Give complete and accurate answers to every question in the Life Insurance proposal, especially about identity, health, habits, occupation, and existing cover. The insurer uses those answers to assess risk and offer terms. A missing or incorrect answer may lead to a dispute, but the outcome depends on the facts and the protections in Section 45 of the Insurance Act, 1938.
Why does the proposal form matter?
The proposal is the applicant’s account of the risk the insurer is asked to cover. The insurer may use the answers, medical evidence, and its underwriting rules to decide whether to issue a policy, request more information, or offer different terms. Read each question as written and answer for the person whose life will be insured, even when someone else fills out the form.
Accurate disclosure helps the insurer assess the application on the right facts and gives the family a clear record if a claim later needs review. It does not guarantee that a proposal will be accepted or that every future claim will be payable. Cover remains subject to the issued policy and applicable law.
Which details should you check before submitting?
Check every field and supporting document against what you know. The exact questions vary by insurer and policy, so treat the proposal itself as the complete checklist. Common areas include:
|
Area
|
What to verify
|
|
Identity and contact
|
Name, date of birth, address, identification documents, and contact details.
|
|
Health history
|
Diagnoses, symptoms, investigations, medicines, surgeries, hospital stays, and family history where asked.
|
|
Habits and work
|
Tobacco and alcohol use, occupation, hazardous duties, travel, or other activities where asked.
|
|
Financial and cover details
|
Income, existing Life Insurance and applications, or adverse underwriting decisions where asked.
|
|
Beneficiary details
|
Nominee name, relationship, date of birth, and contact details. Update when circumstances change.
|
If the form asks whether you have “ever” received treatment, a condition that has resolved may still fall within the question. If a medical term is unclear, ask the insurer for clarification and retain the answer. A medical examination does not replace truthful answers to the proposal. Do not leave a question blank because a seller or digital form appears to treat it as unimportant.
What if a detail seems minor or you are unsure?
Disclose what the question asks and explain uncertainty in writing. For example, if you recall a test but do not have the result, describe the test and ask how to provide the record. An insurer, not the applicant, decides which risk facts matter for underwriting. Keep copies of prescriptions and discharge summaries as needed, and check dates against records rather than guessing.
Do not assume that a medical result elsewhere in the insurer’s files, a conversation with an intermediary, or an earlier policy automatically supplies the answer for this application. Record significant clarifications through the insurer’s official channel and keep an acknowledgement.
Can an incorrect answer cause a claim to be denied?
An error can create a claim dispute, but a claim is not automatically denied for every inaccurate answer. Section 45 sets the legal framework for calling a Life Insurance Policy into question. The insurer’s decision depends on the timing and whether it proves fraud or a material misstatement under the act. It must communicate its grounds and materials in writing.
The three-year period is counted from the latest of policy issuance, risk commencement, revival, or the rider date. Within that period, a policy may be questioned for fraud or for an incorrectly stated or suppressed fact material to life expectancy, subject to the statutory requirements. For a non fraudulent material misstatement, the insurer bears the burden of showing the fact directly affected the risk, and the act provides for refund of premiums collected within 90 days after repudiation.
Section 45 also says that a Life Policy cannot be called into question on any ground after that three-year period. This is a rule about questioning the policy. It does not turn exclusions, lapses, or other contract terms into covered claims. Avoid promising an outcome for a particular claim without reviewing the policy and facts.
What should you do if you spot a mistake after submitting?
Tell the insurer promptly through an official servicing channel, identify the proposal or policy number, and provide the correct fact and supporting record. Ask for written acknowledgement and a written account of any underwriting or policy change. An update request does not rewrite the policy or assure unchanged terms. Wait for the insurer’s decision.
If you are still applying, review the final proposal summary before paying. If the policy has arrived, compare it with what you submitted and ask the insurer to correct discrepancies. Keep the original form, correction request, acknowledgement, and revised document together so your nominee can locate them.
How can you complete the application with fewer errors?
Collect identification, relevant medical records, and details of existing policies before starting. Read the questions yourself even if an adviser or family member enters the answers. Give dates and details as accurately as possible, use the space for explanations, and check the final declaration before signing or electronically confirming. Download a copy of everything submitted.
For a practical example, suppose an applicant takes medication for high blood pressure. If the proposal asks about diagnoses or ongoing medication, disclose both the condition and treatment, even if the current readings are normal. The insurer can then ask for records or tests and decide its terms. The applicant should not predict the underwriting answer by omitting the history.
How can ABSLI help with a correction?
Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited provides official policy servicing and customer support channels for proposal and policy queries. Submit a correction request with the relevant application or policy details and keep the acknowledgement. The insurer will assess any effect on underwriting or policy records according to its process and applicable law. Contact details appear in the company information below.
September 29, 2026
6 mins 
Table of Contents
BUY ONLINE
