Check for renewal ceasing age, co-pay norm and sub-limits before opting.

Choose your health cover with care

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My wife, 27, and I, 29, together earn Rs 80,000 a month. Our expenses come to Rs 35,000 (including a car loan payment of Rs 5,500 and a rent of Rs 12,000). We give Rs 10,000 to both our parents. Another Rs 10,000 is in mutual funds for two years (Rs 2,500 each in two equity-diversified and two tax saving funds). We have Rs 5,000 in Public Provident Fund. I bought two unit-linked insurance plans (at Rs 6,000 monthly premium) last year for saving taxes. We both have health covers from our employers. We plan to buy a house (with a loan of Rs 25-30 lakh) in two years.

Financial Planning: Malhar Majumder

With Irda revoking assurance, pension plans may not offer as much as other long-term products.

Undefined returns = no guarantee

I, 45, earn about Rs 1.2 lakh monthly. My family and I were abroad for 15 years. We returned five years ago. While abroad, we were living in company-provided accommodation. But now, we want to buy a flat on home loan. However, since we have differences with our relatives, we can&rsquo;t find a guarantor.

Debt counselling: Sanjay Agarwal

My home loan provider has given a loan cover (premium included in the equated monthly instalment (EMI)).

General Insurance: Gaurav Garg

There is some good news for bank customers. It may soon be time to bid goodbye to bad memories of being penalised for non-maintenance of the minimum balance, being charged for shifting home loans, or having struggled to recover money after failed ATM transactions.

RBI panel wants banks to serve customers better

When Mumbai freelance copywriter Sanhita Paradkar and sales executive Alok Chitre, both 28, decided to marry, they thought their expenses would reduce, as a lot of it would merge. The wedding was in May but the expenses haven&rsquo;t gone down.

Financial tips for newly wed couples

Switching loans allowed, but timing it becomes crucial.

Better service, lower charges

I plan to invest in a unit-linked insurance plan (Ulip).

Life Insurance: Deepak Sood

Emotional tugs are being widely used to sell financial products.

Keep your heart fenced

Keep investing and stay invested through both good and bad times.

Timing is everything

With equity markets down 700 points in the past two trading sessions, retail investors have been getting jittery. With volatility since November last year, rating agency Standard and Poor&rsquo;s (S&amp;P) downgrading of American government debt firmly sets a sombre tone. The Sensex and Nifty have each lost almost 7.5 per cent in the past week.

Dodging volatile equity markets

Navigating market turmoil, with minimum investment rules and easy exits, attracts retail investors.

Now, equity brokers offer SIP route

Andhra Bank has hiked interest rates on domestic term deposits effective August 8. The rates on deposits of less than Rs 1 crore for 46-90 days is now 6 per cent, from 5 per cent earlier; while for 91-179 day tenor, it is 7.25 per cent (7 per cent); for 6 months to less than one year, it is 8.50 per cent (8 per cent); for 1-3 years, the rate is 9.40 per cent; and for 3-5 years, it is 9 per cent (8.6 per cent).

Andhra Bank hikes rates on term deposits

Two in every three complaints was turned down as the customer was ignorant about rules.

How to use bank ombudsman 

I, 24, am working for two months. I earn Rs 35,000 pm. I do not have any dependent. My monthly expenses are Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000. The rest is saved. I also do not invest.

Financial planning: Malhar Majumder

After the US downgrade, markets are falling. I am looking to park Rs 8 lakh. Is this a good time to enter the market? Which sectors are good bets? My horizon is 2-3 years.

Investing: Rishi Nathany

The country's top two banks, State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI Bank, on Thursday announced 50-basis point increases in their minimum lending rates, or base rates, to 10 per cent. The rate rises are effective from Saturday.

SBI, ICICI Bank raise base rates by 50 bps to 10%

They promise more return, but do your post-tax and allied homework to assess if the risk element is worth it.

Return and risk in non-convertible debentures

Term policies with increasing cover are suited for families with limited financial resources.

Rising needs, more cover

The calculation is based on annual value, not on actual income.

Property pangs for income tax payers

Personal Finance: Read about the smart strategies for Personal Finance Planning, Investing, Insurance, banking, budgeting, loans Tax Planning, retirement and insurance. Browse Business Standard to learn more on Personal Finance.

Personal Finance: Investing, Planning, Retirement, Loans, & Insurance | Business Standard

Read about the smart strategies for Personal Finance Planning, Investing, Insurance, banking, budgeting, loans Tax Planning, retirement and insurance. Browse Business Standard to learn more on Personal Finance.

Page 847 - Personal Finance