A Fixed deposit is the preferred saving option of many as it provides a higher rate of interest than a savings account. However, on December 7, 2022, when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) declared to increase the repo rate by 35 basis points to 6.25%, the interest rates of FD in all the banks in India took a hit. As a result, people are looking for alternatives to FDs that provide similar or better returns.
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One of the attractive options is ULIP. Hence, investors have started comparing ULIP VS Fixed Deposits. Let us look at how ULIPs compare to FDs and find out is ULIP better than FDs.
ULIP is a life insurance plan that provides a maturity benefit as well. Part of the premiums you pay is invested in your chosen equity or debt fund. The maturity amount includes the returns earned on this investment. But Is a ULIP better than FD?
Yes. A ULIP provides more features and better versatility as compared to FDs. We give you a few reasons why ULIP is better than fixed Deposit-
The ULIP Vs. Fixed deposits can be better understood based on life insurance. The most prominent advantage of ULIP over FD is that they offer Life insurance. A ULIP provides a death benefit to your loved ones in case of your demise. In this way, you can ensure that your dependents are cared for even in your absence. Thus, you get the dual advantage of life insurance in addition to the chance of earning good returns via a ULIP.
Flexibility shows how UILP is better than FD. ULIPs are very flexible. You can switch between debt and equity instruments to take advantage of the market conditions. Therefore, you stand a chance of earning better returns with ULIPs. However, FDs operate at a fixed rate of interest, and hence the returns will mostly be the same.
Tax saving is another reason that people started comparing ULIP Vs. Fixed Deposit. The interest income that you earn on fixed deposits is taxable. However, ULIPs can help you save on taxes. The premiums that you pay toward ULIP are eligible for a tax deduction. The maturity amount of a ULIP is also tax-exempt. As a result, ULIPs are an excellent tax-saving instrument.
Is ULIP better than FD? Yes, ULIPs are a better place to invest than Fixed Deposits. Apart from ensuring that your money is safe and providing you with life cover, they also give you a chance to earn by investing your money. This versatility is what makes them one of the best avenues to put your money in. When purchasing a ULIP plan, make sure to go through all the features and read the terms and conditions in the policy document thoroughly.
| Fund Name | NAV |
AUM |
5 Yr Returns |
10 Yr Returns |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Life Balanced Fund | ₹74.48 | ₹22439 Cr | 9.42% | 10.22% | |
| SBI Life Bond Fund | ₹50.3 | ₹18103 Cr | 5.32% | 6.95% | |
| SBI Life Equity Fund | ₹207.26 | ₹82996 Cr | 13.36% | 12.41% | |
| SBI Life Equity Optimiser Fund | ₹55.94 | ₹2715 Cr | 13.18% | 11.89% | |
| SBI Life Growth Fund | ₹96.82 | ₹3064 Cr | 11.76% | 11.77% | |
| SBI Life Money Market Fund | ₹36.15 | ₹429 Cr | 5.64% | 6.07% | |
| SBI Life Top 300 Fund | ₹58.56 | ₹2006 Cr | 12.78% | 12.78% | |
| SBI Life Pure Fund | ₹27.12 | ₹1182 Cr | 12.25% | - | |
| SBI Life Bond Optimiser Fund | ₹22.51 | ₹3286 Cr | 7.78% | - | |
| SBI Life Bluechip Fund | ₹10.26 | ₹2655 Cr | - | - | |
| SBI Life Balanced Pension | ₹74.57 | ₹772 Cr | 9.98% | 11.07% | |
| SBI Life Bond Pension | ₹44.53 | ₹513 Cr | 5.18% | 7.19% | |
| SBI Life Equity Pension | ₹76.89 | ₹11050 Cr | 14.42% | 13.06% | |
| SBI Life Growth Pension | ₹75.1 | ₹608 Cr | 12.19% | 12.19% | |
| SBI Life Money Market Pension | ₹33.42 | ₹131 Cr | 5.59% | 6.06% | |
| SBI Life Equity Optimiser Pension | ₹60.21 | ₹947 Cr | 13.25% | 12.74% | |
| SBI Life Top 300 Pension | ₹56.53 | ₹682 Cr | 12.69% | 12.8% | |
| SBI Life Midcap Fund | ₹49.03 | ₹49420 Cr | 21.48% | - | |
