Rakhi Sehgal, a 30-year-old software engineer, purchased a term life insurance plan with a coverage of ₹1 crore to safeguard the future needs of her family. 32-year-old bank employee, Ravi Nath, started investing ₹10,000 per month in mutual funds with the hope of building a sizable corpus in the long run for himself and his family's security.
On the surface level, it appears that both Rakhi and Ravi are doing the same thing: Building Financial Protection. In reality, Rakhi is safeguarding her future with an insurance plan, whereas Ravi is relying on an investment. The main difference here is that one is about protection and the other is about growth.
Let’s learn the differences between investment and insurance in detail.
Insurance works like a legal agreement between two parties: the insurance company and the insured individual, where the former promises to offer protection to the latter in the event of an unfortunate event like an accident, death, injury, etc. The primary purpose of an insurance plan is to reduce the effects of unpredictable and unfortunate events that might arise in the future.
How Does It Work? The insurer agrees with the insured to offer benefits (financial and other) under specific circumstances in exchange for a regular premium.
Did You Know that purchasing motor insurance is mandatory, under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, to drive your vehicle legally in India?
Investment is a financial move where one party commits to putting money into an asset with the hope of gaining profitable returns through the growth of the asset’s market value in the future.
How Does it Work? You invest your money/resources in an asset of your choice, and you might gain profit either in the form of cash or a return of the asset with increased value.
Here’s a table highlighting the differences between insurance and investment:
Aspect | Insurance | Investment |
---|---|---|
Purpose | Building financial protection against uncertainties like accidents, death, injury, and medical emergencies etc. | Wealth creation and building a sizable corpus over the long run. |
Returns | Typically does not offer returns. | Might offer returns (depending on the market trends). |
Risk | Usually considered a no-risk or low-risk decision. | Comes with market risks. |
Liquidity | Typically does not offer liquidity. | Typically known for offering liquidity. |
Taxability | Premiums paid towards life insurance offer tax benefits. | Returns under investments are usually taxable under short-term or long-term capital gains. |
Choosing between insurance and investment can be confusing, especially when both have the potential to offer financial protection in the long run. If you are also in the dilemma of insurance versus investment, then here are a few factors that can help you decide:
The first step is to know your financial goals for which you want to purchase an insurance plan or invest your resources. This can include evaluating your responsibilities, future financial plans, short-term and long-term needs, and current financial stability.
Starting your investment journey at an early stage of your life is a smart decision. You can start with even a small amount and see your money grow over time. This can help you take care of your long-term needs like children’s education and marriage expenses, paying off debt, purchasing a car or house, and building a sizable corpus for retirement.
Purchasing insurance is something that should not be substituted. It is a safety net for you and your loved ones against the uncertainties of life. Through different types of insurance, you can secure coverage for many needs, such as:
Did You Know that India is one of fastest fastest-growing markets for insurance plans, and it is set to be the 6th largest insurance market by 2032.
Usually, an ideal way is to distribute your finances between insurance and investment. While your money keeps growing through investments, any emergency needs are taken care of through an insurance plan.
Did You Know that you can combine the benefits of insurance and investment through a single plan? A unit-linked insurance plan offers dual benefits of insurance and investment. To learn more about such plans, you can head to the Jio Insurance Broking portal.
Insurance and investment are two integral parts of financial planning. Choosing between the two often gets confusing, especially when both have the potential to offer financial protection in the future. However, remember that substituting investment for insurance or vice versa is usually not the smart way ahead. You can plan efficiently to manage your finances between the two.
If finding the right plan appears overwhelming, you can rely on Jio Insurance Broking to help you explore, compare, and purchase an insurance plan catered to your needs.