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Is the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan truly a smart wealth-building tool, or just another ULIP wrapped in glossy promises?
Is the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan the disciplined investment solution investors need—or a product best approached with caution?
Is the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan your pathway to wealth creation—or a detour that slows you down?
This review examines how the plan works, supported by a detailed illustration to help you assess its suitability.
Table of Contents
What is the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
What are the features of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
Who is eligible for the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
What are the benefits of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
What are the investment strategies and fund options in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
What are the charges in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
Grace Period, Discontinuance and Revival of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Free Look Period for the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Surrendering the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
What are the advantages of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
What are the disadvantages of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
Research Methodology of Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Vs. Other Investments
Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Vs. Pure-term + Equity Mutual Fund
Final Verdict on Bharati AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
What is the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser is a unit-linked, non-participating individual life insurance plan. This plan offers you a comprehensive life and financial solution that gives you life cover up to 10 times your premium and helps build wealth over the long term.
What are the features of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
- 118% of the charges levied during the premium payment term—such as mortality, premium allocation, fund management, and policy administration charges—are refunded to the policy fund value.
- Loyalty additions are credited as a percentage of the fund value over the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy term.
- Flexible premium payment and policy term options are available to suit different investment horizons.
- The plan offers two investment strategies along with multiple fund options, allowing selection based on financial goals and risk–return preferences.
- Tax benefits may be available on premiums paid and benefits received, as per prevailing tax laws.
Who is eligible for the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
What are the benefits of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
Death Benefit
In case of the death of the Life Insured during the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy Term, the Death Benefit will be payable to the Nominee or the Policyholder, as the case may be, subject to the Policy being in force. Death Benefit, which is the higher of:
- Sum assured less all partial withdrawals made during the two-year period immediately preceding the date of death of the Life Assured
- Policy Fund Value as on the date of intimation of death of the Life Insured
- 105% of all premiums paid as on date of death
Sum Assured will be 10* Annualised Premium
Maturity Benefit
On maturity, subject to the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy being in force, you shall be eligible for the Maturity Benefit. Maturity Benefit payable shall be equal to the Policy Fund Value as on the date of maturity.
Return of all charges:
Subject to Policy being in force and all due premiums being paid, 118% of all charges (Premium Allocation Charge, Admin charge, Mortality Charge and Fund Management Charge), excluding any extra underwriting charge applicable during the Premium Payment Term, will be returned by adding units to the fund.
Settlement Option
On Maturity You may choose to receive the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy Fund Value as:
- Option 1 – A lump sum payment
- Option 2 – At regular intervals chosen by you, during the Settlement Period
- Option 3 – A combination of the above
Loyalty Addition
Subject to the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy being in force, Loyalty Additions, which is 0.2% of the Policy Fund Value, will be credited to the Fund at the end of each Policy Year starting from the year after the end of the Premium Payment Term up to Maturity.
What are the investment strategies and fund options in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
Depending on your financial objectives, you have the choice of putting your premiums in any or all of the following eight investment funds mentioned below:
Depending on your financial objectives, you have the choice of putting your premiums in any or all of the following eight investment funds mentioned below:
At the inception of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy, you may also choose to allocate the premium/s in one of the Investment strategies as per the conditions of the Product, with a maximum of two Investment strategies being available.
You shall have the option to choose only one of the Strategies at a time.
Dynamic Fund Allocation
In case this strategy is chosen at inception, the 1st and subsequent premiums will be allocated (after deducting Premium Allocation Charges) to the Grow Money Plus Fund.
During the last 5 years of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy Term (before maturity), the funds will automatically be rebalanced between the Grow Money Plus Fund and the Steady Money Fund to protect you against any adverse movements in the equity markets.
