ULIPs have recently proved to be one of the most enriching investment options. In addition to offering a chance to generate wealth along with having life insurance, ULIPs help in many non-financial ways as well. Having to choose the right fund to invest money in, teaches you to evaluate things logically and make smart decisions. ULIPs often come with a lock-in period. This means that you cannot withdraw from the policy for a certain amount of time. Hence, you have no option but to learn how to make regular and systematic investments over a longer period of time.
Even though they benefit you in so many ways, you must have a thorough knowledge of the policy before purchasing one. This means knowing about the various terms that are associated with it. Here are a few terms related to ULIPs that you should know about:
- Fund value
Fund value is a term used to describe the value of your ULIP fund. Essentially, it is the sum of the monetary value of all your investment units. This means that it is a figure of how much money has your unit-linked fund reached.
- Sum assured
Every type of insurance product has a term called sum assured. As the name suggests, it is an amount of money that has been promised to the policyholder. It is the main life coverage feature of ULIPs. In the case of the policyholder’s death, the nominee mentioned in the plan will receive a payout. This feature is also known as the death benefit.
- Partial withdrawal
Withdrawal in itself means to remove or to extract. We hear of withdrawing numerous times in our daily lives. The biggest example you can look at is your bank account. Where you withdraw the money in the account for your own use. It is similar in the case of ULIPs. The money you give as a premium is invested into various funds. In the case of an emergency, if you need money you can go for a partial withdrawal from the investment fund. This means you can sell some units and get some money for your needs.
- Fund switch
Switching means changing from one thing to another. This is something you can do with ULIPS as well. You may know that part of your premium goes towards an investment fund with the hopes of growing. However, these funds can perform well or bad depending on the market conditions. Hence, there is always a chance that your fund does the opposite of what you wanted it to do. Fortunately, ULIP plans have a feature of fund switching. This feature allows you to switch from one fund to another. If your fund is underperforming, you can contact your fund manager to put your money into another one. Insurance providers offer a certain number of free switches. If you switch more than your switching limit, you would have to pay a fee.
- Top-up premium
If you have ever bought different types of insurance policies, you may be aware of the term top-up. ULIPs have a concept of top-ups too. However, it is different for other insurance products. With regular life insurance, you get a top-up and you simply buy more coverage. In the case of ULIPs, you pay an extra premium to buy units. Each of these units has a face value which means a monetary value. You can put these additional units into your coverage or investment funds.
Contract
The idea of a contract is based on the act of agreement. If two parties participate in a discussion and come to a common ground, it is called an agreement. A contract is an acknowledgement of that agreement. However, a contract is not just for settling discussions and disputes. It is also a sign of a promise. This especially applies to ULIPs. When you buy the policy, you enter into a contract with the insurance provider. The policy document is proof that you and the insurance provider have reached an agreement. This contract states that you will pay them a premium and they will offer life coverage and an investment opportunity.
