LIC Surrender Value Calculator (GSV)

LIC Surrender Value Calculator

GSV-only LIC surrender value floor estimate per IRDAI 2024 schedule. Form 5074 process, 7-15 day payout, lost-bond Form 3815 procedure, jargon decoded.

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Your Policy Details

Tax residency is independent of citizenship. OCI / PIO holders may be tax-residents or non-residents based on physical-presence rules. Example 1: US citizen, OCI holder, working in India for Rs 10 lakh/year = tax-resident for that year. Example 2: Same person, retired in US, visiting India 60 days/year = non-resident. If unsure, leave checked and consult a CA.

Enter premium net of all GST regardless of when paid. Currently 0% on individual life insurance (effective 22 Sep 2025 per GST 2.0 reform). Pre-reform: 4.5% Y1 / 2.25% Y2+ on traditional plans; 18% on term insurance. Most policy receipts show the net figure separately.

Whole years only.

Original sum assured shown on your policy bond. Must be greater than zero.

Per Finance Act 2023 + CBDT Rule 11UACA, if your aggregate annual premium across ALL non-ULIP policies exceeds Rs 5 lakh in any year of the policy term (not just this year), the surrender value loses Section 10(10D) exemption. We need this answer to flag your tax exposure correctly.

Excluded from GSV calculation per IRDAI rule. Shown for transparency.

Enter your policy details on the left to see your GSV floor estimate. All fields above (issue year, premium, years paid, term, sum assured, plus the "other policies" declaration) are required. The math is the IRDAI minimum guaranteed-surrender-value floor; your actual LIC payout will likely be higher because of vested bonuses and Special Surrender Value (SSV) which we do not compute.
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TL;DR

GSV-only LIC surrender value floor estimate per the IRDAI Master Circular (June 2024) for policies issued on or after 1 October 2024, OR the legacy IRDAI 2013 schedule for older policies. Scoped to Endowment + Whole Life only; Money-Back / Annuity / Pension / ULIP gated at the input layer. Hard constraint: NO Special Surrender Value (SSV) computation, NO bonus surrender value computation - LIC does not publicly publish those factor tables, and aggregator sites that show estimated SSV are fabricating numbers. Differentiation moat is operational guidance: Form 5074 process, 7-15 day NEFT payout, lost-bond Form 3815 procedure with 3-tier threshold ladder, jargon decoded for Vested Bonus / Paid-Up Value / SSV. Tax-flag panel surfaces the two-prong Section 10(10D) test (10% premium-to-SA ratio AND Rs 5 lakh aggregate cap per Finance Act 2023, evaluated for any year per CBDT Rule 11UACA), 2% Section 194DA TDS on aggregate-premium income portion (NOT GSV-base income portion - the IRDAI Y1 exclusion is a GSV rule, not an income tax rule), and Section 80C reversal for surrender within 2 years. Surrendering is irreversible.

Quick Facts

Plans supportedEndowment, Whole Life. Money-Back / Annuity / Pension / ULIP use different math; gated at input.
Surrender value floor (legacy regime, pre-Oct 2024 policy)Eligible from Year 3. Year 3 = 30%, Years 4-7 = 50%, Years 8 to (term-2) = flat 50% (IRDAI 2013 minimums do not pin higher), last 2 years = 90%.
Surrender value floor (new regime, post-Oct 2024 policy)Eligible from Year 2 (SSV from Year 1, not computed). Year 2 = 30%, Year 3 = 35%, Years 4-7 = 50%, Years 8 to (term-2) = flat 50%, last 2 years = 90%.
Single premium GSV75% from year 1 to (term-2), 90% in last 2 years (both regimes).
Excluded from GSV "premiums paid" baseFirst-year premium (regular pay only), rider premiums, extra premium, GST. NOTE: this exclusion is for IRDAI GSV only; Section 194DA TDS uses aggregate premium WITHOUT first-year exclusion.
Vested bonus surrenderLIC plan-specific factor; not publicly published. Get from servicing branch.
SSV (Special Surrender Value)Computed by LIC actuarially via internal asset-share model; not publicly published. LIC pays the higher of GSV or SSV.
Surrender process (intact bond)Form 5074 + NEFT mandate + original bond + PAN + Aadhaar + cancelled cheque, submitted at servicing branch (standard, fastest path). Any authorised LIC branch can also accept.
Surrender process (lost bond)Form 3815 (NOT 3756 - that is for no-claim duplicate). Typical 3-tier ladder: around Rs 5,000 or below no bond; around Rs 5,000-10,000 Form 3815-A indemnity letter; above approximately Rs 10,000 Form 3815 notarized + 1-month newspaper advertisement. Confirm exact thresholds with your servicing branch (LIC may revise).
Payout window7 to 15 working days from submission via NEFT.
Section 80C reversalIf surrendered in less than 2 years for traditional plans, 80C deductions actually claimed in earlier returns are reversed and taxed in the surrender year.
Section 10(10D) two-prong testExempt only if (a) annual premium <= 10% of SA (20% for pre-Apr-2012 policies) AND (b) for policies issued on/after 1 April 2023, aggregate annual premium across all non-ULIP policies <= Rs 5 lakh in EVERY year of the policy term. Per CBDT Rule 11UACA, evaluated for any year (NOT just surrender year); if aggregate ever exceeded Rs 5 lakh in any prior year, Prong 2 fails retroactively.
Section 194DA TDS2% on income portion (Finance Act 2024, effective 1 Oct 2024; was 5% before). Income portion = payout - aggregate premiums paid (NO first-year exclusion - that is an IRDAI rule, not income tax rule). Triggers when payout > Rs 1 lakh AND 10(10D) fails.
GST on premium0% on individual life insurance from 22 Sep 2025 (GST 2.0 reform). Pre-reform: 4.5% Y1 / 2.25% Y2+ on traditional plans; 18% on term.

