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Homeowner’s insurance, which is a type of property insurance, is a way to safeguard all of the homeowner’s possessions. Any damages to the home’s interior or exterior are covered. The canopy of cover can be expanded to include any kind of accident at home and violent intrusions by criminal groups as well.

A straightforward home insurance policy will protect your nest from unforeseen circumstances and natural disasters. However, the price increases when you add more and more coverage elements, such as natural disasters. This device is unique because it safeguards both the structure of the house and its contents.*

Be sure you comprehend the terms before purchasing a policy. Your premium payments—likely acquired via hard work—could be a huge waste if the coverage umbrella does not satisfy your needs. Carefully read the exclusions. Wear and tear, malicious property destruction and damage brought on by war are typically not covered.* From insurance company to insurance company, the list of exclusions differs.

This policy is called “Home Insurance” or “Home and Contents Insurance,” as the cover provides defence against theft, fire, earthquake, lightning, storm, vandalism, and more risks. With this cover, you may sleep soundly regardless of where you are—in your home or a distant holiday home.*

Numerous household objects, including jewellery, luxury clothing, electrical equipment, furniture, and artwork, can be insured as part of the home’s contents. Along with mental tranquilly, it provides a huge financial safety net in case of disasters. The insurance provider also covers the cost of the additional temporary housing if a theft or accident forces the family to move to a different location. Make sure the pay is adjusted for inflation in addition to the terms. Especially in an inflationary climate, a low salary that doesn’t account for inflation can make your earnings seem insignificant.*

The various types of home insurance are as follows     *

• Home structure insurance protects the permanent structure of the home, including the roof and the fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Contents insurance protects the items inside the home, such as books, gadgets, and jewels, from theft, fire, water, and other perils that could cause damage or loss.
• Fire and burglary insurance protects your home and its contents from damage caused by fire. The fire insurance coverage covers events such as accidents and natural calamities.
• Theft insurance protects you against any losses brought on by robberies. As far as the insurance can determine, it pays you for stolen items and valuables.
• Landlords insurance is a specialised property insurance that protects homeowners from monetary losses they can suffer due to rental properties.

Home insurance is vital in protecting homeowners in India against various risks and uncertainties. The five types of home insurance commonly available in India cover different aspects of a home, ranging from structural damages to personal belongings and liabilities. *^

A home insurance calculator is a convenient tool you can utilise online to check the coverage required based on your needs.

^     Claims are subject to terms and conditions set forth under home insurance policy     .

*Standard T&C Apply

Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.

Many elderly people previously covered by employee benefit plans offered by their jobs find themselves without insurance after retiring. Additionally, many people put off purchasing health insurance coverage in favour of other financial obligations. You can buy health insurance for parents, but you should take the following into account first:

• Providing Accurate Information

Remember to accurately disclose any pre-existing conditions and lifestyle choices, such as tobacco and alcohol use, when filling out the proposal form. If you do not disclose facts, the insurance company may reject and deny the claim due to a breach of good faith.

• Waiting Period

By the time you’re 60 years old, you might contract several ailments. After some time, certain conditions might be covered by health insurance programmes. Depending on the pre-existing condition, this term can range from one to four years between companies. Look for an insurance provider and plan with a short waiting period.

• Top-up and super top-up

When the sum insured (SI) of your basic health insurance for senior citizens is depleted, top-up and super top-up plans kick in, acting as booster dosages to your basic health insurance. Given the rising expense of healthcare, these plans can save lives in the event of medical emergencies. People who previously chose a lower sum covered should buy these plans. ##

• AYUSH Therapy

AYUSH includes Homoeopathy, Unani, Siddha, Yoga, and Naturopathy. Insurance companies also offer coverage for AYUSH if you prefer it to allopathic therapy. However, some businesses set a lower limit for AYUSH treatment. Select the insurance provider offering AYUSH broad coverage.

