Does the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan truly offer a winning combination of savings and protection, or does it leave much to be desired?
Is the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan a smart financial move, or just another insurance product with fancy benefits?
Can the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan really help you build a stable financial future, or are there hidden trade-offs you should be aware of?
In this review, we will explore its features, benefits, and drawbacks in detail.
Table of Contents:
What is the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
What are the features of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
Who is eligible for the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
What are the plan options in the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
What are the benefits of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
Grace Period, Lapse & Paid-up Policy and Revival of HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
Free Look Period HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
Surrendering HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
What are the advantages of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
What are the disadvantages of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
Research Methodology of HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan Vs. Other Investments
HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan Vs. Pure-term + ELSS
Final Verdict on HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
What is the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan is an Individual Non-Linked, Participating, Savings Life Insurance Plan. It provides an option to avail coverage for the whole of life (till the age of 100 years).
The plan provides a holistic solution for you to generate a regular income and build a corpus to achieve the planned goals.
What are the features of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
- Life coverage with protection extending up to 100 years of age.
- Option to choose between Immediate Income or Deferred Income based on your financial needs.
- Flexibility to accumulate survival benefit payouts.
- Multiple premium payment modes available – annually, half-yearly, quarterly, or monthly.
Who is eligible for the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
Eligibility Criteria | Minimum | Maximum |
Age at Entry (years) | 0 years (30 days) | Immediate Income: 50 years (For PPT 5 years) 65 years (For PPT 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 years) Deferred Income: 55 years (for PPT 7, 8 years) 60 years (for PPT 9, 10, 12 years) |
Age at Maturity(years) | 100 years Maximum | |
Premium Payment Term Years | Immediate Income – 5,6,7,8,9,10,12 years Deferred Income – 7,8,9,10,12 years |
|
Policy Term(years) | 100 minus Age at Entry or A Fixed Policy term in the range of 20-40 years can be chosen |
|
Minimum Sum Assured on Maturity (₹) | ₹ 3,00,000 | |
Maximum Sum Assured on Maturity (₹) | No limit, subject to Board Approved Underwriting Policy (BAUP) |
What are the plan options in the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
Immediate Income – An option that provides regular income by way of cash bonuses (if declared), from 1st policy year and provides a lump sum at maturity thereby creating a legacy for your loved one.
Deferred Income – An option that provides Guaranteed Income for a guarantee period, and also provides regular income by way of cash bonuses (if declared) throughout the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan policy term.
It helps create a legacy for your loved ones by providing a lump sum at maturity.
What are the benefits of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
1. Survival Benefit
Immediate Income option
Discretionary Cash Bonus (if declared) will be payable every year from 1st policy year till the end of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan policy term or death or surrender, whichever occurs earlier.
Deferred Income option
Guaranteed Income will be payable every year after the end of the Premium Paying term plus 1 Year for the Guaranteed Period and a Discretionary Cash Bonus (if declared) will be paid every year from one year after the end of the Premium Payment Term till the end of the policy term or death or surrender, whichever occurs earlier.
Cash Bonus payable = Cash Bonus Rate * Annualized Premium
2. Maturity Benefit
(For both options)
For a policy where all due premiums have been paid, the maturity benefit payable at the end of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan policy term is defined as:
- Sum Assured on Maturity plus
- Accrued Cash Bonuses, if not paid earlier plus
- Interim Survival Benefit, if any plus
- Terminal Bonus, (if declared)
The sum Assured on Maturity is the total Annualized Premium payable under the policy during the premium payment term.
3. Death Benefit
(For both options)
On the death of the life assured during the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan policy term, provided all due premiums are paid, a death benefit equal to the following shall be payable as a lump sum to the nominee:
- Sum Assured on Death plus
- Accrued Cash Bonuses, if not paid earlier plus
- Interim Survival Benefit (if any) plus
- Terminal Bonus (if declared)
Where the Sum Assured on Death is the highest of:
- 10 times the Annualized Premium
- Sum Assured on Maturity
- Death Multiple * Annualized Premium
Grace Period, Lapse & Paid-up Policy and Revival of HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
Grace Period
You get a grace period of 15 days for the monthly frequency of premium payment and 30 days for other frequencies to pay the premium without any penalty.
Lapse and Paid-up
The HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan policy shall acquire a Surrender Value (cash value) upon the payment of the first year’s premiums.
If a due premium is unpaid upon the expiry of the grace period, the policy shall:
lapse if it has not acquired a Surrender Value. In case of a lapsed policy, all the benefits shall cease and nothing is payable on death, maturity or surrender.
become reduced paid-up if it has acquired a Surrender Value. Once the policy becomes paid up, the survival and death benefit payouts shall reduce proportionately.
Revival
The revival period shall be five consecutive completed years from the due date of the first unpaid Premium.