How LIC GSV Is Actually Calculated (Regimes, Plan-Type Scope, and the GSV-vs-Tax-Base Distinction)

The Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) is calculated as Total Premiums Paid minus First Year Premium minus Rider Premiums minus GST, multiplied by a GSV factor. The factor varies by year of surrender, total policy term, and which IRDAI regulatory regime applies. Two regimes: policies issued before 1 October 2024 follow IRDAI Linked + Non-Linked Insurance Products Regulations 2013 minimums (Year 3 = 30%, Years 4-7 = 50%, last 2 years = 90%). Policies issued on or after 1 October 2024 follow the IRDAI Master Circular June 2024 schedule (Year 2 = 30%, Year 3 = 35%, Years 4-7 = 50%, last 2 years = 90%). Per the IRDAI Master Circular, Special Surrender Value (SSV) is also payable from Year 1 onward under the new regime - we do not compute SSV (LIC's asset-share factors are not publicly published) but surface the eligibility note in the calculator.

The calculator scope is intentionally narrow: Endowment and Whole Life policies only. Money-Back, Annuity, Pension, and ULIP plans are gated at the input layer. Money-Back surrender involves survival benefits already paid that we do not model precisely; Annuity / Pension uses payout-cessation math; ULIP uses NAV-based math with a separate 5-year Section 10(10D) lock-in. Shipping a narrow correct calculator beats shipping a wider approximate one on a YMYL surrender-value page.

Critical distinction: GSV base vs income tax base. The IRDAI rule excludes the first-year premium from the GSV computation. This exclusion is a GSV computation rule ONLY - it is NOT an income tax rule. Section 194DA defines the income portion as payout minus AGGREGATE premiums paid (no first-year exclusion). The calculator therefore maintains two separate premium totals: premium base for GSV (excludes Y1) for the GSV factor calculation, and aggregate premiums paid for tax (includes Y1) for the 194DA TDS calculation. v2 of this calculator used the GSV base for both, which understated income and TDS by exactly one Y1 premium worth; v3 corrects.

Why Your Servicing Branch Matters (and the Lost-Bond Form 3815 Procedure)

The standard, fastest path to surrender an LIC policy is to submit Form 5074 (Surrender Discharge Voucher) along with the original policy bond, NEFT mandate form, PAN, Aadhaar, and a cancelled cheque at the servicing branch - the LIC branch where the policy was originally issued, printed on the first page of the policy bond. Any authorised LIC branch or collection centre can also accept the form for forwarding to the servicing branch, but the servicing branch processes fastest. For an irreversible high-value action like surrender, in-person submission with acknowledgement is recommended over postal mail; LIC NEFT payout typically follows in 7 to 15 working days. The all-India toll-free helpline is 1800-33-4433.