• Picking The Appropriate Rider

Riders can be described as supplemental benefits that can be added to the current health insurance plan by paying an additional payment. Riders function similarly to the toppings on a basic plan. However, riders should be picked properly and by your needs. The insurance company pays the sum under the critical illness rider if the insured is found to have any of the listed critical illnesses after the 15-day survival period. Room rental sub-limits are typically included when buying family health insurance coverage. If you select a room rent waiver, you are only required to pay for expenses which exceed the pre-defined limit within the rider. The waiting period rider allows you to shorten the waiting period for existing diseases.

In addition, you should read the policy’s fine print, look over the sub-limits, co-payments,  deductibles, etc., and see your agent or a business representative if you have any questions or concerns. You have 15 days after you receive the policy documents to decide whether or not you want to keep the insurance. Before making the final buying choice, evaluate the features and premiums for your coverage.

Buying health insurance as you turn 60 is a significant decision that requires careful consideration. By adhering to the five tips outlined in this guide, you can navigate the process more effectively and secure a policy that meets your healthcare needs during this stage of your life.

## All savings are provided by the insurer as per the IRDAI-approved insurance plan. Standard T&C apply

Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.

Following Kate Mathers’ previous blog on ‘Mindfulness at the heart of coaching’, she now explores how mindfulness and coaching can increase performance and wellbeing in organisations.

“The Australian workforce is overwhelmed by high stress levels…
65% of employees report ‘moderate to high stress levels’
41% of employees have psychological distress levels considered to be ‘at risk’”
(University of Wollongong in partnership with WHAA: Workplace Health Association Australia, 2015).

Wellbeing is increasingly becoming a business imperative as auditors review various risks to their employees and ascertain that the employee’s mental health and wellbeing provides the greatest risk to their business. There are sobering statistics on workplace stress levels worldwide, and Australia is no different. From the above statistics alone, it is clear to see why our coaches’ coaching clients increasingly present as highly stressed individuals.

SO HOW DOES MINDFULNESS TRAINING HELP?

At IECL, we believe that any training that increases our coaches’ self-awareness, and ability to coach for self-awareness, will enhance their coaching for wellbeing and performance. The same is true of any training that improves self-regulation of emotional behaviour and increases resilience. Training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) fulfils both of these criteria. Indeed, mindfulness training is one of the most effective trainings worldwide for increasing levels of emotional intelligence.

As well as an awareness of the neuroscience behind stress and emotional self-regulation, and the significance of ‘approach’ behaviour towards the unpleasant, the concepts of self-compassion and self-kindness are also taught and explored in MBSR. At IECL we see it as ideal if a coach has a personal understanding and practice of this material in order to coach others in ways that will enhance their own personal wellbeing.

The subjects of inter-personal mindfulness and compassion are also introduced and explored in the latter weeks of the MBSR program. Compassion and interpersonal mindfulness help to build trust and intimacy with the client, so that the client can open up about what’s really important to them. Liz Hall, in her book Mindful Coaching, reports how Boyatzis and colleagues (2010) carried out research into how coaching counterparts react to ‘compassionate’ and ‘critical’ coaching approaches and the results showed that when coaches use a compassionate approach to explore clients’…‘desired positive visions’, the clients were more likely to learn and make behavioural changes. The study also revealed that in the brains of those coached by compassionate coaches, a week or so later the parts of their brain associated with visioning, a critical process for motivating learning and behavioural change, were ‘lit up’ or activated.

IECL’s Coaching Effectiveness Survey data shows that ‘increased wellbeing’ is the third most important and common benefit that counterparts receive from IECL coaching. From our recent coach Alumni conversations where we started an online discussion on ‘Wellbeing as a core element in IECL coaching’ our coaches have been sharing strategies to foster wellbeing for counterparts and their own personal mindfulness practice has been one of the items most often shared. There is an understanding that they need to walk their talk and be trained and educated in wellbeing strategies and both mindfulness and mindful self-compassion are evidence-based in this regard.

Does this ring true for you and your practice?

The last decade has witnessed quite a few natural disasters causing harm to not just human life, but also property. With an increase in these unpredictable natural disasters, the monetary value of such events is said to exceed billions of dollars. As reported by PolicyBazaar, a World Bank estimate suggests nearly one-third of India’s districts are hazard prone. Further, the National Disaster Management Authority of India reports that 60% of the land in India is prone to earthquakes and 8% to cyclones. Despite such high risk figures, home insurance is still an undervalued general insurance product.

