Paying LIC Premium With a Credit Card: Steps and Charges
Pay LIC premiums by credit card on the LIC portal, Pay Direct or LIC Digital app. LIC absorbs the card convenience fee; your card's reward rules vary.
Written by Ananya Iyer
Published 27 September 2026·6 min read
On this page9 sections
You can pay an LIC renewal premium by credit card on LIC’s Customer Portal, through Pay Direct on licindia.in, or in the LIC Digital app. LIC says it absorbs the convenience fee on credit card payments, so you pay only the premium. Your card issuer may still limit the reward points you earn on insurance payments.
Key facts
| Item | What LIC says |
|---|---|
| Online channels | Customer Portal, Pay Direct (no login), LIC Digital app |
| Cards accepted online | Visa, Mastercard and RuPay credit cards |
| Convenience fee on credit cards | Absorbed by LIC |
| UPI, debit card, net banking, Bharat QR | No charges |
| Earliest payment | Up to 30 days before the due date |
| Grace period | 15 days for monthly mode; one month, but at least 30 days, for quarterly, half-yearly and yearly |
| Policy loan and loan interest | Credit cards not accepted |
| Receipt | E-receipt shown on screen and emailed; valid for income tax purposes |
Ways to pay by credit card
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| LIC Customer Portal | , for registered users on licindia.in. |
| Pay Direct | , which needs no registration. |
| LIC Digital app | on Android and iOS. |
| Third-party apps | such as Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, Amazon Pay and Mobikwik. LIC says they accept credit cards, but not for ULIP, health, e-term or Salary Savings Scheme policies. |
| LIC office cash counters | accept cards at a limited number of locations. Some Premium Points also have card machines. |
| Bill Pay | through your bank, which can debit a credit card account automatically. See the auto-debit section below. |
Online payment works for in-force policies and those eligible for spot revival. It does not work for Salary Savings Scheme policies, or for policies on NACH (bank mandate) mode. The exception is a NACH policy whose last debit bounced and whose mandate is pending. A policy that has lapsed beyond spot revival needs a branch visit.
Step-by-step payment on the LIC website
Without logging in (Pay Direct)
- Go to licindia.in and click Pay Premium Online.
- Choose Pay Direct (without login).
- Select renewal premium as the payment type.
- Enter the policy number, instalment premium, date of birth, mobile number and email ID.
- Choose Credit Card as the payment mode and enter your card details.
- Approve the payment with the OTP from your card issuer.
- Download the e-receipt shown on screen. A copy is also emailed to you.
Enter the basic premium printed on the policy document, without taxes. LIC lists a wrong premium amount as a common reason online payment fails.
Through the Customer Portal
- Log in to the Customer Portal and open Online Payment.
- Tick the policies you want to pay for.
- Read the on-screen instructions and click Check & Pay.
- Choose Credit Card and complete the payment.
Past receipts are under My App > Basic Services > Online Payment Receipts. LIC also says online premiums must be paid by the policyholder, not a third party, so use a card in your own name.
Charges: LIC and your card issuer
LIC’s portal page says credit card payments attract a convenience fee, which LIC bears entirely. UPI, debit card, net banking and Bharat QR payments carry no charge at all. LIC does not collect anything extra through its Bill Pay facility either.
Your card issuer applies its own rules. It may classify insurance as a separate spend category with capped or no rewards. Check your card’s most important terms and conditions before you pay.
If you do not clear the card bill in full by its due date, interest applies to the premium like any other purchase. Our page on the billing cycle and interest-free period explains how much time a large premium payment gives you.
Rewards: do insurance payments earn points?
It depends on the card. Some cards give full rewards, some give fewer, and some cap them. For example, ICICI Bank’s Times Black card caps reward points at 5,000 per statement cycle across utility, insurance premium, education and government payments.
A large annual premium can hit such a cap in one go. Compare the cap with your premium before relying on points. Our guide to reward points and redemption covers how to value them.
Auto-debit and RBI e-mandate rules
LIC Bill Pay
Under Bill Pay, you register the policy on your bank’s or service provider’s website. LIC sends the bill 5 days before the due date, valid until the end of the grace period. You can let the bank debit your bank or credit card account on a set date (Auto Pay), or approve each bill yourself (View & Pay).
The facility is free and covers yearly, half-yearly and quarterly modes. Holders of the LIC co-branded credit card register by sending LIC’s registration form to LIC Cards Support at Axis Bank. The form and address are on LIC’s alternate channels page.
Once auto-pay is set up, do not also pay online or at a counter. LIC says double payments happen often, and a duplicate paid through Bill Pay can take about 15 days to be refunded.
RBI rules for card mandates
Recurring card payments follow the RBI’s Digital Payments – E-mandate Framework, 2026, issued on 21 April 2026:
- Registering a mandate, and the first payment under it, need an OTP or other additional authentication.
- Later insurance premium debits of up to ₹1 lakh each can go through without it. The general limit for other recurring payments is ₹15,000.
- Your card issuer must alert you at least 24 hours before each debit, with an option to opt out.
- You cannot be charged for using an e-mandate.
Our page on RBI rules for credit card holders covers your other rights as a cardholder.
Payment failed or not reflected
| # | Item | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Card charged, no receipt (Customer Portal). | LIC generates the receipt within 48 working hours of receiving the money and emails it. If it does not arrive, email bo_eps1@licindia.com with the policy number, transaction date, bank details and a bank statement. |
| 2 | Card charged, no receipt (Pay Direct). | Open View Transaction Status under Pay Direct. Enter the policy number, transaction date and payment type to download the receipt. |
| 3 | Paid twice. | LIC refunds the extra payment through its service provider, which takes 6 to 8 days. |
| 4 | Charged but premium not adjusted after 10 days. | LIC asks you to contact your bank, as the money is likely held in the bank’s suspense account. |
Before retrying a failed payment, check whether your card was already charged. For online card payments where your account is debited but the merchant never receives confirmation, RBI rules require an automatic reversal within 5 days of the transaction. Your bank owes you ₹100 for each day of delay after that.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay an LIC premium with a credit card?
Yes. Visa, Mastercard and RuPay credit cards work on the LIC Customer Portal, Pay Direct and the LIC Digital app.
Is there an extra charge for paying the LIC premium by credit card?
LIC says it absorbs the convenience fee on credit card payments. Your card issuer’s own terms, such as interest on unpaid balances, still apply.
Can I repay an LIC policy loan with a credit card?
No. LIC accepts loan repayment and loan interest online only through UPI, net banking or a debit card.
Will I get reward points on my LIC premium?
That depends on your card. Some issuers cap points on insurance payments, such as ICICI Bank’s 5,000-point cap per statement cycle on the Times Black card.
Can I pay my LIC premium in advance by credit card?
Yes, up to 30 days before the due date online. LIC also accepts advance premiums up to the end of the financial year, and up to three months ahead for dues in the next year.
Is the online LIC receipt valid for income tax?
Yes. LIC says the e-receipt is valid for income tax purposes, and no receipt is sent by post.
Sources
- Premium Payment through Alternate Channels — LIC of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
- LIC Portal FAQs — LIC of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
- Policy Guidelines & Helpline — LIC of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
- Digital Payments – E-mandate Framework, 2026 — Reserve Bank of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
- Compliance checklist under RBI’s E-mandate Framework 2026 — AMLEGALS (checked 16 Sep 2026)
- Harmonisation of turn around time for failed transactions — Reserve Bank of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
- Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card — ICICI Bank (checked 16 Sep 2026)
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