Free Look Period HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
In case the Policyholder is not agreeable to any of the provisions stated in the Policy, the Policyholder has an option to return the Policy to the Company stating the reasons thereof, within 30 days from the date of receipt of the Policy whether received electronically or otherwise.
Surrendering HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
The policy shall acquire a Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) upon the payment of the first two years’ premiums, irrespective of the premium-paying term.
The Surrender Value shall be the higher of the guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV); or Special Surrender Value (SSV) Plus, any accrued survival benefit, if not paid earlier plus interim survival benefit.
What are the advantages of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
- The policyholder has the option to defer Survival Benefit(s) at any time during the policy term.
- Survival benefits can be received on a preferred date chosen by the policyholder.
- Once the policy acquires a surrender value, a loan of up to 80% of the surrender value can be availed.
- Riders can be added to enhance the base policy coverage.
What are the disadvantages of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan?
- The sum assured may not be adequate to meet the family’s essential financial needs.
- Returns are relatively lower compared to other investment alternatives.
- The regular income is not inflation-adjusted, which may erode purchasing power over time.
- Under the deferred income option, the guaranteed regular income is available only for a limited period.
- Life coverage up to 100 years may be unnecessary, leading to higher premium costs.
Research Methodology of HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
The HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan offers regular income throughout one’s lifetime. While this may seem attractive, it should not be the sole deciding factor.
A well-informed choice requires a thorough evaluation of potential returns. Let us look at an illustration based on the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan Policy Brochure.
Benefit Illustration – IRR Analysis of HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
A 30-year-old male opts for the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan with a sum assured of ₹12.5 lakhs. The policy term is 70 years, with a premium payment term of 8 years and an annual premium of ₹1,00,000.
Male | 30 years |
Sum Assured | ₹ 12,50,000 |
Policy Term | 70 years (100-30) |
Premium Paying Term | 8 years |
Annualised Premium | ₹ 1,00,000 |
Regular income begins in the 11th year, consisting of a guaranteed income along with a cash bonus for a limited period (25 years in this case).
After this period, only the cash bonus continues, which is non-guaranteed. The benefit illustration considers two investment return scenarios: 4% p.a. and 8% p.a. These returns are purely indicative and not guaranteed.
At 4% | At 8% | |
Survival benefit (first 25 years) (Guaranteed Income + Cash Bonus) |
(28400+1100) = 29500 | (28400+42600) =71000 |
Survival Benefit (for the rest of his life) (Cash Bonus) |
2500 | 71000 |
Maturity benefit (100 years of age) (Sum assured on maturity + Terminal Bonus) |
(8L +15.22L) = 23.22 Lakhs | (8L + 53.60L) = 61.60 Lakhs |
The maturity benefit is payable only at age 100, which is not a practical scenario. Therefore, for this analysis, a life expectancy of 85 years is assumed.
The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the plan is 2.66% as per the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan maturity calculator under the 4% return scenario and 6.30% as per the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan maturity calculator under the 8% return scenario.
At 4% p.a. | At 8% p.a. | ||||
Age | Year | Annualised premium / Maturity benefit | Death benefit | Annualised premium / Maturity benefit | Death benefit |
30 | 1 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
31 | 2 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
32 | 3 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
33 | 4 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
34 | 5 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
35 | 6 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
36 | 7 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
37 | 8 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
38 | 9 | 0 | 12,50,000 | 0 | 12,50,000 |
39 | 10 | 0 | 12,50,000 | 0 | 12,50,000 |
40 | 11 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
41 | 12 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
42 | 13 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
43 | 14 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
44 | 15 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
45 | 16 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
46 | 17 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
47 | 18 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
48 | 19 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
49 | 20 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
50 | 21 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
51 | 22 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
52 | 23 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
53 | 24 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
54 | 25 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
55 | 26 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
56 | 27 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
57 | 28 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
58 | 29 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
59 | 30 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
60 | 31 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
61 | 32 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
62 | 33 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
63 | 34 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
64 | 35 | 29,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
65 | 36 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
66 | 37 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
67 | 38 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
68 | 39 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
69 | 40 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
70 | 41 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
71 | 42 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
72 | 43 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
73 | 44 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
74 | 45 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
75 | 46 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
76 | 47 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
77 | 48 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
78 | 49 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
79 | 50 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
80 | 51 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
81 | 52 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
82 | 53 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
83 | 54 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
84 | 55 | 2,500 | 12,50,000 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
85 | 56 | 12,50,000 | 12,50,000 | 12,50,000 | 12,50,000 |
IRR | 2.66% | 6.30% |
Key Concerns:
- The plan offers low returns, making it less appealing as an investment option.
- Guaranteed income is provided only for a limited period, with future income relying on non-guaranteed bonuses.
- The income is not inflation-adjusted, leading to a decline in purchasing power over time.
- The life cover until age 99 is unnecessary for most individuals, and the sum assured may be insufficient to meet major financial needs.
