail.

Warm regards,

Arvind Trivedi

Certified Financial Planner

arvind.trivedi79@gmail.com

Is Endowment Plan with guaranteed return good for you?

Endowment Plan with Guaranteed return…!!!!

I have discussed in my earlier blogs about endowment policies. In fact these types of policies failed both purpose insurance coverage and return. Neither it provides proper insurance coverage nor gives the good return. I get query about almost on daily basis regarding guaranteed saving insurance plan. We Indian investor always like “guaranteed “ word and often trap with this word. We pay a very high price for this word.

One of my blog reader has asked recently whether he should purchase ICICI prudential guaranteed saving insurance plan. In my opinion, never invest in those product which provide insurance and investment opportunity both. The selling pitch of these products often so attractive that investor do not resist themselves from such type of product.

The realty of these products that it do not give the proper coverage and it also not give the good return. This particular product gives only 5% return on your paid annual premium and provide only 20-25 times insurance cover of your annual premium. If you go with term insurance you can get up to 700 times insurance cover of your annual premium.

For return point of view if you have conservative risk approach and invest in other debt product like debt mutual fund, PPF, bank FD and others the you will get easily return between 8% to 10% return. If you want to lock your money for more than 10 year then equity investment can give you average 15% return. Many mutual fund schemes like ICICI prudential dynamic fund, Birla SL 95 ELSS has given more than 20% return also.

In endowment product 5% return is not good return according to me after 15-20 year investment. In endowment scheme who guarantee the fix return have many types of expenses and hefty agent commission like 15% to 20%. It badly affects your return on investment. Endowment guarantee plans are only beneficial to agents who are selling this product through emotional sales pitch.

I would like to advise all of my reader that they should avoid such type of products and invest in those avenues which are capable to beat the inflation and provide good return also. Liquidity is also the crucial factor at the time investment.

If you want more information regarding investment or you have any other query about investment feel free to ask us.

Warm regards,

Arvind Trivedi

Certified Financial Planner

arvind.trivedi79@gmail.com

www.artofinvest.com

www.arvindtrivedicfp.blogspot.in

Is Insurance plan is the best for tax saving and investment ..?

Insurance Policy is the best tax saving or investment option…?

In these days, we are discussing more about tax saving as the financial year 2013-14 approaching towards end. The whole insurance agents are doing hard work to push their life insurance products and want to increase their income on the expense of investor’s premium.

 I agree that the life insurance is the vital part of any financial planning for face any unwanted events in the life. There are many pure or term insurance plans available in the market which need very less premium compare with other famous insurance plan. The investor also purchase these costly policies in the hurry on the name of tax saving and investment. The two type of policies are very famous among the investors and agents. One is endowment plan and other is money back plan. We will analyze here these type of plans today.

Endowment Plan:  It is life insurance plan which deduct one part of the premium which you pay for insurance cover and the other part invest in different available financial products according to the particular policy plan. Investor get the amount at the time of maturity and pay the premium either till maturity or according to the mentioned year on policy.

Money Back Plan:   This plan is very popular among the investors. In this plan, policy holders get some part of money like 20% to 25% of the sum assured as survival benefit in regular interval. This regular interval varies according to the plan 3 year, 5 year etc. The premium of these plans high compare with endowment plan. Except receiving money in regular interval all other features same as endowment plan.

Let us take one example for better understanding. A 30 year old person decide for insurance plan, risk cover 20 year and sum assured 10 lakh. The approximate premium for endowment plan would be      Rs 48,000 and on the approximate maturity amount would be 19 lakh. The premium for money back plan would be approximate Rs 64,000 and he will receive Rs 2 lakh in every 5 years.  The maturity value would be approximate Rs 12.3 lakh. Investor feel very happy when would receive amount 2 lakh in every year but ignore the high premium.

For above mentioned example, the term insurance premium would be approx Rs 3000 annual which is much lower compare with other plan’s premium.

