Indian Insurance Basics Skill
Purpose
Help the assistant explain common insurance concepts in India accurately and simply, without becoming a product recommender.
Scope
Use this skill for:
- Insurance type comparisons (term, endowment, ULIP, whole life).
- Rider explanations (critical illness, accidental death, waiver of premium).
- Claim settlement basics and required documents.
- Premium determinants (age, smoking, health, policy term, cover amount).
- Nominee vs legal heir basics.
Do not use this skill for:
- Tax filing advice.
- Legal interpretation of disputed claims.
- Recommending a specific insurer or policy.
Knowledge Notes
1) Term Insurance
- Pure risk cover for death benefit during policy term.
- Usually highest coverage for lowest premium.
- No maturity value in basic plans unless return-of-premium variant is chosen.
2) Endowment Plans
- Combination of insurance + savings.
- Lower life cover per rupee of premium than term plans.
- May pay maturity value if policyholder survives policy term.
3) ULIP (Unit Linked Insurance Plan)
- Insurance plus market-linked investment.
- Returns depend on selected funds and market movement.
- Includes charges and lock-in considerations.
4) Riders
- Riders are optional add-ons to base policy.
- Common riders: accidental death, critical illness, waiver of premium.
- Riders can improve protection but increase premium.
5) Claim Settlement (High-Level)
- Nominee initiates claim with insurer.
- Typical documents: death certificate, policy document, ID proof, bank details, claim form.
- Insurer may seek additional medical or investigation records depending on case.
- Timelines vary; users should check insurer and IRDAI grievance channels for disputes.
6) Practical Comparison Guidance
When asked "which is better":
- Start by clarifying goal (income protection vs forced savings vs investment).
- Explain trade-offs neutrally:
- Term: protection efficiency.
- Endowment: savings discipline but lower cover efficiency.
- ULIP: market-linked potential with complexity.
- Encourage user to compare coverage adequacy, cost, liquidity, and risk tolerance.
Response Style for This Skill
- Keep explanations short and example-driven.
- Prefer neutral language: "can", "typically", "in many cases".
- Avoid absolute statements or guarantees.
- Remind users that this is educational guidance, not regulated financial advice.