If your original policy bond is lost AND you are surrendering simultaneously, the form is Form 3815, NOT Form 3756. Form 3756 covers "lost bond, no active claim, want a duplicate" - a different use case. Form 3815 covers "lost bond + active claim (surrender, maturity, or death)." The typical threshold ladder by net claim amount (sourced from BankBazaar / PolicyX walk-throughs, not a primary LIC circular - confirm with your servicing branch as LIC may revise these): around Rs 5,000 or below, no indemnity bond is typically required (claim settled directly with KYC + LIC's loss-circumstances questionnaire). Around Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, Form 3815-A indemnity letter is typically used (lighter requirement). Above approximately Rs 10,000 (most surrender claims), Form 3815 notarized on non-judicial stamp paper is typical, plus a 1-month newspaper advertisement (English or local newspaper, in the state where the policy was lost), plus LIC's loss-circumstances questionnaire. The Form 3815 vs 3756 distinction itself is what aggregators frequently get wrong; the precise rupee thresholds are a secondary operational detail to confirm with your branch before submitting.

GSV vs SSV vs Paid-Up: Jargon Decoded

Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) is the IRDAI-mandated minimum the calculator on this page estimates. Special Surrender Value (SSV) is LIC's higher actuarial valuation, computed via internal asset-share factors LIC does not publish. Per IRDAI 2024 regulations, the surrender value paid is the higher of GSV or SSV. SSV must equal at least the present value of paid-up sum assured plus future benefits plus accrued bonuses (less survival benefits already paid), discounted at a rate not exceeding the 10-year G-Sec yield plus 50 basis points. Aggregator sites that show "estimated SSV" are using assumed bonus rates and discount rates that are not LIC's actual numbers.

Vested Bonus refers to accumulated annual bonuses declared by LIC on participating traditional policies. Two types: Simple Reversionary Bonus (declared annually per Rs 1,000 of sum assured) and Final Additional Bonus (paid only at maturity / death for long-tenure policies). On surrender, vested bonuses are paid out at a separate "bonus surrender factor" that varies by year-of-surrender x policy-term. LIC does NOT publicly publish bonus surrender factors; this calculator therefore excludes them from the floor estimate.

Paid-Up is an alternative to surrender. Reduced Sum Assured = (Number of Premiums Paid / Total Number of Premiums Payable) x Original Sum Assured. The policy continues with the reduced sum assured; vested bonuses already declared remain vested but no new bonus accrues from the year of conversion. Paid-Up is often the better choice past Year 5-7 if you do not urgently need the cash because the death cover continues and the reduced SA + vested bonuses pay out at maturity.

Tax Implications: 80C Reversal, 10(10D) Two-Prong Test, 194DA TDS at 2% on Aggregate-Premium Income

Section 80C(5) reversal: if a traditional LIC policy is surrendered before completing 2 full years of premium payment, any Section 80C deductions actually claimed in earlier returns for that policy's premiums are reversed - added back to taxable income in the surrender year, taxed at the user's current slab. (Note: the 5-year reversal rule applies to ULIPs, NOT traditional plans. Aggregators frequently confuse the two; we anchor on Section 80C(5).)

Section 10(10D) exemption is a two-prong test: Prong 1 - annual premium must not exceed 10% of sum assured (20% for policies issued before 1 April 2012). Prong 2 (added by Finance Act 2023, effective 1 April 2023) - for non-ULIP policies issued on or after 1 April 2023, the aggregate annual premium across ALL such policies must not exceed Rs 5 lakh. Per CBDT Rule 11UACA (Notification 61/2023 dated 16 August 2023), the Rs 5 lakh test is evaluated for ANY previous year during the policy term, not just the surrender year. If your aggregate premium ever exceeded Rs 5 lakh in any prior year of any non-ULIP policy you hold, Prong 2 fails retroactively. If either prong fails, the entire surrender value is taxable as Income from Other Sources at your slab rate. Death-claim payouts to nominees remain exempt under all conditions.

Section 194DA TDS at 2%: if the surrender value paid by a single insurer in a financial year exceeds Rs 1 lakh AND the policy fails Section 10(10D) exemption, LIC deducts TDS at 2% on the income portion. Per Finance Act 2024, the rate dropped from 5% to 2% effective 1 October 2024. The income portion is computed as payout minus AGGREGATE premiums paid (no first-year exclusion - this is the income tax rule, distinct from the IRDAI GSV computation rule that excludes Y1). Worked example: payout Rs 10,00,000 minus aggregate premiums Rs 3,00,000 = income Rs 7,00,000; 2% TDS = Rs 14,000. If the income portion is zero or negative (early-year surrender where payout is less than premiums paid), no TDS applies.

