PolicyBazaar, an insurance aggregator, on Thursday (September 22) shared a comprehensive pan-India research on term insurance. The survey unearthed insights into the buying behaviour of women in the realm of term insurance, painting a picture of women emerging as key decision-makers.
Both working women and homemakers are breaking away from traditional norms of non-participation in financial planning. They are now increasingly turning to term insurance as a means to secure the future of their dependents,
PolicyBazaar said.
"...45 percent of homemakers actively participate in the decision-making process when purchasing
term insurance, alongside their husbands. This trend extends to salaried (81 percent) and self-employed (66 percent) women who often make joint decisions regarding term insurance. Notably, when women are the primary decision-makers, the choice of high coverage is evident," the insurance aggregator said.
Education and independence
Education plays a pivotal role in determining the independence of purchase decisions. A striking 58 percent of women who buy term insurance independently are graduates or possess higher degrees. Salaried women, in particular, stand out, with 50 percent making independent decisions, as per the survey.
Regional variation
Regionally, Western India leads the pack in independent decision-making among women, with 36 percent of women in Tier-1 and -2 cities making autonomous choices, surpassing the national average of 27 percent.
Securing children's future
The motivation behind purchasing
term insurance for married women with children is securing their offspring's future. Surprisingly, 39 percent of married women without children also opt for term plans with this foresight in mind. Additionally, 16 percent of single women purchase term plans to secure their potential children. Within this category, 69 percent of women buy term insurance to provide for their aging parents, the survey said.
Word of mouth
When it comes to awareness, word of mouth reigns supreme, with more than 35 percent of respondents citing family and friends as their primary source of information about women's term insurance plans.
"Social media follows closely behind, with 25 percent of respondents turning to these platforms for information. In the higher income bracket of Rs 10 lakh and above, insurance agents play a significant role in spreading awareness,"
Policybazaar said.
Choosing high coverage
Forty-four percent of women opt for coverage of Rs 1 crore or above, whether as primary or co-decision-makers. In contrast, only 13 percent of men purchase such high coverage for their wives, irrespective of their employment status.
When husbands take the lead in decision-making, 76 percent of them invest in coverage ranging from Rs 20-50 lakh. Interestingly, over 50 percent of salaried term insurance buyers choose Rs 1 crore cover, while 87 percent of homemakers opt for coverage ranging from Rs 20-50 lakh.
Regional variations continue, with a higher proportion of respondents in the West (34 percent) and South (30 percent) choosing coverage of 1 crore and above.
