EPFO Members Can Claim Up to ₹7 Lakh Insurance Cover at No Extra Cost
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Employees covered under the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) are also eligible for life insurance under the Employees’ Deposit-Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme.
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The scheme offers insurance coverage of up to ₹7 lakh without any additional employee contribution. The benefit is paid to the nominee if the employee dies while in service.
What is the EDLI Scheme?
The Employees’ Deposit-Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme is managed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). It provides life insurance cover to EPF members working in the private sector.
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Employees do not have to pay any premium. The employer contributes 0.5% of the employee’s basic salary, up to a maximum of ₹75 per month.
Insurance Benefit
Notably, eligible EPF members are auto-enrolled in the EDLI scheme at no additional cost if more than 20 employees from a firm opt for it. The maximum insurance amount under the scheme is ₹7 lakh.
The amount is calculated based on the employee’s average basic salary and dearness allowance (DA) during the last 12 months of service, subject to a salary ceiling of ₹15,000 for calculation purposes. The payout also includes an additional bonus of ₹2.5 lakh.
If an employee dies before completing one year of continuous service, the nominee is eligible for a minimum insurance amount of ₹50,000.
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Who Can Receive the Benefit?
The insurance amount is paid to the employee’s registered nominee or legal heir if the employee dies while in service.
Employees should ensure that their EPF nomination details are updated, especially after marriage or any change in family details.
Employer’s Contribution
| Scheme | Employee Contribution | Employer Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| EPF | 12% of Basic + DA | 3.67% of Basic + DA |
| EPS | — | 8.33% of Basic + DA |
| EDLI | — | 0.5% of Basic Salary (Maximum ₹75 per month) |
How to Claim the Benefit
The nominee or legal heir has to submit Form 5 IF along with the required documents. The form should be certified by the employer. If this is not possible, it can be attested by authorised officials such as a bank manager, gazetted officer, magistrate, MP, MLA or postmaster.
The claim should be submitted to the concerned EPFO regional office. Claimants can also submit Form 20 and Form 10C/10D to claim EPF, EPS and EDLI benefits together.
EPFO is required to settle the claim within 30 days. If there is a delay, interest at 12% per year is payable until the claim is settled.
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About the Author
Sheetal Singh
Contributing Writer
