ULIP – Unit Linked Insurance Plan

Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP) provides for life insurance where the policy value at any time varies according to the value of the underlying assets at the time. ULIP is life insurance solution that provides for the benefits of protection and flexibility in investment. The investment is denoted as units and is represented by the value that it has attained called as Net Asset Value (NAV).ULIP came into play in the 1960s and is popular in many countries in the world.

As times progressed the plans were also successfully mapped along with life insurance need to retirement planning. In today’s times, ULIP provides solutions for insurance planning, financial needs, and many types of financial planning including children’s marriage planning.

Unit Linked Insurance Plan – is a financial product that offers you life insurance as well as an investment like a mutual fund. Part of the premium you pay goes towards the sum assured (amount you get in a life insurance policy) and the balance will be invested in whichever investments you desire – equity, fixed-return or a mixture of both.

In India investments in ULIP are covered under Section 80C of IT Act. However, the concept of having an investment and insurance by the same instrument is being challenged by the market regulator SEBI which has taken up the matter to the Supreme Court of India .