Courtesy Birla Sun Life Insurance, you can now buy life insurance policies at the click of a mouse.

There is currently a major debate going on in international forums on whether insurance can be sold online. But, seeing how Indians have embraced the benefits of technology in areas such as banking, Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited (BSLI) felt the time had come to extend the fruits of this technology to the field of insurance and offer IT-enabled solutions and services on the Internet.

BSLI launched its e-commerce portal to enable purchase of insurance policies through its website, www.birlasunlife.com. This is the first offering of its kind by a life insurance company in India. In keeping with BSLI's tradition of offering innovative and customer friendly solutions, the mother portal has been designed to be investor friendly and provide easy access to informaion on all the three companies under the Birla Sun Life umbrella.

www.birlasunlife.com is powered by enhanced transactional capabilities. To enable a new customer looking for a life insurance solution to actually purchase a life insurance cover on the site, a scientifically designed process known as the "3 Step Process" has been created to assist the customer in the purchase process.

The first step in this process helps the customer understand the life insurance requirements, identify the right plan and check out its features. The next step is the application process where the policy illustration is created and the application form is completed. The final stage is the payment page from where the customer can buy the policy online using a credit or debit card. After the premium has been paid, a BSLI insurance officer will meet the customer within 48 hours to collect the age proof and get the signature on the application form and the policy illustration.

In the first phase, the Birla Sun Life Flexi SecureLife Retirement Plan (without life cover) and Birla Sun Life Single Premium Bond will be available for online purchase.

The benefits of the best in technology are now available for the customer who wants an easy and hassle free medium to purchase life insurance online. We value our customer's time and convenience and have provided a purchase completion option that is linked to a scientifically developed sales process online.

To provide service to an existing customer, various features have been incorporated that enable him to track his policy online. Facilities for intimating change in address and contact details, tracking navs and investment performance, requesting a change in fund option, subscription to e-mail and SMS alerts for premium notice and newsletters, have all been incorporated in the site to service the customer online.

For BSLI agents, facilities such as details of all their customers, e-mail and SMS alerts for license renewal as well as status reports on any policy of their customers, medical facility locators and training modules are available online.

Powered by a payment gateway to accept receipt of the first premium through any credit card, Master or Visa, the site will be promoted extensively through various financial as well as general interest websites and through mainline media.