How long do I have to revive a lapsed LIC policy?

LIC allows revival within a defined period running from the date of your first unpaid premium, not from the date you noticed. Check your policy document for the period that applies to your plan, and treat it as a hard deadline — once it passes, the policy cannot be revived and a new policy at your current age is the only option.

Will I need a medical test to revive?

Possibly. It depends on the sum assured, how long the policy has been lapsed, and your age. A short lapse on a modest policy is often revived on a health declaration alone; a long lapse on a large policy is more likely to require examination. LIC decides this, not the advisor.

Is reviving cheaper than taking a new policy?

Usually, over the remaining term. Premiums are fixed from your age when the original policy started, so a revived policy keeps that older, cheaper rate, and the years you already paid still count. A new policy restarts everything at your current age. The exception is a policy you never really needed, where letting it go and buying the right cover is the better outcome.

Reviving a lapsed policy

A policy lapses when a premium goes unpaid beyond the grace period. It is not automatically finished — LIC allows revival within a defined window from the date of your first unpaid premium, by paying the arrears with interest.

The thing to understand about revival is that the obstacle is rarely the money. It is the health declaration. Revival can require evidence that you are still insurable, and LIC may accept, decline, or attach conditions. The longer a policy sits lapsed, the more likely something has changed in your health, and a revival that would have been routine in month three becomes difficult in year three.

When this applies

A premium is unpaid and the grace period for it has passed
You are still within LIC’s revival window from the date of the first unpaid premium
You want the original policy — its original entry age and premium rate — rather than a new one

What is typically required

A starting point, not a definitive list — LIC's exact requirement can vary by branch and by the specifics of your policy. Confirm before you travel.

All unpaid premiums, plus interest LIC calculates on the arrears
A revival application form
A declaration of good health, and possibly a medical examination depending on the amount and how long the policy has been lapsed
The policy document details — policy number, plan and commencement date

The order to do it in

1Get the exact revival quote from LIC or through KNATRA — arrears plus interest, calculated to a specific date, since the interest keeps accruing
2Complete the revival application and health declaration
3Undergo a medical examination if LIC asks for one
4Pay the quoted amount within the validity of the quote
5LIC confirms the revival in writing — keep that confirmation with the policy document

What has to go through LIC directly

The revival decision is LIC’s alone, and any medical requirement runs through LIC’s own panel. KNATRA can get you the quote, prepare the paperwork and follow it up, but cannot approve a revival or waive a medical requirement.

Watch out for

The interest keeps accruing while you decide, so a quote taken three months ago is no longer the amount payable.
Reviving is usually cheaper over the remaining term than buying a fresh policy, because the new policy would be priced at your current, older age. Compare the two before assuming a new policy is simpler.
If the revival window has genuinely closed, it does not reopen. At that point the question is what to buy now, not how to recover the old policy.

Common questions

How long do I have to revive a lapsed LIC policy?: LIC allows revival within a defined period running from the date of your first unpaid premium, not from the date you noticed. Check your policy document for the period that applies to your plan, and treat it as a hard deadline — once it passes, the policy cannot be revived and a new policy at your current age is the only option.
Will I need a medical test to revive?: Possibly. It depends on the sum assured, how long the policy has been lapsed, and your age. A short lapse on a modest policy is often revived on a health declaration alone; a long lapse on a large policy is more likely to require examination. LIC decides this, not the advisor.
Is reviving cheaper than taking a new policy?: Usually, over the remaining term. Premiums are fixed from your age when the original policy started, so a revived policy keeps that older, cheaper rate, and the years you already paid still count. A new policy restarts everything at your current age. The exception is a policy you never really needed, where letting it go and buying the right cover is the better outcome.

Guide

My policy lapsed. Can I still revive it?

Read the answer →

Need this done rather than explained?

Full servicing assistance — preparing the paperwork, following it up with the branch, and chasing it to completion — is for policies bought or serviced through KNATRA. If your policy is with another agent or was bought directly from LIC, everything on this page still applies to you, and you are welcome to ask for help with a specific case.

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