The Company will automatically allocate the monies between the Grow Money Plus Fund and the Steady Money Fund, from the end of the 5th year before Policy Maturity, in a pre-determined manner as described below, through switching Units in the respective Fund
| Year | Existing Funds | |
| Grow Money Plus Fund | Steady Money Fund | |
| (PT-5) yr | 80% | 20% |
| (PT-4) yr | 75% | 25% |
| (PT-3) yr | 70% | 30% |
| (PT-2) yr | 50% | 50% |
| (PT-1) yr | 0% | 100% |
Systematic Transfer Plan (STP)
The Company will automatically allocate the Premium received (after deducting Premium Allocation Charges) to purchase Units in the Safe Money Fund.
On each subsequent monthly anniversary, the Fund Value of [1/ (13 less month number in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy Year)] of the Units available at the beginning of the month] shall be switched to the Grow Money Plus Fund by cancelling Units in the Safe Money Fund, and purchasing Units in the Grow Money Plus Fund till the availability of Units in Safe Money Fund.
You shall not be permitted to make partial withdrawals from the Safe Money Fund during the period when this investment strategy option is in force. While STP is operational, you are not allowed to change your fund choice. This strategy can be availed only on annual Premium payment mode.
What are the charges in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
I). Premium allocation charge
The Premium allocation charge is as per the tables below:
| Policy Year | % of Annualised Premium |
| Year 1 | 2.00% |
| Year 2 and 3 | 6.00% |
| Year 4 to 6 | 5.50% |
| Year 7 and 8 | 4.50% |
| Year 9 and 10 | 3.50% |
II). Mortality Charge
Mortality charges will be deducted from the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy Fund Value on the Policy Date in each Policy Month.
The annual charge per thousand of Sum at Risk will be based on the attained Age of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policyholder, age last birthday. Sum at Risk = Higher of (Death Benefit – Fund Value, 0)
| Age | Mortality Charge |
| 30 Years | 0.82 |
| 35 Years | 1.01 |
| 40 Years | 1.41 |
| 45 Years | 2.17 |
III). Policy Administration Charge
A monthly charge as a percentage of the premium chosen at inception of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy will be deducted by cancellation of Units at the prevailing Unit Price on the corresponding Policy Date in each Policy Month.
The monthly policy administration charge is 0.0625% as a percentage of the annualised premium. The Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy administration charge is subject to a maximum of Rs. 500 per month.
IV). Fund Management Charge
| S.no | Fund | IV). Fund Management Charge |
| 1 | Growth Opportunities Plus Fund | 1.35% per annum |
| 2 | Grow Money Plus Fund | 1.35% per annum |
| 3 | Build India Fund | 1.35% per annum |
| 4 | Emerging Equity Fund | 1.35% per annum |
| 5 | Save ‘nʼ grow Money Fund | 1.25% per annum |
| 6 | Steady Money Fund | 1.00% per annum |
| 7 | Safe Money Fund | 1.00% per annum |
| 8 | Stability Plus Money Fund | 0.80% per annum |
| Discontinued Policy Fund | 0.50% per annum |
V). Discontinuance Charge:
The Discontinuance Charge shall be levied at the time of surrender or on Discontinuance of Premium, whichever is earlier. It depends on the premium amount and the year of discontinuance.
Inference from Charges: Although the plan refunds some of the charges, it doesn’t account for the time value of money. Moreover,
some charges persist throughout the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy term. In contrast, other market-linked products typically have lower charges and offer more transparency in their investment processes. These higher charges in ULIPs can significantly affect your returns over time.
Grace Period, Discontinuance and Revival of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
The Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policyholder gets a grace period of Fifteen (15) days in case of Monthly Premium Payment Mode and Thirty (30) days in case of Annual/ Semi Annual/ Quarterly Premium Payment mode.
Discontinuance
Discontinuance of Premium during lock-in period: the fund value after deducting the applicable discontinuance charges shall be credited to the discontinued policy fund, and the risk cover and rider cover, if any, shall cease.
At the end of the lock-in period, the proceeds of the discontinuance fund shall be paid to the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policyholder, and the Policy shall terminate
Discontinuance of Policy after the lock-in Period: the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy shall be converted into a reduced paid-up policy with the paid-up sum assured, i.e. original sum assured multiplied by the total number of premiums paid to the original number of premiums payable as per the terms and conditions of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy.
Revival
The revival period for this product is three years from the date of the first unpaid premium.
Free Look Period for the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
If you disagree with any of the terms and conditions of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy, you can return the original Policy along with a letter stating the reason/s within 30 days of receipt of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policy.
Surrendering the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Surrender during the lock-in period: the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policyholder has an option to surrender the Policy anytime, and proceeds of the discontinued policy shall be payable at the end of the lock-in period or date of surrender, whichever is later.
Surrender after the lock-in period: the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Policyholder has an option to surrender the Policy anytime, and the proceeds of the policy fund shall be payable.
What are the advantages of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
- Partial withdrawals from the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy fund value are permitted at any time after the completion of the mandatory lock-in period of five years.
- The Systematic Withdrawal Benefit enables automated partial withdrawals, allowing a pre-determined amount to be withdrawn from the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy fund value at the end of the selected policy year.
- The Switch and Premium Redirection features provide flexibility to rebalance asset allocation between equity and debt in line with changing financial requirements.
- Optional riders can be added to the base policy to enhance coverage.
- Premiums can be paid on a Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-Annual, or Annual basis, offering payment flexibility.
What are the disadvantages of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser?
- The plan has a 5-year lock-in period, restricting early access to your funds.
- Only the net premium, after deducting various charges, is invested, reducing the effective investment amount.
- The risk–return trade-off is unfavourable, making it a less efficient investment option.
- No loan facility is available under this plan, limiting liquidity during financial emergencies
Research Methodology of Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Investing in a market-linked product is intended to enhance wealth accumulation over the long term.
To assess whether the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser achieves this objective, we can estimate its potential returns by calculating the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) based on the benefit illustration provided in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy brochure.
Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Consider a 35-year-old male opting for the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan with a sum assured of ₹20 lakh. The annual premium is ₹2,00,000, the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy term is 15 years, and the premium payment term is 7 years.
| Male | 35 years |
| Sum Assured | ₹ 20,00,000 |
| Policy Term | 15 years |
| Premium Paying Term | 7 years |
| Annualised Premium | ₹ 2,00,000 |
The illustration assumes returns of 4% p.a. and 8% p.a. purely for demonstration. These figures are neither guaranteed nor indicative of actual outcomes, as the fund value is influenced by market performance and other variables.
| At 4% p.a. | At 8% p.a. | ||||
| Age | Year | Annualised premium / Maturity benefit | Death benefit | Annualised premium / Maturity benefit | Death benefit |
| 35 | 1 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 36 | 2 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 37 | 3 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 38 | 4 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 39 | 5 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 40 | 6 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 41 | 7 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 42 | 8 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 43 | 9 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 44 | 10 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 45 | 11 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 46 | 12 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 47 | 13 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 48 | 14 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 49 | 15 | 0 | 20,00,000 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 50 | 19,40,139 | 30,20,195 | |||
| IRR | 2.74% | 6.55% | |||
Provided all premiums are paid, the maturity benefit is equal to the fund value. At an assumed return of 4%, the fund value stands at ₹19.40 lakh, translating into an IRR of just 2.74% as per the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan maturity calculator.
Even at an assumed 8% return, the fund value increases to ₹30.20 lakh, resulting in an IRR of only 6.55% as per the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan maturity calculator.
These return levels are lower than what traditional debt instruments typically offer, which undermines the very purpose of investing in a market-linked product.
Such sub-optimal returns can slow wealth creation and increase the risk of falling short of financial goals. As a result, investing in the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan may adversely impact long-term financial planning.
Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Vs. Other Investments
The Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser is designed as a long-term investment, with maturity benefits payable only at the end of the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan policy term.
However, despite the extended lock-in period, the potential returns remain relatively modest. Let us examine a more efficient alternative by deploying the same annual premium used in the earlier illustration.
Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan Vs. Pure-term + Equity Mutual Fund
A pure-term life insurance policy offering a sum assured of ₹20 lakh can be purchased at an annual premium of ₹15,600 for a 15-year policy term with a 7-year premium-paying term.
This leaves a surplus of ₹1,84,400 from the original annual premium of ₹2,00,000, which can be invested independently to pursue higher returns.
| Pure Term Life Insurance Policy | |
| Sum Assured | ₹ 20,00,000 |
| Policy Term | 15 years |
| Premium Paying Term | 7 years |
| Annualised Premium | ₹ 15,600 |
| Investment | ₹ 1,84,400 |
Unlike the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser, which requires premiums for 7 years, the pure-term policy has a shorter premium-paying period of 5 years. During the first five years, the residual amount after paying the insurance premium is invested.
In the subsequent two years, the entire ₹2,00,000 annual amount becomes available for investment.
| Term insurance + Equity Mutual Fund | |||
| Age | Year | Term Insurance premium + Equity Mutual Fund | Death benefit |
| 35 | 1 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 36 | 2 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 37 | 3 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 38 | 4 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 39 | 5 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 40 | 6 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 41 | 7 | -2,00,000 | 20,00,000 |
| 42 | 8 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 43 | 9 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 44 | 10 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 45 | 11 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 46 | 12 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 47 | 13 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 48 | 14 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 49 | 15 | 0 | 20,00,000 |
| 50 | 47,75,312 | ||
| IRR | 10.58% | ||
Choosing the appropriate investment avenue should be guided by individual risk appetite—high-risk investors may allocate to equity-oriented instruments, while conservative investors may prefer debt-oriented options.
Assuming investment in an equity mutual fund, the corpus grows to ₹52.50 lakh over 15 years. After accounting for capital gains tax, the post-tax value is ₹47.75 lakh, translating into a post-tax IRR of 10.58%.
| Equity Mutual Fund Tax Calculation | |
| Maturity value after 15 years | 52,50,785 |
| Purchase price | 13,22,000 |
| Long-Term Capital Gains | 39,28,785 |
| Exemption limit | 1,25,000 |
| Taxable LTCG | 38,03,785 |
| Tax paid on LTCG | 4,75,473 |
| Maturity value after tax | 47,75,312 |
This strategy offers two clear advantages over the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser: superior returns (alpha generation) and enhanced liquidity.
The comparison highlights that combining insurance and investment often dilutes both return potential and flexibility, making such products less effective for achieving long-term financial goals.
Final Verdict on Bharati AXA Life Wealth Maximiser
Under the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser Plan, premiums are paid for a limited period, while access to the accumulated fund value is available only at maturity. Despite being positioned as a “Wealth Maximiser,” the plan falls short of delivering meaningful wealth creation.
At maturity, you receive the fund value, but by then, inflation will have significantly increased the cost of your financial goals. Even after a long investment horizon, the returns remain underwhelming.
For a market-linked product, the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser delivers returns that are inferior even to those of traditional debt instruments and it also has a high agent commission.
Additionally, the sum assured provided under the plan is inadequate for meaningful financial protection. The combination of sub-par returns, restricted liquidity, and insufficient life cover makes the Bharti AXA Life Wealth Maximiser an unsuitable addition to an investment portfolio.
A more effective approach is to opt for a pure-term life insurance policy, which offers adequate life cover at a low cost to safeguard your family’s financial future. For wealth creation, building a well-diversified investment portfolio aligned with your risk appetite and time horizon is far more efficient.
Blending insurance and investment into a single product often compromises both objectives.
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To select appropriate investment avenues and design a strategy aligned with your financial goals, consulting a qualified financial advisor can help you create a customised and goal-oriented financial plan.
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