But if you are covered by a home insurance plan, you can safeguard yourself against financial losses due to natural calamities as well as accidents that result in damage to your home.

A home insurance policy generally covers two basic features—coverage for structure and coverage for contents. As the name suggests, structure cover compensates for the repairs that are required for the construction of your home. On the other hand, the content cover compensates for the cost of the contents that are damaged. These contents include appliances, jewelry, and even artefacts that are declared at the time of purchase.

Now that you know what is covered by a home insurance plan, how do you decide on the quantum of insurance cover? This article aims to tackle this burning question helping you opt for sufficient insurance cover.

• Cost of rebuilding the house

The first thing to keep in mind when deciding upon the quantum of home insurance coverage is the cost of reconstruction. It can be arrived at by determining at what amount you would sell your home. There are several other factors that are at play in this process, some of which are: the built-up area of the house, construction cost, cost of materials used, style of home, number of rooms, etc. *

• Cost of personal assets

Most home insurance plans include personal asset coverage in their policy scope. However, there is a cap on the amount of coverage that is available. This is generally in the range of 50% to 70%. Thus, when determining the sum assured, you need to list down the different assets that need to be included as a part of your home insurance policy. This way you can avail sufficient insurance cover for not just the structure of your home, but also the contents within it. Further, there are policies that compensate either the actual cash value of these damaged goods or provide a replacement cost. Depending on the type of policy, the home insurance quotes differ. *

• Cost of alternate accommodation

Another handy feature in a home insurance cover is the facility for alternate accommodation. Such an alternate accommodation cover provides compensation till your damaged home is repaired, thereby eliminating financial worry for the cost of staying at a different location meanwhile. When shortlisting a home insurance plan, it is essential to keep this coverage in mind as it will help avoid any financial hiccups in case of an unfortunate accident. *

• Liability coverage

A home insurance plan not only covers the damages to your own house, but also the liability that may become payable to a third person for damages. A fire at your home damaging the property of your neighbor is an example where liability coverage comes in handy. Hence, it must also form a part of your policy scope and be considered when determining the scope of your policy. *

* Standard T&C Apply 

With these different features of a home insurance plan, you can decide on how much coverage your policy must provide for and accordingly buy one. Moreover, at the time of purchasing the plan you can compute the premium with the help of a nifty tool called the home insurance calculator and choose the plan that suits your budget. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.

We live in a time of uncertainties where it has become more important than ever to take care of our health. It has equally become more important to have health insurance, so you are not financially burdened in case of a sudden medical crisis. Like with any other insurance, you need to pay premiums to get your health insurance covered.

For most people, paying a health insurance premium annually can be difficult, as the insurer deducts an enormous sum from their account at once. The availability of health insurance premiums on EMIs avoids the stress of paying hefty premiums. Here you pay a pre-decided amount every month towards your medical policy.

Benefits of purchasing your health insurance on EMIs

The primary aim of making the EMI option available towards health insurance is to make it more affordable and easier to access for all. Here are some benefits of health insurance that you from choosing monthly instalments –

• Ability to choose a higher premium amount

When you are paying your insurance premium annually, there is a limit in funds that you can pay at once. With the option of an EMI, this is made flexible as paying monthly a fractional amount is easier for most buyers. When you purchase a health cover, you can use a health insurance premium calculator to get an estimate of the premium amount you need to pay to avail your desired coverage. If you cannot afford your desired coverage as annually the premium amount seems too much to pay at once, you can simply pay in monthly instalments. Paying premiums every month is much easier in the pockets of most people than paying a hefty amount of lump sum. *

• Increase in health-related issues

Today’s generation is living the most convenient life than ever before, leading to unhealthy lifestyle problems, and eating habits. These have directly affected people’s health conditions and led to an increase in critical illnesses like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, and even some forms of cancer. When you are paying your EMIs of health insurance regularly, if you are ever diagnosed with any lifestyle-related conditions, your insurance will cover the hospitalisation expenses. *

