Categories: Insurance

Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan: Good or Bad? An Insightful Review

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Can the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan provide the financial benefits required to fulfil them?

Is the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan the reliable financial cushion you’ve been searching for?

Can the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan strike the perfect balance between security and returns?

In this review, we will analyse the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan’s features, advantages, and drawbacks, including an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) calculation to assess its effectiveness.

Table of Contents:

What is the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

What are the features of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

Who is eligible for the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

What are the benefits of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

1. Death benefit

2. Survival benefit

3. Maturity Benefit

Grace Period, Lapse and Paid-up Policy and Revival of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

Free Look Period of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

Surrendering Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

What are the advantages of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

What are the disadvantages of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

Research Methodology of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Vs. Other Investments

Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Vs. Pure-term + PPF/ELSS

Final Verdict on Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

What is the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan is a Non-Linked Non-Participating Individual Savings Life Insurance Plan. It helps you achieve your goals with its guaranteed benefits. It provides the dual benefit of life cover together with a guaranteed payout ensuring policyholders fulfil their goals.

What are the features of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

  • Life coverage available throughout the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan policy term, with a Guaranteed Payout at maturity.
  • Flexible premium payment options and multiple policy term choices.
  • Option to receive Guaranteed Cash Back every 5th policy year.
  • Choice to defer the Survival Benefit as per preference.
  • Guaranteed Yearly Additions to enhance the Maturity Benefit.
  • Tax benefits applicable as per prevailing tax laws.

Who is eligible for the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

Parameters Minimum Maximum
Entry age 0 years Guaranteed Savings Option: 55 years
Guaranteed Cash Back Option: 50 years
Maturity age 18 years 65 years
Premium payment term & Policy term Premium payment term Policy term
5 years 5, 10, 15 & 20 years
7 years 7, 12, 15 & 20 years
10 years 10,15 & 20 years
12 years 12, 15 & 20 years
Annualised premium ₹ 6,000 ₹ 2,25,000
Sum assured ₹ 66,000 ₹ 25,00,000
Premium paying mode Annual, Half-Yearly, Quarterly & Monthly modes

What are the benefits of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

1. Death benefit

Guaranteed Savings Option & Guaranteed Cash Back Option

Sum Assured on Death less CARE Pay Benefit already paid, if any, plus accrued Guaranteed Yearly Additions, if any is paid to the nominee. Sum Assured on Death is defined as the higher of:

  • 11 times the Annualized Premium;
  • 105% of Total Premiums Paid
  • Guaranteed Sum Assured on Maturity
  • Absolute amount assured to be paid on death (Sum Assured)

2. Survival benefit

Guaranteed Savings Option

Nil

Guaranteed Cash Back Option

15% of Guaranteed Sum Assured on Maturity payable at the end of every 5th Policy Year (falling before the end of the Policy Term)

3. Maturity Benefit

Guaranteed Savings Option

Guaranteed Sum Assured on Maturity plus accrued Guaranteed Yearly Additions

Guaranteed Cash Back Option

Guaranteed Sum Assured on Maturity less Survival Benefits already paid, if any, plus Deferred Survival Benefits, if any plus accrued Guaranteed Yearly Additions

Guaranteed Sum Assured on Maturity = the sum of the Annualized Premiums payable under the Policy during the Premium Payment Term (i.e. Annualized Premium x Premium Payment Term).

Grace Period, Lapse and Paid-up Policy and Revival of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

Grace Period

You are provided with a Grace Period of 30 days for annual, half-yearly and quarterly modes and 15 days for monthly mode from the Premium due date to pay the due premium.

Lapse

A Policy shall acquire Lapse status at the expiry of the grace period if the Policyholder fails to pay due Premiums within the grace period in the first policy year.

Once the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Policy is in Lapse status, no benefit shall be payable upon death or request for termination/surrender of the Policy.

Paid-up

After payment of at least the first year’s Premium, if any subsequent due Premium is not paid within the grace period, the Policy shall acquire a Paid-up status. The benefits will be reduced proportionately.

Revival

A Policy can be revived anytime during the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Policy Term within five years (Revival Period) from the date of the first unpaid Premium.

Free Look Period of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

If the Policyholder does not agree with the terms and conditions of the Policy or otherwise & has not made any claim, they shall have the option to request for cancellation of the Policy by returning the Policy Document (if issued physically upon request) within 30 days from the date of receipt of the Policy Document, whether received electronically or otherwise (whichever is earlier).

Surrendering Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

The Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Policy acquires a Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) after payment of at least the first 2 consecutive years’ Premiums.

Surrender Value is defined as the higher of Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) and Special Surrender Value (SSV)

What are the advantages of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

  • Under the Pay CARE benefit, in the event of death, 100% of the Total Premiums Paid will be paid immediately, while the actual death benefit will be provided later.
  • Guaranteed Yearly Additions will accumulate at the beginning of each Policy Year during the last three years of the policy term.
  • Option to defer the Survival Benefit under the Guaranteed Cash Back plan.
  • Loan facility available up to 80% of the surrender value.

What are the disadvantages of the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan?

  • While the benefits are guaranteed, the returns are not competitive.
  • The maximum sum assured is capped at ₹25 lakhs, which may be inadequate for comprehensive life coverage.

Research Methodology of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

The Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan provides a guaranteed maturity benefit or survival benefit at regular intervals. However, relying solely on these guarantees is not advisable.

It is crucial to assess the plan based on its percentage returns. Let’s calculate the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) using the figures from the policy brochure.

Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

A 30-year-old male purchases the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan with a sum assured of ₹11 lakhs (death benefit – ₹12.7 lakhs). The policy term is 25 years, and the premium payment term is 10 years, with an annual premium of ₹1 lakh. He opts for the Guaranteed Savings Option.

