Hi Sir I have invested in SBI wealth builder plan which is ULIP. I have earned 195000 against 150000 invested in three years. So I know ULIP has disadvantages like high charges, lock in period etc. So which would be better option? Surrendering now and avoiding further investments and withdrawing money after five years or surrender exactly at end of fifth year to prevent loss of gains?
Ans: You have already understood that ULIPs come with some key issues. Also, it is good to see that you are assessing the next steps before acting. That shows financial maturity. Let me help you with a complete 360-degree assessment.
You have invested Rs. 1.5 lakh over three years in a ULIP and earned Rs. 1.95 lakh. You are at a crossroads—whether to surrender now or wait for five years and then exit. This is a common question for many people who started ULIPs with high hopes but later realised their inefficiencies.
Let us break down the situation, understand all aspects, and decide what will give you the best long-term benefit.
What Is a ULIP and Why It Looks Attractive at First
ULIP stands for Unit Linked Insurance Plan.
It mixes investment and insurance into one product.
Most people buy it due to tax saving or agent pressure.
They look attractive because of fancy brochures and promise of "returns with protection."
But the real truth is visible only after 2–3 years when charges eat away returns.
In the first 2–3 years, the policy charges are very high.
Premium allocation charge, admin charge, fund management charge and mortality charges reduce actual investment.
These costs are not visible clearly to most investors.
Common Issues With ULIP That Affect Your Wealth Creation
Lock-in period is five years, which reduces flexibility.
Fund choices inside ULIP are limited and not always well-performing.
You cannot switch freely or without cost between different funds.
Charges like fund switching fees or surrender charges may apply.
There is no professional guidance or rebalancing done in most ULIPs.
Portfolio is not reviewed by a qualified Certified Financial Planner.
ULIPs combine two different goals—insurance and investment—into one, which leads to poor results in both areas.
Your Case: Three Years Completed, and Fund Value is Rs. 1.95 Lakh
You have already stayed invested for three years.
You invested Rs. 1.5 lakh. Fund value is Rs. 1.95 lakh.
This means you have gained Rs. 45,000 in three years.
That seems okay on the surface. But not great if we look deeper.
If you had invested in mutual funds through MFD and CFP, your corpus could have been higher.
You also lost compounding on charges paid during initial years.
The returns would look even poorer if we calculate the actual annual return.
We also need to consider how this product will perform in the next two years.
Charges do not end after three years. Mortality and other charges continue.
It is also important to check if you are planning to invest more money in it.
Two Options in Front of You Now
Let us examine both choices you mentioned, in simple words.
1. Stop Paying Now, and Withdraw After Five Years
You have completed three years. You can stop future payments.
ULIP becomes paid-up. This means it remains in force without new premium.
After five years, you can withdraw the amount without any penalty.
This helps you avoid surrender charges if any.
It also gives the full lock-in benefit.
But your money stays inside ULIP fund, which may not perform well.
Also, fund management will continue to be passive.
You will not get personal rebalancing or advice like mutual funds with MFD and CFP.
Two more years of growth may be very slow due to charges.
2. Exit Now By Surrendering the ULIP
You have completed three years. Early exit may still carry charges.
However, surrender charge will be low since three years are over.
Your policy will return the fund value after deducting surrender charge.
You can reinvest this amount in equity mutual funds.
Investing through MFD with a CFP plan will give better long-term wealth creation.
Professional help will give asset allocation, rebalancing, and goal-based planning.
Even if there is a small cost in surrender now, it could be recovered quickly through better investment options.
Which Option Is Better?
Let us look at this practically and from a Certified Financial Planner's view.
If your surrender charge is small (less than Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000), then surrendering now makes sense.
You will be able to recover this amount quickly through mutual fund returns.
You will also shift from a rigid ULIP to flexible and high-growth mutual fund strategy.
The two extra years in ULIP will not give great benefits.
They may only help you save surrender charge but reduce long-term compounding.
So, continuing for just to avoid surrender charge may result in more loss in long term.
Delaying switch to better investments can hurt your wealth creation more.
Hence, early exit and moving to better financial products is usually more rewarding.
Reinvest Strategy After Surrender
Once you surrender the ULIP, you can follow this better approach:
Create a goal-based investment plan with the help of a Certified Financial Planner.
Use mutual fund route through MFD instead of buying direct funds.
Direct funds look cheaper but lack personal advice and rebalancing support.
Regular plans through MFD+CFP give better handholding and timely decisions.
You can choose large-cap, flexi-cap, and small/mid-cap funds based on goals.
You can also create SIPs and lumpsum plans according to the fund value you get.
Stay invested for long term to benefit from compounding.
Why Mutual Funds are Better Than ULIPs in Long Term
ULIPs have fixed fund choices. Mutual funds offer wider range and active fund management.
Mutual funds are reviewed and rated regularly. ULIPs are not easily comparable.
You can increase or reduce SIP in mutual funds anytime. ULIPs don’t allow this flexibility.
There are no surrender charges or lock-ins (except ELSS with 3 years).
Mutual fund investing with MFD and CFP support gives better risk control and tax planning.
Why Regular Mutual Funds with CFP and MFD is Better Than Direct Plans
Direct plans may look cheaper due to lower expense ratio.
But you are completely on your own in direct funds.
Most investors do not have the time or knowledge to manage funds well.
Mistakes like wrong timing, panic exit, or poor fund selection can reduce gains.
Regular plans give you access to an expert’s personal guidance.
MFD + CFP can build customised portfolios and monitor them.
They help you stay disciplined and avoid emotional errors.
They also give full documentation support, review meetings, and reporting.
That extra 0.5% cost can create 5–10% extra return if managed well.
What Should You Watch Out Before Surrendering?
Check the surrender charge in your policy
If it is less, do not hesitate to exit now.
If it is very high, you may choose to make the policy paid-up and exit at 5th year.
But do not invest more money into it going forward.
Also check if there is loyalty bonus or fund booster after 5 years.
If that bonus is too small, then do not wait just for that.
Talk to a Certified Financial Planner to make this analysis.
Avoid putting emotion or attachment into such products.
Final Insights
Your decision to re-evaluate the ULIP shows financial awareness. Appreciate that.
ULIPs are poor performers due to charges and limited fund flexibility.
Continuing only to complete five years may not always be worth it.
Small surrender charges should not prevent better decision-making.
Reinvesting into mutual funds through MFD and CFP can offer better compounding.
This new plan will also give you better transparency, performance and flexibility.
For long-term wealth, switching to a cleaner and focused strategy is the best step.
Take this as a learning experience and plan wisely going forward.
Make sure future insurance and investments are always separate.
Take pure term cover for life protection and mutual funds for investment growth.
Don’t fall for insurance+investment plans again in future.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment
