What documents are required to buy term insurance?

1. Proof of Identity

• Aadhaar Card
• PAN Card
• Passport
• Voter ID Card
• Driving Licence

2. Proof of Address

• Aadhaar Card
• Utility bills (electricity, water, gas),  not older than 3 months
• Rental agreement
• Passport
• Bank statements or passbook
• Voter ID Card

3. Proof of Income

• Recent salary slips (last 3-6 months)
• Latest Form 16
• Income Tax Return (ITR) statements (past 2–3 years)
• Bank statements showing income credits (last 6 months)
• Employment certificate or letter
• CA certificate (for self-employed individuals) 

4. Medical Documents

• Recent medical reports (if requested)
• Past medical history documents
• Health questionnaire filled out during the application 

5. Photographs

Most insurers require you to upload a recent photograph while completing your term insurance application. This may involve clicking a live photo or uploading a passport-sized image, depending on the insurer’s process. 

When you submit complete and accurate paperwork, it reduces back-and-forth requests and speeds up approval. The exact documents you need depend on your profile, whether you are salaried, self-employed, a professional, a business owner, or a homemaker. This is because insurers adjust the document list to make sure they collect the right proofs for each individual.

Here’s a list of common documents you may be asked to submit as income proof:

• Last 3 months’ salary slips
• Last 6 months’ bank statement showing salary or income credits
• Latest Form 16
• Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the past 3 years
• Audited profit and loss account and balance sheet 
• Recent salary certificate from your employer
• Chartered Accountant (CA) certificate (not older than 2 months)
• Land records and income assessment 
• Form 26AS (last financial year)
• Mandi receipts (last 2 months)
• Agricultural income certificate (valid up to 1 year)

If you’re not sure which income proof applies to you? Here’s a list of common documents for salaried and self-employed individuals:

Income Proof (For salaried person)

• Last three months’ salary statement
• The bank statement for the previous six months 
• The last three years' income tax returns and the recent Form 16
• Rent receipt (issued in the last three months)

Income Proof (For self-employed person)

• Bank statement (preceding six months) 
• Chartered Accountant’s Certificate issued in the last three years 
• ITR / Form 16 / assessment orders / Computation of Income issued in the last three years
• Rent receipt (issued in the last three months) 
• Audited Company accounts issued in the last three years  
• Audited firm accounts issued in the last three years and the partnership Deed