Complex ULIP face Irda whip

Irda bans unit-linked insurance plans which charges are based on complex structure.


The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irda) has banned unit-linked insurance plans (ULIPs) in which charges are based on a complex structure, making it difficult for policyholders to comprehend.


Such products in insurance parlance are called acturial-funded products. The ban would require Aviva Life Insurance to withdraw all its 14 ULIP products, while Bajaj Allianz one of its ULIPs called Capital Unit Gain.

Bajaj Allianz has been directed to withdraw Capital Unit Gain, the deadline for which is the end of next week, while the regulator has been a little considerate with Aviva Life Insurance. Irda has not set any deadline for Aviva to withdraw its ULIP products as the company would need more time to develop new products and then seek the regulator's approval.

“Bajaj Allianz has been given a time frame of 15 days. Aviva Life will have to introduce a new set of products to replace the ones they are using right now and will, therefore, be given more time,” said C S Rao, chairman, Irda.

Insurance sources said Bajaj Allianz Life reported a profit of Rs 30 crore in the first quarter of 2007-08 and Rs 63 crore in 2006-07 mainly on account of Capital Unit Gain.

Under the other ULIP schemes, charges are deducted upfront when the premiums are paid, which could range up to 40 per cent in the first year.

In acturial funded products, the first-year premium is treated as initial premium and is put under an initial management account called acturial funding. Every year 5 per cent of the premium is deducted as initial management cost and 5 per cent as premium allocation charge.

In the second policy year, again a 5 per cent charge is deducted as premium allocation and another 5 per cent from the first year premium as initial management cost. So, for every year a customer loses 5 per cent as premium allocation and 5 per cent as initial management charges.

Assuming that the policy tenure is 20 years and the customer wants to withdraw after three years, the policyholder loses 100 per cent of premium net of charges, 75 per cent if his policy tenure is a 15-year policy and 50 per cent if it is a 10-year policy.

“Acturial-funded products mislead customers into feeling that they have more benefits. While normal ULIP products charge policyholders upfront for all administration and fund management expenses, an acturial funded product will spread it over a period of time. So, a policyholder feels that he has got a larger number of units. Such products are not in the larger interests of the policyholders,” said Rao.

“In several western countries, regulators realised that these products are misleading and have asked companies to withdraw them,” said Rao.

When asked why the Irda approved these products in the first place, Rao said, “It is only after a product is marketed that you realise all the loopholes and then you make a correction. Three weeks ago, the Irda had asked the Acturial Society of India to give its opinion on acturial funded products and it was suggested that these products are not appropriate.”

Bajaj Allianz officials were unavailable for comment. An Aviva spokesperson said: “We have had no communication from Irda on any ban of actuarial-funded products. All our products, including the ones where actuarial funding has been used, have been pre-approved by Irda and are designed on sound actuarial principles. We have been selling these products for years in the country, and these have been approved by the regulator as they follow all guidelines and regulations laid down by the Irda. None of our products is detrimental to the interest of any existing or prospective customers. One of our actuarial funded products was approved as recently as May 2007.”
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THE ORDER

The ban would require Aviva Life Insurance to withdraw all its 14 ULIP products
Bajaj Allianz will have to withdraw one of its ULIPs called Capital Unit Gain
Bajaj Allianz has been directed to withdraw Capital Unit Gain, the deadline for which is the end of next week
IRDA has not set any deadline for Aviva to withdraw its ULIP products as the company would need more time to develop new products and then seek the regulator's approval

Source: Business Standard Reporter