| SBI Life Corporate Bond Fund | ₹16.31 | ₹1058 Cr | 5.33% | - | |
| SBI Life Equity Elite II | ₹53.11 | ₹12622 Cr | 12.1% | 11.82% | |
| SBI Life Index | ₹50.12 | ₹115 Cr | 13.99% | 12.75% | |
| SBI Life Index Pension | ₹52.26 | ₹30 Cr | 14.06% | 12.78% | |
| SBI Life Discontinued Policy Fund | ₹25.14 | ₹9761 Cr | 5.44% | 6.15% | |
| SBI Life Equity Elite | ₹91.23 | ₹13 Cr | 15.57% | 14.81% | |
| SBI Life P-E Managed | ₹39.68 | ₹238 Cr | 10.77% | 10.42% | |
| SBI Life Guaranteed Pension GPF070211 | ₹26.29 | ₹3 Cr | 4.89% | 6.79% | |
| SBI Life Bond Pension II | ₹23.31 | ₹29557 Cr | 5.08% | 6.58% | |
| SBI Life Equity Pension II | ₹43.5 | ₹12893 Cr | 13.6% | 12.81% | |
| SBI Life Money Market Pension II | ₹20.42 | ₹1553 Cr | 5.33% | 5.78% | |
| SBI Life Discontinue Pension Fund | ₹21.22 | ₹6722 Cr | 5.42% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Growth Plus Fund | ₹57.89 | ₹3 Cr | 9.71% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Debt Plus Fund | ₹40.28 | ₹113 Cr | 6.51% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Balance Plus Fund | ₹48.61 | ₹11 Cr | 7.9% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Balance Plus Fund II | ₹26.67 | ₹805 Cr | 7.86% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Debt Plus Fund II | ₹26.07 | ₹227 Cr | 6.48% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Growth Plus Fund II | ₹27.15 | ₹238 Cr | 9.72% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Short Term Plus Fund II | ₹21.35 | ₹21 Cr | 5.8% | - | |
| SBI Life Group Money Market Plus Fund | ₹12.44 | ₹2 Cr | 1.08% | - |
Let us discuss Fixed Deposit Vs. ULIP to further determine if ULIP is better than FD?
| FD | ULIP |
| You can avail of tax exemption only on the investment amount; the returns are taxable | You can avail of tax deductions on premiums, as well as the maturity amount |
| FD interest rates can go down on account of inflation | ULIP, especially, debt related ULIP is likely to fetch more returns as bond rates go up |
| FDs offer no life cover | ULIPs, in addition to saving your money and fetching you returns on your investment, also provide life insurance |
| FDs are not flexible. Once you invest your money, it has to stay in the same place for the term of the FD or till you decide to withdraw. | You can easily change your fund allocations from equity to debt and vice versa according to the market conditions. |
| You earn a fixed interest on FDs | The returns vary according to the market conditions |
˜The insurers/plans mentioned are arranged in order of highest to lowest first year premium (sum of individual single premium and individual non-single premium) offered by Policybazaar’s insurer partners offering life insurance investment plans on our platform, as per ‘first year premium of life insurers as at 31.03.2025 report’ published by IRDAI. Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. For complete list of insurers in India refer to the IRDAI website www.irdai.gov.in
*All savings are provided by the insurer as per the IRDAI approved insurance
plan.
^The tax benefits under Section 80C allow a deduction of up to ₹1.5 lakhs from the taxable income per year and 10(10D) tax benefits are for investments made up to ₹2.5 Lakhs/ year for policies bought after 1 Feb 2021. Tax benefits and savings are subject to changes in tax laws.
+Returns Since Inception of LIC Growth Fund
¶Long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax (12.5%) is exempted on annual premiums up to 2.5 lacs.
++Source - Google Review Rating available on:- http://bit.ly/3J20bXZ
^^The information relating to mutual funds presented in this article is for educational purpose only and is not meant for sale. Investment is subject to market risks and the risk is borne by the investor. Please consult your financial advisor before planning your investments.
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