Sources & References

  • IRDAI Master Circular on Life Insurance Products (June 2024) - English PDF - Ref IRDAI/ACTL/MSTCIR/MISC/89/6/2024 - Schedule II surrender value factors for the new regime (post-Oct-2024 policies)
  • IRDAI (Insurance Products) Regulations, 2024 - effective 1 April 2024, transition deadline 30 September 2024, new GSV / SSV mechanics for policies issued on or after 1 October 2024
  • IRDAI (Linked + Non-Linked Insurance Products) Regulations, 2013 - legacy schedule for policies issued before 1 October 2024
  • LIC India - Download Forms - Form 5074 (Surrender Discharge Voucher), NEFT mandate, Form 3815 (Indemnity Bond when claim arises and bond is missing), Form 3756 (duplicate policy bond, no-claim case)
  • LIC India - Policy Status / Customer Portal - online surrender value visibility
  • Section 45, Insurance Act 1938 (as amended by Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act 2015) - 3-year incontestability protection from the date of issuance OR commencement of risk OR revival OR rider addition, whichever is later
  • Section 80C(5), Income Tax Act 1961 - reversal of prior deductions on surrender within 2 years for traditional life insurance policies
  • Section 10(10D), Income Tax Act 1961 + Finance Act 2023 amendment + CBDT Circular 15/2023 dated 16 August 2023 + CBDT Rule 11UACA - two-prong exemption test (10% premium-to-SA ratio AND Rs 5 lakh aggregate annual premium cap for non-ULIP policies issued on or after 1 April 2023, evaluated for any year during the policy term)
  • Section 194DA, Income Tax Act 1961 as amended by Finance Act 2024 - 2% TDS (reduced from 5% effective 1 October 2024) on income portion (payout minus aggregate premiums paid, NO first-year exclusion) when payout exceeds Rs 1 lakh and policy fails Section 10(10D)
  • Ministry of Finance / Department of Financial Services - GST exemption on life and health insurance - 0% GST on individual life insurance premiums effective 22 September 2025 per 56th GST Council recommendation
  • Income Tax Act 2025 - re-codification effective 1 April 2026; substantively re-codifies the 1961 Act under Finance Act 2025; specific renumbered section numbers in the 2025 Act not asserted here without primary-source verification

Last reviewed against IRDAI Master Circular June 2024, Finance Act 2023, Finance Act 2024, CBDT Circular 15/2023, CBDT Rule 11UACA, and the GST 2.0 reform notification in May 2026. Defaults are illustrative; override with your actual policy details. Form 3815 / 3815-A threshold ladder cited from BankBazaar + PolicyX walk-throughs (cross-confirmation with LIC servicing branch recommended for high-value claims).