• Enables easy health cover for dependents

If you are the breadwinner of your family, cover the health of yourself as well as your family members, as health issues can place a financial burden. However, paying an annual premium for yourself along with your dependents can lead to a sudden deduction of huge funds from your account. Easy instalments you can buy health insurance and secure your and the health of your loved ones with ease.  *

• Convenient to buy health insurance at an older age

While one can be diagnosed with a health condition anytime, chances are the more you age, the more your health is likely to deteriorate. Hence, the premiums of health insurance increase as you get older. It may be difficult for some people to pay such a huge premium for themselves or their family members. To ensure that people do not compromise on their health insurance, monthly instalments make it easier to buy and keep the health policies of older people. *

* Standard T&C Apply

Insurance is the subject of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.

The construction industry has grown by leaps and bounds during recent times, in ways both good and bad. This rapid evolution of the construction sector has seen a simultaneous increase in environmental concerns, necessitating the need to have proper solutions to mitigate such concerns. One key solution which has gained prominence is the emergence of green buildings worldwide, including in India.

What is a Green Building?

A Green building is designed and constructed in an environmentally friendly manner including, making efficient use of natural resources like energy, water; use of non-toxic and sustainable materials, reusing/ recycling materials, and so on.

With home loan at affordable home loan interest rates and a home loan EMI calculator easily available, a borrower can easily buy sustainable green homes.

Top 10 Benefits of Green Buildings in India

1. Reduced pollution and wastage of resources

The key aim of having green buildings in place is to address the adverse impact on the environment, mainly related to growing levels of pollution and depletion of natural resources. Green buildings help in a significant reduction in pollution levels, greenhouse gas emissions, and wastage of natural resources, resulting in less strain on our ecosystem.

2. Reduction in building construction and maintenance cost

The construction of green buildings also provides considerable economies of scale. By opting for environmentally sustainable design solutions, project management, recycling, and reusing materials in sustainable, and related cost-effective strategies, there is a considerable reduction in construction cost. For instance, passive cooling and natural lighting could considerably cut down operational costs.

3. Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is another key goal of green buildings. By adapting innovative environmentally friendly technology and construction methods, like solar photovoltaic systems, there are tremendous benefits to inefficient energy utilization and reduction in overall operational costs.

4. Water efficiency

Efficient management of natural resources is the key to the construction of a green building, as they advocate for savings in water by using alternative techniques like rainwater harvesting, water treatment facilities for recycling water. With water scarcity glaring at us with a bleak future, these eco-friendly measures would at least ensure a consistent supply of clean water for future generations.

5. Enhanced market value

Environmentally conscious consumers in India are on the rise, who are on the lookout for a sustainable lifestyle. Green buildings hold immense market value for potential buyers, thereby increasing their marketability.

6. Workplace Efficiency

Green and well-ventilated office spaces have been seen to bring about a significant increase in employee focus, cognitive function, and decision-making attributes. The calming effect brought about by green buildings is also seen to improve overall employee well-being, boosting workplace productivity, thus benefiting the organization.

7. Long-lasting

A green home lasts longer than a regular constructed home. An eco-friendly home is developed after carefully planning and adopting eco-friendly designing and construction techniques. As such, they turn out to be more durable and long-lasting, giving long-term cost benefits to the owner.

8. Holistic lifestyle

Living in a green building entails the buyer to adopt a holistic lifestyle which shows us to care for our ecosystem. It also improves our overall quality of life, positively impacts our overall well-being.

9. Holistic fool-proof investment

Green buildings ensure foolproof potential investments for their owners. With stringent regulations coming into force to mitigate the adverse impact on the environment, green buildings are more adaptable to such policy changes.

10. Affordable Home Loans

With green initiatives growing in popularity, borrowers can easily avail of home loans at affordable home loan interest rates for purchasing green homes.

Conclusion

Green buildings are thus seen to be slowly making inroads everywhere, right from residential structures to corporate facilities. Sustainable architecture is slowly becoming the norm, as a means to preserve our delicate ecosystem, develop thriving communities, promote economic development, and reduce carbon footprint. For more details on green building home loans, visit Tata Capital’s website.