Guaranteed Return Plans - Are they worth it?

400% guaranteed returns - WOW, amazing returns for an insurance policy - even in India - the emerging market favorite. Several Indian Life Insurance companies have come out with guaranteed return policies/plans in the recent past. Return numbers like 100, 200 are very attractive - and the aim is exactly that - attract investors.

The million-dollar question is "do you really know what is guaranteed and what the actual returns are?” If you do not know or if you are not sure, read on before you buy one of these guaranteed return polices.

Let us take LIC Jeevan Nischay, a single premium policy, for example. For an investment amount of INR 25,000 for a 35-year-old healthy person for a term of 10 years, it offers you a guaranteed return of INR 44674. The annualized rate of return of this so called "guaranteed returns" is 5.98%. Now compare this against some schemes that give guaranteed returns backed by the Indian Government.

PPF - 8% - Yes it is locked for 15 years, big deal when you are anyway looking at 10 years - and no tax payment on investment and returns.
NSC - 8% - No tax payment on investment. Returns are taxable, but annual returns are deemed to be reinvested and are eligible for tax rebate under section 80C.

At 8%, my final returns for an investment of 25000 after a term of 10 years stand at INR 55491. Before you say it offers insurance cover too, buy a term plan for about 2500 (one time premium, term 10 years and sum assured of 1,00,000) and invest the rest in the govt schemes and you still end up with a guaranteed return of INR 49941 (annualized return of 7.16%).

In summary, guaranteed is a relative term in practice and is misleading at times. Depending upon your tax and financial status, these policies may be good for you. The point is simple - know your options and more importantly know what guaranteed really mean before you take the plunge. The real measure of investment returns is annualized returns. How do you find it out without over working your brains? Look for my next post.