2012 - 13 Budget : Eligibility conditions for exempt life insurance policies

Under the existing provisions contained in section 10(10D) of the Income-tax Act, any sum received under a life insurance policy, including the sum allocated by way of bonus on such policy, is exempt. For this purpose, it is necessary that the premium payable for any of the years shall not exceed 20% of the actual capital sum assured.

After 1st April, 2012 ..!
It is proposed to reduce the threshold of premium payable to 10% of the actual capital sum assured from 20% of the actual capital sum assured. Accordingly, it is proposed to amend section 10(10D) so as to provide that the exemption for insurance policies issued on or after 1st April, 2012 would only be available for policies where the premium payable for any of the years during the term of the policy does not exceed 10% of the actual capital sum assured.

Further, in order to ensure that the life insurance products are not designed to circumvent the prescribed limits by varying the capital sum assured from year to year, it is also proposed to provide that the capital sum assured would be the minimum of the sum assured in any of the years of the policy. Insertion of a new Explanation 2 has been proposed towards this effect by referring to the new definition of “actual capital sum assured” under Explanation of section 80C(3A). This Explanation will apply
to insurance policies issued on or after the 1st April, 2012.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2013 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2013-14 and subsequent assessment years.

Share: