Reliance Life Insurance began as AMP Sanmar Life in 2001, rebranded after Reliance Capital’s 2005 acquisition, and became India’s largest private insurer by policy count in 2010. Nippon Life increased its stake to 49% by 2016, boosting confidence in the business. However, financial troubles at Reliance Capital post-2017 under the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) hurt growth and reputation. With IIHL (Hinduja Group) taking over, the company is at a pivotal point. Despite challenges, it maintains a 98.73% claim settlement ratio, ₹35,000 Cr AUM, and 61,000+ advisors, continuing to offer key products like Super Suraksha Plus and Elite to rebuild trust.

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Overview

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In this blog, we explore the history, growth, and current offerings of Reliance Life Insurance, now soon to be managed by the Hinduja Group. We dive into the company’s product portfolio, highlighting key policies like Super Suraksha and Saral Jeevan Bima, which provide a range of coverage options. The blog also discusses the company’s claim settlement ratio, customer service quality, and market presence, especially in smaller cities. We examine the pros and cons of choosing Reliance Nippon Life Insurance, offering insights into the insurer’s stability, product benefits, and future outlook for potential policyholders.

Overview of Reliance Life Insurance

In addition to its term plans, Reliance Life Insurance offers savings and investment products, although some, like market-linked policies, carry investment risk. The company has faced challenges due to Reliance Capital's financial issues, but the support from Japan’s Nippon Life and the upcoming involvement of Hinduja-led IIHL bring hope for recovery. Today, with a strong presence in tier 2 and tier 3 cities and a vast advisor network, Reliance Nippon Life Insurance plans focus on rebuilding trust and reinforcing the company's place in the market.

Reliance Life Insurance Customer Reviews

"I liked how the plan gave me long-term coverage with flexible payout options."

- Priya Shenoy

"The premium amount was affordable, and I could pay online easily."

- Aditya Rathore

"Their customer care clarified everything without trying to upsell."

- Ishita Ghosh

"The onboarding process was simple and didn’t involve any paperwork."

- Ramesh Nayak

"The policy options are well-structured for salaried individuals like me."

- Nikita Desai

"The plan included optional riders that actually made sense for my lifestyle."

- Bharat Mehra

"I liked the return of premium option—it gave a sense of assurance."

- Snehal Modi

"I received soft copies of everything almost instantly—super smooth process."

- Varun Thomas

Had to reschedule medicals twice because of poor coordination from their side.

- Reena Pathak

Policy wording was dense and required several calls to understand properly.

- Saurabh Jhala

Claim Settlement Ratio of Reliance Nippon Life Insurer

One of the most crucial factors when choosing a life insurance provider is the Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR), which indicates the percentage of claims the insurer successfully pays out in a given year. The CSR is calculated as:

(Total number of claims settled by the insurer in a year / Total number of claims received in that year) × 100

A high CSR reflects an insurer’s reliability, especially when dealing with the substantial sums associated with life insurance. A CSR above 97% is generally considered strong, and reviewing performance over the last few years against the industry average can provide useful insights.

Here’s how Reliance Life Insurance performs:

Year Reliance Nippon Life CSR Industry Average CSR
2021–2022 98.67% 97.55%
2022–2023 98.61% 98.19%
2023–2024 98.92% 98.73%
Average (2021–2024) 98.73% 98.13%

Insight: Reliance Nippon Life Insurance has maintained a solid CSR of 98.73% on average over the past three years, which is above the industry average of 98.13%. While this indicates a strong claim settlement history, the company is still navigating a period of transition, and the impact of this on long-term consistency remains to be seen. Nonetheless, its current performance in claim settlement suggests it is managing claims efficiently during this time of change.

Amount Settlement Ratio of Reliance Nippon Life Insurer

While the Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) indicates the number of claims an insurer settles, it doesn't reflect the actual value of the claims being paid out. This is where the Amount Settlement Ratio (ASR) comes into play, as it helps assess whether an insurer is honoring the value of both small and large claims fairly. The ASR is calculated as:

(Total amount of claims settled / Total amount of claims filed) × 100

A high ASR, typically above 90%, signals that the insurer is financially robust and committed to settling claims equitably, irrespective of size. It’s a key metric to understand whether an insurer is truly following through on its financial obligations.

Here’s how Reliance Life Insurance has performed in terms of ASR over the past three years:

Year Reliance Nippon Life ASR Industry Average ASR
2021–2022 95.39% 94.10%
2022–2023 93.07% 93.30%
2023–2024 94.40% 94.90%
Average (2021–2024) 94.30% 94.17%

Insight: Reliance Nippon Life Insurance has maintained an average ASR of 94.3% over the past three years, slightly above the industry average. Though there was a slight dip in 2022-2023, the insurer remains reliable in settling claims.