Male 30 years
Sum Assured ₹ 12,70,000
Policy Term 25 years
Premium Paying Term 10 years
Annualised Premium ₹ 1,00,000
Age Year Annualised premium / Maturity benefit Death benefit
30 1 -1,00,000 12,70,000
31 2 -1,00,000 12,70,000
32 3 -1,00,000 12,70,000
33 4 -1,00,000 12,70,000
34 5 -1,00,000 12,70,000
35 6 -1,00,000 12,70,000
36 7 -1,00,000 12,70,000
37 8 -1,00,000 12,70,000
38 9 -1,00,000 12,70,000
39 10 -1,00,000 12,70,000
40 11 0 12,70,000
41 12 0 12,70,000
42 13 0 12,70,000
43 14 0 12,70,000
44 15 0 12,70,000
45 16 0 12,70,000
46 17 0 12,70,000
47 18 0 12,70,000
48 19 0 12,70,000
49 20 0 12,70,000
50 21 0 12,70,000
51 22 0 12,70,000
52 23 0 12,70,000
53 24 0 12,70,000
54 25 0 12,70,000
30,50,500
IRR 5.53%

Under this option, after paying premiums for 10 years, he will receive the maturity benefit along with accrued guaranteed additions at the end of 25 years.

The total maturity benefit amounts to ₹30.50 lakhs. The IRR for this cash flow is 5.53% as per the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan maturity calculator, which is lower than the inflation rate, making it an unattractive investment.

Additionally, the investment remains locked until the policy term ends, requiring a 15-year wait after completing the 10-year premium payment. The maximum sum assured is limited to ₹25 lakhs, which may be inadequate for comprehensive financial security.

The combination of poor liquidity, insufficient life coverage, and suboptimal returns makes the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan a less appealing choice for both insurance and investment.

Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Vs. Other Investments

Instead of opting for an endowment plan, consider a pure-term life insurance policy that provides adequate life coverage at an affordable premium. Since term plans are non-profit policies, the premiums are significantly lower.

For investments, you can allocate your savings across various asset classes based on your financial goals, offering a more balanced and potentially higher return. Let’s illustrate this strategy with a comparative scenario.

Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan Vs. Pure-term + PPF/ELSS

Using the same parameters as the previous example, a pure-term life insurance policy with a ₹13 lakh sum assured (similar to the illustrated death benefit) costs ₹10,500 annually for a 25-year term with a 10-year premium payment period.

This allows you to save ₹89,500 per year from the ₹1 lakh premium, which can be invested based on your risk appetite.

Pure Term Life Insurance Policy
Sum Assured ₹ 13,00,000
Policy Term 25 years
Premium Paying Term 10 years
Annualised Premium ₹ 10,500
Investment ₹ 89,500

High-risk investors can opt for equity instruments, while low-risk investors can choose debt instruments. In this comparison, we consider PPF (a debt instrument) and ELSS (an equity instrument).

Term Insurance + PPF Term insurance + ELSS
Age Year Term Insurance premium + PPF Death benefit Term Insurance premium + ELSS Death benefit
30 1 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
31 2 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
32 3 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
33 4 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
34 5 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
35 6 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
36 7 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
37 8 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
38 9 -1,00,000 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
39 10 -97,500 13,00,000 -1,00,000 13,00,000
40 11 -500 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
41 12 -500 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
42 13 -500 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
43 14 -500 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
44 15 -500 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
45 16 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
46 17 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
47 18 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
48 19 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
49 20 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
50 21 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
51 22 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
52 23 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
53 24 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
54 25 0 13,00,000 0 13,00,000
37,21,719 85,52,410
IRR 6.54% 10.80%

PPF requires a minimum contribution of ₹500 annually for 15 years. Since the premium payment term is 10 years, adjustments are made to meet PPF regulations. The final maturity value in PPF is ₹37.21 lakhs, with an IRR of 6.54%.

ELSS investments, after accounting for capital gains tax at redemption, result in a post-tax maturity value of ₹85.52 lakhs (pre-tax value: ₹96.28 lakhs). The overall IRR for the combined term insurance and ELSS investment strategy is 10.80% (post-tax).

ELSS Tax Calculation
Maturity value after 25 years 96,28,469
Purchase price 8,95,000
Long-Term Capital Gains 87,33,469
Exemption limit 1,25,000
Taxable LTCG 86,08,469
Tax paid on LTCG 10,76,059
Maturity value after tax 85,52,410

These returns surpass the inflation rate while also offering superior liquidity. This analysis clearly demonstrates the benefits of separating insurance and investment—providing better liquidity and higher returns, advantages that the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan does not offer.

Final Verdict on Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan

The Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan is a traditional life insurance policy that provides survival or maturity benefits with guaranteed payouts. You pay premiums for a limited period in exchange for these benefits.

However, the policy term and premium payment duration are fixed, which may not align with individual financial needs, leading to a potential mismatch between actual goals and policy maturity.

An analysis of returns indicates that the plan delivers suboptimal returns for a long-term investment. Additionally, funds remain locked until the end of the policy term, and the sum assured may be insufficient for comprehensive financial protection.

These limitations make the Canara HSBC Guaranteed Fortune Plan less suitable for both insurance and investment purposes and it also has a high agent commission.

A more effective approach is to separate insurance and investment. A pure-term policy provides adequate life coverage as a financial safety net, while investments can be tailored to individual risk tolerance, investment horizon, and life goals.

Do Quora, Facebook, and Twitter have the final say when it comes to financial advice?

Building a strong financial plan is essential for long-term financial success. For a strategy tailored to your needs, consider consulting a certified financial planner who can help align your investments with your life goals.

Holistic

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