Overview
Choosing a term insurance plan is no longer just about the lowest premium. It’s also about the various options offered by a plan, including variants and riders. DigiShield by Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI) offers multiple variants, payout options, and riders, making it important to understand what each feature adds before you decide.
This guide provides a comprehensive ABSLI DigiShield Plan review, covering its features, payout options, riders, pricing, and whether it's the right term plan for you.
What Is the ABSLI DigiShield Plan?
Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance DigiShield (UIN: 109N108V13) is a non-linked, non-participating individual pure term insurance plan designed to provide financial protection to the nominees in the event of the policyholder’s death.
ABSLI DigiShield Plan: 10 Plan Options and Payout Choices
Option 1: Level Cover
This is the standard term insurance option. If the life insured dies during the policy term while the policy is in force, the nominee receives the entire sum assured as a lump sum payment.
Option 2: Increasing Cover
The life cover increases over time by 5% or 10% per annum, helping your insurance keep pace with rising financial responsibilities and inflation, though at a fairly higher cost. If the life insured dies during the policy term, the nominee receives the applicable increased sum assured as a lump sum.
Option 3: Sum Assured Reduction
This option is suitable if you expect your financial liabilities to reduce over time. The life cover decreases as per the policy schedule, and the nominee receives the applicable reduced sum assured if the life insured dies during the policy term.
Option 4: Whole Life Level Cover
This option provides level life insurance coverage up to age 100. If the life insured dies at any time during the policy term, the nominee receives the full sum assured as a lump sum payment.
Option 5: Whole Life Sum Assured Reduction
This variant provides life cover up to age 100, but the sum assured reduces over time according to the policy terms. If the life insured dies during the policy term, the nominee receives the applicable reduced death benefit.
Option 6: Income Benefit
Instead of a lump sum, the nominee receives the death benefit as monthly income for the selected income period. You can choose a fixed monthly income or an income that increases by 5% each year.
Option 7: Level Cover Plus Income Benefit
This option combines immediate financial support with regular monthly income. On the life insured's death, the nominee receives the full sum assured as a lump sum, followed by a monthly income for 10 years.
Option 8: Low Cover Option
Designed for those seeking affordable basic protection, this option provides a lower level of life cover at a relatively lower premium. If the life insured dies during the policy term, the nominee receives the sum assured as a lump sum.
Option 9: Level Cover With Survival Benefit
This option combines term insurance with a limited survival benefit. If the life insured survives beyond age 60, monthly survival payouts begin and continue until the policy ends or the life insured's death, whichever occurs first. Death protection continues throughout the policy term.
Option 10: Return of Premium (ROP)
This option provides standard life cover during the policy term. If the life insured survives until maturity, the insurer refunds 100% of the total premiums paid. If death occurs during the policy term, the nominee receives the sum assured as a lump sum.
To explore more about these options in detail, refer to pages 3 to 7 of the official ABSLI DigiShield policy brochure.
Note: Not all variants are live on the insurer's website. You must confirm with the insurer what is available before purchasing.
Key Features of the ABSLI DigiShield Plan
- Inbuilt Terminal Illness Benefit: All DigiShield variants include an inbuilt Terminal Illness Benefit. If the life insured is diagnosed with a terminal illness before or at age 80, the insurer pays 50% of the applicable death benefit (up to ₹2 crore) in advance and waives future base premiums.
- Accelerated Critical Illness (ACI) Benefit: The optional Accelerated Critical Illness Benefit covers 42 specified critical illnesses and pays a lump sum on the first qualifying diagnosis, subject to waiting periods and policy conditions. The benefit is capped at 50% of the base sum assured (maximum ₹50 lakh) and reduces the remaining death benefit.
- Joint-Life Protection: Eligible DigiShield variants offer Joint-Life Protection, where the secondary life insured receives cover equal to 50% of the primary life’s sum assured. If one life insured dies, the other continues to receive coverage under the policy terms.
- Enhanced Life Stage Protection: If selected at policy inception, DigiShield allows you to increase your life cover without fresh medical tests after major milestones such as marriage, childbirth, or taking a home loan, subject to eligibility.
