Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, or PMJJBY, is a Government of India group term life insurance scheme under the Jan Suraksha social security umbrella. It provides a fixed ₹2,00,000 cover to the nominee in case of the subscriber’s death, with an annual PMJJBY premium of ₹436 (pro rata charges apply for late entry).
Designed to offer simple and affordable protection, the PMJJBY scheme has become a vital safety net for low- and middle-income families. This article will explain PMJJBY eligibility, enrolment, auto debit rules, exclusions, the claim process, rejoining conditions, and essential tips to keep your cover active.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is a one-year renewable group term life insurance cover offered through participating banks and post offices for their savings account holders. As per the official scheme rules, individuals can enrol between the ages of 18 and 50, and the PMJJBY scheme provides a ₹2 lakh payout to the nominee if the subscriber passes away during the policy year.
The cover is provided under a master policy issued by the partnering insurer to the bank or post office, which then extends the protection to all enrolled customers through an annual auto-debit of the PMJJBY premium.
Official Website of PMJJBY - https://financialservices.gov.in/beta/en/pmjjby
Eligibility for Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) applies only to bank/Post Office account holders who meet the scheme’s age and KYC conditions.
Here are the key features of the PMJJBY Scheme:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurance cover | ₹2 lakh death benefit per member |
| Annual premium | ₹436 per year (full-year rate as per scheme rules) |
| Coverage period | 1 June to 31 May (renewed annually) |
| Renewal method | Auto-debit from the subscriber’s bank/Post Office account |
| Lien period | 30-day waiting period for non-accidental deaths for new entrants |
| Duplicate cover limit | The maximum payable is capped at ₹2 lakh even if you have multiple term insurance policies. |
Refer - https://financialservices.gov.in/beta/en/pmjjby
The PMJJBY coverage amount is a fixed ₹2,00,000, paid as a lump sum to the nominee if the insured member dies during the policy year, subject to the scheme rules such as the 30-day lien period for non-accidental deaths and the cap on duplicate covers.
You can enrol for Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana through the netbanking or mobile banking platforms of participating banks, using the bank’s PMJJBY enrolment option.
Offline enrolment is available through the customer’s home branch of any participating bank or at authorised Post Office counters.
A few basic documents are needed to complete PMJJBY enrolment, which include:
You can verify whether your Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana cover is active through a few simple channels.
Many banks issue an acknowledgement slip-cum-certificate for PMJJBY that can be downloaded through netbanking or mobile apps or collected from the branch, and this enrolment receipt should be safely stored as it may be needed during the claim process.
You can download your Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana certificate through your bank’s digital channels, though the exact steps differ across banks.
When a PMJJBY claim arises, the nominee should notify the bank quickly and submit the required documents so the insurer can process the ₹2 lakh payout under the master policy.
Notify them about the member’s death at the earliest.
The required documents are mentioned below. Ensure all documents are in place to avoid any complications.
The bank checks enrolment, premium debit status, and nominee information.
The verified claim is sent to the insurer under the master policy.
The insurer processes the claim and credits the payout to the nominee’s account.
Some banks/insurers allow online or email-based claim submission for faster processing.
Common documents required for a PMJJBY claim include:
The full annual premium for Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) is ₹436 per year under the revised scheme rules. This premium is divided into three components: the insurance portion paid to the insurer, the commission payable to banking correspondents/agents for new enrolments, and a small administrative fee paid to banks. For subscribers who join after the policy year has begun, a pro-rata premium is charged based on the quarter of enrolment: ₹436, ₹342, ₹228 or ₹114.
| Enrollment Period (Joining for the first time in the policy year) | Premium Payable | Approx. Allocation / Appropriation |
|---|---|---|
| June, July, August | ₹436 (full annual premium) | Insurance portion: ~₹395 Commission (new enrolments): ~₹30 Administrative/bank share: ~₹11 |
| September, October, November | ₹342 (pro-rata) | Insurance portion: ~₹309 Commission: ~₹22.50 Administrative/bank share: ~₹10.50 |
| December, January, February | ₹228 (pro-rata) | Insurance portion: ~₹206 Commission: ~₹15 Administrative/bank share: ~₹7 |
| March, April, May | ₹114 (pro-rata) | Insurance portion: ~₹103 Commission: ~₹7.50 Administrative/bank share: ~₹3.50 |
Source - Department of Financial Services
PMJJBY provides annual coverage that renews automatically as long as the bank or Post Office account has sufficient balance for the renewal auto-debit, and the cover terminates if the account lacks funds or is closed, requiring the subscriber to rejoin, which will again be subject to the 30-day lien for non-accidental deaths.
The PMJJBY death benefit is a lump-sum payment of ₹2,00,000 made to the nominee registered under Section 39 of the Insurance Act, and if no valid nomination exists, the amount is paid to the legal heirs after the bank and insurer complete legal heir and identity verification; documents typically required include the nomination details on record, the nominee’s KYC, relationship proof, and any legal heir certificates if nomination is absent or disputed.
PMJJBY offers pure risk cover with no maturity or surrender value, which keeps the premium low and is why it should not be compared with traditional savings-based life insurance policies.
The PMJJBY coverage period follows a fixed policy year from 1 June to 31 May, and subscribers must enrol or renew by 31 May to receive full-year cover; late entrants can still join on a pro-rata premium, with risk cover beginning from the date the premium is auto-debited.
PMJJBY provides coverage for death due to any cause during the policy year, with a 30-day lien applying only to non-accidental deaths.