Complaint Volume of Reliance Life Insurance

Beyond just claims and payouts, it’s smart to check how often customers actually raise their voice against an insurer — that’s where complaint volume comes in. Measured as the number of complaints per 10,000 claims, this figure gives you a peek into the insurer’s service quality, from how smoothly claims are handled to how responsive they are when problems crop up.

Years Reliance Nippon Complaint Volume (per 10,000 claims) Industry Median
2021–2022 3.7 17
2022–2023 3.6 16
2023–2024 2.4 15.2
Average (2021–2024) 3.2 15.0 (Median)

Insight: Reliance Nippon Life Insurance has kept its complaints impressively low, averaging just 3.2 per 10,000 claims over the past three years, compared to the industry median of 15. This points to fairly efficient service.

Riders offered by Reliance Nippon Life Insurance Plans

Rider Super Suraksha Plus Super Suraksha Elite Saral Jeevan Bima
Accidental Death Benefit Rider Yes Yes No
Accidental Total and Permanent Disability Yes Yes No
Critical Illness Rider Yes (Up to 25 Illnesses) Yes(Up to 25 Illnesses) No
Waiver of Premium Rider Yes (Only on Accidental Total and Permanent Disability) Yes (Only on Accidental Total and Permanent Disability) No

Reliance Nippon Term Life Insurance Plans

Reliance Nippon Life Super Suraksha Plus

Reliance Nippon Life Super Suraksha Plus is a term insurance plan that offers two distinct variants — Life and Life Plus — designed to meet different protection needs. It provides flexible cover options, milestone-based enhancements, and attractive discounts, making it a well-rounded choice for buyers looking for both security and value-added benefits.

Key Highlights of Reliance Nippon Life Super Suraksha Plus:

    • Under the Life variant, the death benefit is 100% of the base sum assured until age 60, and there is no maturity benefit.
    • Under the Life Plus variant, the death benefit remains at 100% of the base sum assured throughout the policy term, and if the life assured survives till maturity, they receive a maturity benefit equal to 100% of the total premiums paid.
    • The minimum entry age is 18 years, while the maximum entry age is 60 years for the Life variant and 55 years for the Life Plus variant.
    • The minimum maturity age is 38 years, with the maximum maturity age going up to 85 years under the Life variant and 75 years under the Life Plus variant.
    • The minimum sum assured is ₹50 lakh for both variants, with no upper limit for either, subject to underwriting approval.
    • Premiums can be paid under limited pay terms of 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years, or as regular pay throughout the policy term.
    • Premium payment frequencies include yearly, half-yearly, quarterly, and monthly options.
    • The plan offers flexibility with optional riders. You can choose one accidental rider from three available options, and also add a Critical Illness Rider for accidental death, disability, and critical illnesses.
    • Buyers can access several discounts, including a 10% employee discount or a 10% online discount on the first year’s premium (the two cannot be combined), along with salaried discounts of 2% for 5-year PPT, 3% for 7- and 10-year PPT, and 5% for 15-year PPT.
    • A standout feature is the Enhanced Coverage Benefit Option, which allows you to increase your coverage at key life milestones like marriage, childbirth, or taking a home loan, without additional medical underwriting.
    • In the unfortunate event of the life assured’s death, the plan promises an instant claim payout of ₹1 lakh within two working days, subject to conditions.
    • The death benefit payout can be customized during claim time, as a lump sum, income, or a combination of both.
    • Women enjoy lower premium rates every year, and limited pay policies come with an early exit option for added flexibility.
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Reliance Nippon Life Super Suraksha Elite

Reliance Nippon Life Super Suraksha Elite is a high-cover term insurance plan designed for affluent individuals seeking substantial financial protection. With flexible payment options, milestone-based enhancements, and attractive discounts, it caters to customers looking for robust, customizable life cover with added security benefits.