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the surrender value of an LIC policy calculated?+
The Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) is calculated as (Total Premiums Paid - First Year Premium - Rider Premiums - GST) x GSV Factor. The factor depends on the year of surrender, total policy term, and which IRDAI regime applies. Policies issued before 1 October 2024 follow IRDAI 2013 minimums (Year 3 = 30%, Years 4-7 = 50%, last 2 years = 90%). Policies issued on or after 1 October 2024 follow the IRDAI Master Circular June 2024 schedule (Year 2 = 30%, Year 3 = 35%, Years 4-7 = 50%, last 2 years = 90%). LIC pays the higher of GSV or Special Surrender Value (SSV).
How do I surrender my LIC policy?+
Bring Form 5074 (Surrender Discharge Voucher), NEFT mandate form, original policy bond, PAN, Aadhaar, and a cancelled cheque to your servicing branch (the branch where your policy was originally issued, printed on the policy bond's first page) for fastest processing. Any authorised LIC branch or collection centre can also accept the form for forwarding. NEFT payout follows in 7 to 15 working days. For an irreversible high-value action like surrender, in-person submission with acknowledgement is recommended over postal mail. LIC helpline: 1800-33-4433.
What if I have lost my original LIC policy bond AND I am surrendering?+
The form is Form 3815, NOT Form 3756. Form 3756 covers lost bond with no active claim (duplicate-only); Form 3815 covers lost bond with an active claim (surrender, maturity, or death). The typical threshold ladder by net claim amount (sourced from aggregator walk-throughs, not a primary LIC circular - confirm with your servicing branch since LIC may revise): around Rs 5,000 or below, typically no indemnity bond required; around Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, typically Form 3815-A indemnity letter; above approximately Rs 10,000, typically Form 3815 notarized on non-judicial stamp paper plus a 1-month newspaper advertisement (English or local, in the state where the policy was lost) plus LIC's loss-circumstances questionnaire. The Form 3815 vs 3756 distinction is the high-confidence detail; the exact rupee thresholds are a secondary item to confirm.
Can I surrender my LIC policy online?+
A subset of LIC plans support online surrender via the LIC Customer Portal at licindia.in. Most traditional plans still require physical submission of Form 5074 at the servicing branch. Use the Customer Portal to check your specific plan's online options before assuming. The portal also displays the current surrender value for your policy, which is useful for verification even when actual surrender requires in-branch submission. If you need help, call the LIC helpline 1800-33-4433.
How can I check the surrender value of my LIC policy without visiting a branch?+
Log in to the LIC Customer Portal at licindia.in (or the LIC mobile app on Android / iOS) and navigate to Policy Status. The current surrender value will be shown alongside other policy details. You can also call the LIC helpline 1800-33-4433. The calculator on this page provides a GSV floor estimate; the actual quote from LIC includes any applicable Special Surrender Value (SSV) or vested-bonus surrender component, which may push the payout above our floor.
What is the difference between Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) and Special Surrender Value (SSV)?+
GSV is the IRDAI-mandated minimum amount (the result of our calculator). SSV is LIC's higher actuarial valuation, computed using internal asset-share factors that LIC does not publish. Per IRDAI 2024 regulations, the surrender value paid is the higher of GSV or SSV. SSV must equal at least the present value of paid-up sum assured plus future benefits plus accrued bonuses, less any survival benefits already paid, discounted at a rate not exceeding the 10-year G-Sec yield plus 50 basis points. Aggregator sites that show 'estimated SSV' are using assumed bonus rates and discount rates that are not LIC's actual numbers.
What is Vested Bonus and is it included in the surrender value?+
Vested bonuses are accumulated annual bonuses declared by LIC on participating traditional policies. The two types are Simple Reversionary Bonus (declared annually per Rs 1,000 of sum assured) and Final Additional Bonus (paid at maturity / death for long-tenure policies). On surrender, vested bonuses are paid out at a separate bonus surrender factor that varies by year-of-surrender and policy term. LIC does NOT publicly publish bonus surrender factors for any plan; this calculator therefore excludes them from the GSV floor estimate. Your actual servicing-branch quote will include the bonus surrender component.
Is the surrender value of an LIC policy taxable?+
Two-prong Section 10(10D) test: exempt only if (a) annual premium does not exceed 10% of sum assured (20% for policies issued before 1 April 2012) AND (b) for non-ULIP policies issued on or after 1 April 2023, aggregate annual premium across all such policies does not exceed Rs 5 lakh in any year of the policy term (per CBDT Rule 11UACA). If either prong fails, the entire surrender value is taxable as Income from Other Sources. Section 80C deductions claimed in earlier returns are reversed if you surrender within 2 years. Section 194DA TDS at 2% (reduced from 5% effective 1 October 2024 per Finance Act 2024) applies on the income portion (payout minus aggregate premiums paid) when payout exceeds Rs 1 lakh AND 10(10D) fails. GST on individual life insurance premiums is 0% from 22 September 2025.
What happens if I surrender my LIC policy before 3 years?+
Under the legacy IRDAI 2013 rules (policies issued before 1 October 2024), regular-premium policies pay NIL surrender value if you surrender before completing 3 full years of premium payment. Under the new IRDAI 2024 reform (policies issued on or after 1 October 2024), Special Surrender Value (SSV) becomes payable from Year 1 (one full year of premium received) and Guaranteed Surrender Value (GSV) factors apply from Year 2. Additionally, surrender before 2 years on a traditional policy reverses any Section 80C deductions you claimed for the policy's premiums in earlier income tax returns.
Should I surrender my LIC policy or convert it to Paid-Up?+
Paid-Up is often the better choice past Year 5-7 if you do not urgently need the cash. Paid-Up Sum Assured = (Number of Premiums Paid / Total Premiums Payable) x Original Sum Assured. The policy continues with the reduced sum assured; vested bonuses already declared remain vested but no new bonus accrues from the conversion year. At maturity / death, you receive the Reduced SA plus vested bonuses. Surrender gives immediate cash but typically at a steep haircut to total premiums paid. Consider your liquidity need, alternative-investment returns, and the tax flag implications before deciding.
What is the 3-year incontestability rule under Section 45?+
Per Section 45(1) of the Insurance Act 1938 (as amended by Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act 2015), a life insurance policy becomes incontestable after 3 years from the date of issuance OR the date of commencement of risk OR the date of revival OR the date of any rider addition, whichever is later. After this 3-year window, the insurer cannot challenge the policy on grounds of misrepresentation or non-disclosure unless deliberate fraud is proven (a high legal standard requiring written communication of the grounds). Surrender ends the contract, so Section 45 protection does not transfer to the surrender payout itself; the rule matters mainly for the surrender-vs-continue decision on policies you suspect have underwriting issues.