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Microlesson · 5-min read

Amount Received Under Life Insurance Policy (Non-ULIP, Non-Keyman)

# Life Insurance Policy Proceeds (Other than ULIP & Keyman) — Section 10(10D) & IFOS

## General Rule

Amount received under a Life Insurance Policy (LIP) other than ULIP and Keyman Insurance Policy is taxable under IFOS if it is NOT exempt under Section 10(10D).

## Exemption Under Section 10(10D)

Maturity proceeds are exempt EXCEPT in the following cases:

### Case (i) — Premium-to-Sum Assured Ratio

If the annual premium paid exceeds the following percentage of sum assured, the proceeds are taxable:

Date of PolicyPremium Limit
Issued before 1.4.201220% of sum assured
Issued between 1.4.2012 to 31.3.201310% of sum assured
Issued on or after 1.4.201310% (normal person) / 15% (disabled person)

### Case (ii) — High-Premium Policies issued on/after 1.4.2023

If the LIP is issued on or after 1.4.2023 AND the premium payable exceeds ₹ 5,00,000 in any P.Y. — the proceeds are taxable.

Aggregation Rule: If the assessee has more than 1 LIP, exemption is available only for those LIPs for which the aggregate premium in any P.Y. does not exceed ₹ 5,00,000.

### Important Carve-Out

Cases (i) and (ii) do NOT apply where the amount is received on death of the insured — fully exempt in all cases.

## Computation of Taxable Income (if not exempt)

ParticularsAmount
Amount Received under LIPXX
(−) Premium paid till date of receipt(XX)
Income from Other SourcesXX

## Assessee's Option for Aggregation

Where multiple post-1.4.2023 high-premium LIPs exist, the assessee can choose which policies' premiums to aggregate within ₹ 5 lakh to maximize exemption.

Worked example

### Example 1

Detailed Example (from chapter): Mr. Aman has 5 LIPs. Annual premiums: A=₹6L, B=₹2L, C=₹2.80L, D=₹5L, E=₹6L (all sum assured >10× premium). Issue dates: A: 1.1.2023, B: 1.6.2023, C: 1.3.2024, D: 1.4.2024, E: 1.5.2023. LIP A (pre 1.4.2023) → Exempt under old rules. LIP E (post 1.4.2023, premium > ₹5L) → Taxable IFOS. LIPs B, C, D: Best combo → B & C exempt (aggregate ₹4.80L), D taxable (since D alone is ₹5L and adding to B+C breaches limit).

### Example 2

Computation Example for LIP D: Amount received = ₹ 57 lakhs; Premium paid till date = 5 × 9 = ₹ 45 lakhs. Taxable IFOS = ₹ 57 − ₹ 45 = ₹ 12 lakhs.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating all LIP proceeds as exempt regardless of premium percentage / amount.
  • Forgetting the ₹ 5 lakh aggregate rule for policies post 1.4.2023.
  • Applying tax even on death proceeds — death claims are always fully exempt.
  • Not deducting the cumulative premium paid while computing taxable IFOS.
  • Missing the assessee's right to choose the optimal aggregation combination.
Bare-Act text Sections 10(10D) and 56(2)(xiii) · Income Tax Act, 1961 · click to expand
Section 10(10D) exempts any sum received under a life insurance policy, including bonus, subject to specified conditions on the premium-to-sum-assured ratio and the ₹5,00,000 aggregate annual premium ceiling for policies issued on or after 1.4.2023. Section 56(2)(xiii) brings the non-exempt portion under IFOS.
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