Key Highlights of Reliance Nippon Life Super Suraksha Elite:

    • The minimum entry age is 18 years, while the maximum entry age is 60 years.
    • The minimum maturity age is 38 years, and the maximum maturity age is 85 years.
    • The minimum sum assured is ₹2 crore, and there is no maximum limit, subject to underwriting approval..
    • There is no maturity benefit available under this policy.
    • The policy term ranges from a minimum of 20 years (25 years if choosing the 15-year premium payment term) to a maximum of 50 years, subject to the maximum maturity age.
    • The premium payment term options and frequencies are the same as the above plan, i.e., Super Suraksha Plus.  
    • The rider options and discount structures are the same as the above plan. 
    • The Enhanced Coverage Benefit Option is also available in this plan. 
    • In the unfortunate event of the life assured’s death, the plan promises an instant claim payout of ₹2 lakh within two working days, subject to conditions.
    • The death benefit payout options are the same as the above plan.
    • Women enjoy lower premium rates yearly, and limited pay policies come with an early exit option for added flexibility.
    • The minimum income criterion to purchase this policy is ₹10 lakh per annum, and the product is available to salaried and self-employed individuals with at least a graduate-level education.

Reliance Nippon Life Saral Jeevan Bima

Reliance Nippon Life Saral Jeevan Bima is a standard, IRDAI-mandated term plan, designed for individuals who may face challenges with income proof or eligibility. This plan is not unique to Reliance, as all insurers are required to offer it under the same guidelines.

    • It provides basic life cover with a minimum sum assured of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh, available in multiples of ₹50,000.
    • The plan offers flexible premium payment options, including regular pay, limited pay (for 5 or 10 years), or single premium.
    • Premiums can be paid as a single payment or at yearly, half-yearly, or monthly intervals.
    • It covers individuals from 18 to 70 years of age, with a minimum maturity age of 23 years and a maximum maturity age of 70 years.
    • Premium payment terms range from 5 to 40 years, depending on the option chosen.

Overall, it is a simple, affordable safety net for families, providing essential life insurance protection without extra frills.

Should You Opt For Reliance Nippon Life Insurance Plans?

If you’re considering Reliance Nippon Life for term insurance, here’s a quick look at its key strengths and weaknesses to help you decide.

Pros of Reliance Nippon Life Insurance

    • High Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) — Reliance Nippon Life has maintained a consistently strong CSR of 98.73% (average of FY 21-22 - FY 23-24), signaling that it honors its claims reliably and promptly, a crucial metric when families depend on payouts during tough times.
    • High Amount Settlement Ratio (ASR) — The insurer’s high ASR of 94.3% (average of FY 21-22 - FY 23-24)reflects its ability to settle large claims smoothly, reassuring those insuring for higher sums like ₹50 lakh or more.
    • Low Complaint Volume (CV) — Reliance Nippon Life reports a relatively low number of complaints (average of 3.2 from  FY 21-22 to FY 23-24) compared to the industry, suggesting steady customer service performance.
    • Flexible Features & Discounts — From milestone-based cover enhancements, early claim payouts within two working days, customizable death benefit payouts (lump sum/income), to discounts for salaried individuals, women, online buyers, and limited pay options — the plans are packed with flexibility and perks.

Cons of Reliance Nippon Life Insurance

    • Strict Eligibility and High Income Criteria — Some plans, like Super Suraksha Plus, have a steep minimum annual income requirement of ₹10 lakh, making them inaccessible for many middle-income buyers.
    • Complex Plan Structures — While flexibility is great, the number of variants, payment options, and discount conditions can overwhelm first-time buyers. Simpler plans like Saral Jeevan Bima address this but come with lower coverage ceilings.
    • Limited Digital Presence — Compared to newer private insurers, Reliance’s online journey for buying and servicing policies is less intuitive and user-friendly, potentially frustrating younger or digital-first customers.
Ditto’s Take: Reliance Nippon Life Insurance offers solid features like milestone-based cover boosts, salaried discounts, flexible payouts, and quick partial claims. It was previously under the troubled Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group but gained stability after the Hinduja Group’s 2023 takeover, bringing strong financial backing and professional management. While the acquisition improves its outlook, term insurance is a long-term contract, and insurers in transition may face operational shifts. If long-term stability is your priority, consider more established insurers; if you're open to a calculated bet on a newly stabilized player with good features, Reliance is worth exploring, with caution.

Why Talk to Ditto for Your Life Insurance?

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Conclusion

Reliance Nippon Life Insurance has weathered a turbulent journey, now entering a new phase under the Hinduja Group’s expected leadership. Despite past challenges under Reliance Capital, it maintains a strong 98.73% claim settlement ratio, solid payout performance, and low complaints. With popular plans like Super Suraksha Plus, Super Suraksha Elite, and Saral Jeevan Bima, it offers good protection and value, especially in Tier 2 and 3 cities. While promising, buyers should watch how its stability and service evolve during this transition.

 

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