Who is a policyholder?
The policyholder is the individual who owns the life insurance policy. This person is responsible for purchasing the policy and ensuring it remains active by paying the necessary premiums. The policyholder holds several important rights and responsibilities, including:
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Choosing the Beneficiaries: The policyholder selects who will receive the death benefit if the life assured passes away.
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Modifying the Policy: The policyholder can modify the policy, such as altering the coverage amount, updating beneficiaries, or even cancelling it.
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Managing Premium Payments: The policyholder must ensure that premiums are paid on time to keep the policy in force.
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Borrowing Against the Policy: If the policy has a cash value component, the policyholder can borrow against it or withdraw.
Who is a Life assured?
The life assured, also known as the insured, is the individual whose life is covered by the insurance policy. The insurance company agrees to pay a death benefit to the beneficiaries if the life assured dies during the term of the policy. Key points about the life assured include:
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Coverage Basis: The insurance coverage is based on the life assured. The underwriting process, including medical examinations and health assessments, focuses on the life assured.
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No Direct Control: The life assured does not have control over the policy unless they are also the policyholder. If they are not the policyholder, they cannot change the policy or manage premium payments.
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Benefit Entitlement: The primary role of the life assured is passive, as their death triggers the payment of the death benefit to the designated beneficiaries.
Wrapping it up!
There is a small difference between a policyholder and a life-assured individual. While a policyholder is the one who plans and buys the policy and could be the life assured individual, the policyholder might also buy the policy for someone else, who in that case will be the life-assured individual.