If we calculate the internal rate of return of the above mentioned plan, the return of endowment plan would be 6% and 5 % for money back plan. You can easily understand the difference now. Would you still like to go with such types of plans which provide you with 5% - 6% during 20 year investment? In fact the return do not beat to inflation even which is at present in 8% to 9% range. We are not showing entire calculation here due to space and it would be too lengthy for 20 year calculation. If you want to see the entire calculation we can provide you.

Many people consider LIC product due to safety. If safety is your most priority there is one product which is more safer called PPF which also give return 8-9% and lock in period 15 years. It also qualify for tax saving under section 80C as equal insurance premium. For insurance cover you can consider term insurance plan which have more cheaper premium.

For more detail and any other query related investment, you can contact me through my email.

Warm regards,

Arvind Trivedi

Certified Financial Planner

arvind.trivedi79@gmail.com

www.artofinvest.com

www.arvindtrivedicfp.blogspot.in

Basic rules for investing

New Year, New Hopes and revisit some basic investment rules

First of all Very Happy and prosperous year 2013 to all of you. New year has already begun with new hope and optimisim in equity market. Yesterday, Nifty and Sensex were closed at 2 year high and now the market sentiments appear quiet positive in near term. Today I will not write lengthy article. At the beginning  of year, it is important to make some financial resolution and don’t repeat past mistakes.

There are few basic investment rules of investing and I am sure many of those rules you already know. I am attempting here to those rule revisit in very compact manner.

1)   Before make any investment decision, first know your networth.

2)   Be clear about your financial goal and honestly asses your needsand income

3)   Don’t investment in hurry and never investment in those products which you don’t understand

4)   If you have not properly insured then calculate your actually needed insurance cover and purchase term insurance online if possible

5)   Purchase mediclaim policy and personal accident policy also as it is very important

6)   Understand your risk appetite. If you cannot see 25% value erosion of your portfolio then stock market is not right place for you.

7)   If you are near about retirement please keep away from ULIP and insurance like product and reduce your equity investment and increase debt portfolio.

8)   Track your portfolio time to time and change your asset allocation according to time frame of your goal and market condition.

9)   Always pay your credit card bill on time as it has very high interest charges.

10)                If you feel any problem to understand or you have not enough time to take care of your investment find one financial planner and discuss with him about your financial planning and doubt.

There are much more basic rules and we will discuss about them this entire year in detail. Once again I wish for all of you a very happy, Healthy and prosperous year.

Regards,

Arvind Trivedi

Certified Financial Planner

arvind.trivedi79@gmail.com

Dear Investors

I have got very interesting information through mail and I am forwarding the same as I got.

Insurance has been the most ab(used) word, thanks to the mis-selling done by most of the agents / Bank RMs. When earlier ULIPs was offering 40-50% commission, they were busy pushing ULIPs and now when ULIPs are a lot more better thanks to the cleaning work done by the regulator, the insurance companies and agents have shunned ULIPs and moved to selling endowment plans (plans which combines insurance and savings) as can be seen in the below chart which currently offers anywhere between 20-40% first year commission.



We would like to offer following suggestions so that you are not trapped in the game plan of the insurance mis-sellers.

1. The only insurance you should buy is a Term Plan. All other products like Endowment plans, ULIPs, Pension plans, Highest NAV plans are very expensive policies.
2. Never take insurance policies for investment purpose. The returns from endowment policies has been very dismal ranging from 5-7%. Mutual Funds or other avenues are much better vehicles for investments as they are very cost friendly.
3. Whenever an insurance agent or a Bank RM is pushing for a particular policy, ask him if he himself has purchased the same policy. You will know the truth and he will never trouble you next time.
4. Don't trust your agent blindly.
5. Don't take the advertisements at the face value. Most of the time they are mis-leading.
6. Read the fine print carefully ( “Nothing in fine print is ever good news.” ~ Andy Rooney)
7. Incase if you have been sold wrong policies in the last 1-5 years, its better to cut your losses and exit the policy rather then nursing the pain for another 15-20 years.

Pls read the below story on How Insurance Mis-sellers are fooling gullible investors carried out in ET Wealth (23rd July edition)

Warm Regards
Arvind Trivedi
Certified Financial Planner
arvind.trivedi79@gmail.com