Riders Available With the ABSLI DigiShield Plan
Accidental Death and Disability Rider
Pays an additional 100% of the rider sum assured as a lump sum if the life insured dies due to an accident or suffers a covered accidental disability.
Critical Illness Rider
Pays a lump sum benefit if the life insured is diagnosed with any of the 42 covered critical illnesses and survives for at least 30 days after diagnosis. However, this rider cannot be opted for if you choose the ACI benefit.
Surgical Care Rider
Provides a lump sum benefit if the life insured undergoes a medically necessary surgery in India that requires at least 24 hours of hospitalization.
Hospital Care Rider
Pays a lump sum benefit if the life insured is hospitalized for at least 24 hours for a covered medically necessary treatment in India.
Accidental Death Benefit Rider Plus
Pays an additional 100% of the rider sum assured if the life insured dies due to an accident. It also refunds the rider premiums paid after the accident, along with applicable interest.
Waiver of Premium Rider
Waives all future premiums for the base policy and attached riders if the life insured is diagnosed with a covered critical illness or suffers a qualifying disability, subject to the rider terms.
Note: Optional riders are not available with the Joint Life Protection Option or Plan Options 3 (Sum Assured Reduction) and 5 (Whole Life Sum Assured Reduction). You can choose either the Accidental Death and Disability Rider or the Accidental Death Benefit Rider Plus, but not both.
Additionally, the premium for health-related riders cannot exceed 100% of the base policy premium, while the combined premium for all other riders is capped at 30% of the base policy premium.
Not all riders are worth adding to your term plan. At Ditto, we recommend two riders: Critical Illness and Waiver of Premium. Look at the infographic to have an understanding of the same.
ABSLI DigiShield Plan Premiums by Age and Cover
Sample Premiums
Note: The above premiums are for a non-smoker male for ABSLI DigiShield Plan with coverage up to age 65. The figures are for Option 1 (Level Cover). You can check and compare DigiShield premium quotes directly on Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance's official website. You can also refer to page 8 of the policy brochure, which includes sample rates for all variants.
ABSLI: Performance Metrics
Note: The above data is derived from the insurer’s public disclosures and IRDAI annual reports. You can explore these metrics in greater detail through Ditto Data Lab.
Pros of the ABSLI DigiShield Plan
Highly Customizable
Simple Level Cover Available
Terminal Illness Benefit
Life-Stage Benefit Enhancement
Limitations of the ABSLI DigiShield Plan
- Complex Product: With multiple plan options, riders, and payout structures, choosing the right configuration can be confusing.
- Critical Illness Benefit Is Accelerated: Any payout reduces the remaining death benefit instead of providing additional coverage.
- Return of Premium Is Expensive: Premiums are significantly higher (60% to 100% more than a pure term plan), and only eligible base premiums are refunded without any real return.
- Whole-Life Cover Isn't Necessary for Everyone: Cover until age 100 may result in paying for protection long after income replacement is no longer needed.
If you're evaluating Aditya Birla Sun Life term insurance, our ABSLI term plans review video can help you compare the available plans with confidence.
Who Should Buy the ABSLI DigiShield Plan (and Who Should Avoid It)
Why Choose Ditto for Term Insurance?
At Ditto, we’ve assisted over 8,00,000 customers with choosing the right insurance policy. Why customers like Aaron below love us:
- No-Spam & No Salesmen
- Rated 4.9/5 on Google Reviews by 30,000+ happy customers
- Backed by Zerodha
- Dedicated Claim Support Team
- 100% Free Consultation
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Conclusion
Aditya Birla Sun Life DigiShield is best suited for buyers who want flexibility beyond a standard term plan. With multiple coverage options, income payouts, whole-life variants, and optional riders, it can be tailored to different financial goals.
However, this flexibility also makes the plan more complex, so it's important to understand exactly how your chosen variant works before purchasing. Also note that not all DigiShield variants may be available across every distribution channel.
If your primary objective is straightforward income protection, a simpler Level Cover variant is a better fit. If you prefer Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance, explore their flagship Aditya Birla Sun Life Super Term Plan, which features in our guide to the best term insurance plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
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