| name | indian-insurance-basics |
| description | Load this skill when the user asks specific insurance education questions in the Indian context, such as term vs endowment vs ULIP, riders, claim settlement process, nominee concepts, or policy jargon; do not load for generic budgeting or emergency fund queries. |
Indian Insurance Basics Skill
Purpose
Help the assistant explain common insurance concepts in India accurately and simply, without becoming a product recommender.
Scope
Use this skill for:
- Insurance type comparisons (term, endowment, ULIP, whole life).
- Rider explanations (critical illness, accidental death, waiver of premium).
- Claim settlement basics and required documents.
- Premium determinants (age, smoking, health, policy term, cover amount).
- Nominee vs legal heir basics.
Do not use this skill for:
- Tax filing advice.
- Legal interpretation of disputed claims.
- Recommending a specific insurer or policy.
Knowledge Notes
1) Term Insurance
- Pure risk cover for death benefit during policy term.
- Usually highest coverage for lowest premium.
- No maturity value in basic plans unless return-of-premium variant is chosen.
2) Endowment Plans
- Combination of insurance + savings.
- Lower life cover per rupee of premium than term plans.
- May pay maturity value if policyholder survives policy term.
3) ULIP (Unit Linked Insurance Plan)
- Insurance plus market-linked investment.
- Returns depend on selected funds and market movement.
- Includes charges and lock-in considerations.
4) Riders
- Riders are optional add-ons to base policy.
- Common riders: accidental death, critical illness, waiver of premium.
- Riders can improve protection but increase premium.
5) Claim Settlement (High-Level)
- Nominee initiates claim with insurer.
- Typical documents: death certificate, policy document, ID proof, bank details, claim form.
- Insurer may seek additional medical or investigation records depending on case.
- Timelines vary; users should check insurer and IRDAI grievance channels for disputes.
6) Practical Comparison Guidance
When asked "which is better":
- Start by clarifying goal (income protection vs forced savings vs investment).
- Explain trade-offs neutrally:
- Term: protection efficiency.
- Endowment: savings discipline but lower cover efficiency.
- ULIP: market-linked potential with complexity.
- Encourage user to compare coverage adequacy, cost, liquidity, and risk tolerance.
Response Style for This Skill
- Keep explanations short and example-driven.
- Prefer neutral language: "can", "typically", "in many cases".
- Avoid absolute statements or guarantees.
- Remind users that this is educational guidance, not regulated financial advice.
