Are you LIC policyholder and have to pay additional charges during the payment of policy premium? Then from now, you don't have to pay any additional charges on LIC policy premiums. The Life Insurance Corporation or LIC has waived off the convenience fee on all payments, including payment through credit cards, to the national insurer, effective December 1, to promote transactions.

LIC in its statement said that credit-card originated payments towards renewal premium, new premium, or repayment of loan and interest on loans against the policies will not attract any additional charges or convenience fee, from December 1.

"This facility of free transactions using credit cards shall be applicable to and implemented across all collecting systems - card less payment and card dip/ swipe on point of sale machines," LIC said in a statement on Monday.

Earlier, LIC had allowed policyholders to revive their policies that have lapsed more than two years. "LIC brings an excellent opportunity for all its policyholders to revive their lapsed policies. The policies which have lapsed for more than two years and were not allowed to be revived earlier can also be revived now," LIC said in a tweet.

After the Irdai Product Regulation 2013, which came into effect from January 1, 2014, revival period was restricted to two consecutive years from the date of first unpaid premium, during which the policyholder is entitled to revive policy which was discontinued due to non-payment of premium. So earlier all policies taken after January 1, 2014, could not be revived if they remained in lapsed condition for a period exceeding two years.

With a view to extending the benefit of continued life cover, LIC approached Irdai and extended the benefit of longer revival period to even those policyholders who bought policies post-January 1, 2014, LIC said. Now, even those LIC policyholders who bought their policies post-January 1, 2014 can revive their non-linked policies within 5 years and unit-linked policies within 3 years of first unpaid premium, it added.

Now the payments can be made using VISA/Master Credit Card (Domestic Only) with ZERO convenience charges.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how you can go about using this facility:

• Once you have enrolled your policy(s), you can click on the link ‘Pay Premium Online’ to see a list of policies whose premium is due.
• You have a choice to select the policies for which you want to pay premium.
• You will be directed to a page where you can choose from multiple banks for payment and will be directed to the login page of the selected bank. It is essential that you have a net banking account with at least one of these banks.
• At the bank site you will need to login with your net banking username/password. On successful login, the total amount to be paid by you towards LIC will be displayed.
• Please verify your balance (displayed) and confirm the transaction to the bank. Simultaneously successful/unsuccessful transaction message will be flashed.
• On successful transaction, a digitally signed e-receipt will be generated and e-mailed to you. In case of an unsuccessful transaction you will be informed and the reason thereof.For detailed documentation on how to verify the digital signature on the e-receipt