PMJJBY has a single major exclusion: the 30-day lien for non-accidental deaths for new or re-joining members.
Here’s how PMJJBY Works:
Here are the benefits of the PMJJBY Scheme:
You pay a low premium for a high nominal sum assured (₹2 lakh).
The scheme is delivered via banks and post offices across India.
No medical exam needed to join, only a basic declaration and an active bank/post office account.
Cumulative enrolments have exceeded 23.63 crore, and total claim payouts have crossed ₹18,397.92 crore as of April 2025. (Press Information Bureau)Press Information Bureau
The scheme has received 9,22,338 claims and disbursed 8,89,968 as of February 2025. financialservices
Here are the Costs, Risks & Concerns of PMJJBY:
If the bank balance is insufficient on the debit date, the policy can lapse without notice, leaving the member uninsured.
For new or re-joining members, non-accidental deaths during the 30-day lien period are not payable.
Enrolling through multiple banks may lead to duplicate premium deductions; only one cover is valid, and extra premiums can be forfeited.
Future premium adjustments by the government/insurer may change the cost of coverage.
PMJJBY offers pure risk cover only, with no savings, surrender value, or maturity payout.
Members should proactively update nominee details and maintain an adequate bank balance to avoid missed auto-debits or claim issues.
You can manage your PMJJBY policy by submitting requests to your bank/post office for updates, opting out through a written mandate withdrawal, and rejoining as per pro-rata and lien rules.
Submit the prescribed PMJJBY modification form (nominee update/bank detail change) to your bank or post office.
Give a written request to withdraw the auto-debit mandate at the bank or use the bank’s available digital channel (if offered).
Re-enrol as a new entrant following the pro-rata premium schedule; note that a 30-day lien applies for non-accidental deaths after rejoining.
Cancelling PMJJBY is simple and can be done by withdrawing the auto-debit mandate through your bank or post office; once cancelled, future premiums will not be deducted, and cover will cease immediately.
Visit your bank/post office and give a written application stating that you want to discontinue PMJJBY and stop future auto-debits.
Fill and sign the bank’s PMJJBY opt-out/mandate withdrawal form (some banks provide this online or through mobile banking).
If cancellation is done before the renewal debit cycle, the next year’s premium will not be deducted.
Ask for an acknowledgement or a copy of the cancellation request for your records.
You can re-enrol anytime, but it will be treated as a new entry with a 30-day lien and pro-rata premium as applicable.
PMJJBY stands out as a pure life-risk cover, but understanding how it differs from other government schemes helps subscribers choose the right protection mix.
| Scheme
Feature |
PMJJBY | PMSBY | Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Cover | Life insurance (death due to any cause) | Accidental insurance | Life & disability cover for rural/low-income households |
| Annual Premium | ₹436 | ₹20 | ₹200 (shared by Govt & member) |
| Benefit Amount | ₹2 lakh on death | ₹2 lakh for accidental death & ₹1 lakh for disability | ₹30,000 life cover; disability benefit varies |
| Eligibility | 18–50 years | 18–70 years | 18–59 years (selected categories) |
| Key Purpose | Affordable life cover | Accidental risk protection | Social security for vulnerable groups |
| Renewal | Yearly (auto-debit) | Yearly (auto-debit) | As per the implementing agency rules |
Simple habits can help you keep your PMJJBY cover active and make claims smoother for your family.
PMJJBY stands for Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, a government-backed term life insurance scheme.
Yes, PMJJBY is fully active and continues to operate through participating banks, post offices, and insurers.
Any Indian resident aged 18 to 50 years with a savings bank or post office account and consent for auto-debit is eligible.
Yes, you can re-join anytime by submitting consent and paying the applicable pro-rata premium, but a 30-day lien applies for non-accidental deaths.
Multiple public and private life insurers participate, with the servicing insurer assigned by each bank/post office under the master policy arrangement.
Yes, PMJJBY premiums qualify for deduction under Section 80C, subject to the overall limit.
Entry age is 18–50 years, while coverage continues up to age 55 with timely annual renewal.
It refers to the current annual premium of ₹436, which provides ₹2,00,000 life cover for one year.
PMJJBY covers death due to any cause (natural or accidental) during the policy year, subject to the 30-day lien for non-accidental deaths for new entrants.
Yes, it is a pure term life insurance scheme offering financial protection through a fixed death benefit.
The annual premium is ₹436, auto-debited once a year from the subscriber’s bank account.
No, PMJJBY allows only a single annual premium auto-debit; monthly or quarterly payments are not permitted.
No, PMJJBY offers no maturity or refund benefits since it is a risk-only insurance cover.
Yes, claims are admissible any time during the policy year, but for new entrants, non-accidental deaths within the first 30 days fall under the lien and are not payable.
No, PMJJBY is administered exclusively by Indian life insurers under government guidelines.
You can check through your bank’s netbanking/mobile banking under “Insurance/Social Security Schemes,” view SMS debit alerts, or confirm with the branch/post office.
Most banks allow PDF download through mobile/netbanking; if not available online, you can request the acknowledgement slip from the branch.
The nominee needs the death certificate, KYC/ID proof, bank account proof, enrolment/consent form, and FIR/medical records for accidental death if required.
Yes, you can update nominee details anytime by submitting the prescribed nomination form to your bank/post office.
The policy lapses immediately, and coverage stops; you must re-enrol with fresh consent and pay the pro-rata premium with a 30-day lien period for rejoining.