Both the investment and insurance aspects of the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan fall short of providing meaningful financial benefits, making it a less effective choice for investors.
HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan Vs. Other Investments
The regular income from the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan does not account for inflation, leading to reduced purchasing power over time.
A more effective approach is to separate insurance and investment components, ensuring both adequate life cover and a better income stream. Here’s an illustration to highlight the advantages of this strategy:
HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan Vs. Pure-term + ELSS
A pure-term life insurance policy with a ₹12.5 lakh sum assured costs an annual premium of ₹27,700 for a 40-year term. After paying this premium, ₹72,300 per year remains for investment.
Additionally, since the premium-paying term in this case is 5 years (compared to 8 years in the HDFC plan), you have the full ₹1 lakh available for investment in the last three years.
Pure Term Life Insurance Policy | |
Sum Assured | ₹ 12,50,000 |
Policy Term | 40 years |
Premium Paying Term | 5 years |
Annualised Premium | ₹ 27,700 |
Investment | ₹ 72,300 |
In the initial years, investments can be directed into equity or debt instruments—this example assumes ELSS.
After the accumulation phase, the corpus is shifted to an instrument offering a 7% p.a. return, facilitating regular withdrawals similar to the 8% scenario in HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan.
Term insurance + ELSS | |||
Age | Year | Term Insurance premium + ELSS | Death benefit |
30 | 1 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
31 | 2 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
32 | 3 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
33 | 4 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
34 | 5 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
35 | 6 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
36 | 7 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
37 | 8 | -1,00,000 | 12,50,000 |
38 | 9 | 0 | 12,50,000 |
39 | 10 | 0 | 12,50,000 |
40 | 11 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
41 | 12 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
42 | 13 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
43 | 14 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
44 | 15 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
45 | 16 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
46 | 17 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
47 | 18 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
48 | 19 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
49 | 20 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
50 | 21 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
51 | 22 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
52 | 23 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
53 | 24 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
54 | 25 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
55 | 26 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
56 | 27 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
57 | 28 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
58 | 29 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
59 | 30 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
60 | 31 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
61 | 32 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
62 | 33 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
63 | 34 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
64 | 35 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
65 | 36 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
66 | 37 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
67 | 38 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
68 | 39 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
69 | 40 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
70 | 41 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
71 | 42 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
72 | 43 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
73 | 44 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
74 | 45 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
75 | 46 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
76 | 47 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
77 | 48 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
78 | 49 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
79 | 50 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
80 | 51 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
81 | 52 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
82 | 53 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
83 | 54 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
84 | 55 | 71,000 | 12,50,000 |
85 | 56 | 57,29,332 | 12,50,000 |
IRR | 7.16% |
The post-tax accumulated corpus in the ELSS fund is ₹13.06 lakhs. This corpus, earning 7% p.a., provides annual withdrawals comparable to the 8% scenario in the HDFC plan.
At age 85, the remaining corpus stands at ₹57.29 lakhs, with an IRR of 7.16%.
ELSS Tax Calculation | |
Maturity value after 10 years | 13,80,677 |
Purchase price | 6,61,500 |
Long-Term Capital Gains | 7,19,177 |
Exemption limit | 1,25,000 |
Taxable LTCG | 5,94,177 |
Tax paid on LTCG | 74,272 |
Maturity value after tax | 13,06,405 |
Unlike the fixed income from the HDFC plan, here withdrawals can be adjusted based on needs. Delaying withdrawals in the early years allows compounding to enhance corpus and returns. Flexibility to increase withdrawals over time helps counteract inflation.
By separating insurance and investment, you achieve superior returns, greater flexibility, and a more resilient financial strategy, making it a better alternative to the HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan.
Final Verdict on HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan
The HDFC Life Sanchay Par Advantage Plan offers regular income starting either at the end of the first policy year or after the premium-paying term.
While it may seem appealing to those seeking a steady cash flow, a deeper analysis reveals that the plan falls short of delivering competitive returns.
Despite its name, “Sanchay,” which means accumulation, this plan does not effectively help in building a substantial corpus.
Additionally, although it provides whole-life coverage, the sum assured is often inadequate to meet significant financial needs.
In personal finance, it is essential to have sufficient life cover those accounts for future goals and liabilities, especially during your working years.
The key drawbacks of this plan include low returns, an insufficient sum assured, and a lack of flexibility to adapt to inflation or changing financial needs and it also has a high agent commission.
A more effective strategy is to separate insurance and investment. For wealth accumulation and generating regular income, directing your savings into suitable investment options can help build the required corpus more efficiently.
Opting for a pure-term life insurance policy ensures high coverage at an affordable cost, providing adequate financial protection.
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Choose investments based on your risk appetite, financial goals, and time horizon. If you need guidance, consulting a certified financial planner can help create a customized strategy tailored to your needs.
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