HDFC Life’s Ready for Life Index 2025 reveals East India leads in financial realism, emergency preparedness, and health awareness, with a narrower readiness gap than the national average.
Kolkata : HDFC Life has unveiled region-specific insights from its Ready for Life Index (RLI) 2025, highlighting that East India demonstrates stronger financial realism and preparedness compared to the national average. The study, conducted in partnership with Ipsos India, is based on 1,836 face-to-face interviews with working individuals aged between 25 and 55 years across metro, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, evaluating life readiness through four key pillars—financial planning, emergency preparedness, health and well-being, and retirement strategy.
The findings reveal that while India as a whole exhibits a 26-point gap between perceived and actual financial readiness, the East records a narrower 20-point gap, indicating a more grounded self-assessment and disciplined financial behaviour. The region also leads in emergency preparedness and health awareness. Over half of the respondents in the East reported having emergency funds sufficient to sustain their lifestyle for more than four months, significantly higher than the national average. Additionally, a majority of individuals in the region are able to access emergency funds within 48 hours, aided by a relatively lower cost of living, a preference for liquid investments, and prudent financial habits.
Health consciousness is another area where the East outperforms, with higher participation in daily fitness routines and regular health check-ups. Financial priorities in the region also reflect a strong sense of responsibility, with greater emphasis on planning for unforeseen circumstances and supporting ageing parents, alongside children’s education.
The study further notes that term insurance ownership in the East stands at 24 percent, in line with national figures, though emotional security remains a key motivator for purchase decisions. At the same time, lack of awareness and concerns over premium loss continue to act as barriers.
In terms of retirement planning, the East shows higher participation, with 68 percent of respondents having initiated savings compared to 55 percent nationally. However, expectations regarding the required retirement corpus remain conservative, raising concerns about long-term financial adequacy amid inflation and rising lifestyle costs.
Commenting on the findings, Vineet Arora of HDFC Life stated that the East appears better prepared and more realistic in assessing financial readiness, particularly in emergency planning and health awareness, though gaps persist in retirement planning and awareness of protection products. The report underscores the need for continued financial education to help individuals transition from confidence to true preparedness and build long-term financial security.
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Kolkata : HDFC Life has unveiled region-specific insights from its Ready for Life Index (RLI) 2025, highlighting that East India demonstrates stronger financial realism and preparedness compared to the national average. The study, conducted in partnership with Ipsos India, is based on 1,836 face-to-face interviews with working individuals aged between 25 and 55 years across metro, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, evaluating life readiness through four key pillars—financial planning, emergency preparedness, health and well-being, and retirement strategy.
The findings reveal that while India as a whole exhibits a 26-point gap between perceived and actual financial readiness, the East records a narrower 20-point gap, indicating a more grounded self-assessment and disciplined financial behaviour. The region also leads in emergency preparedness and health awareness. Over half of the respondents in the East reported having emergency funds sufficient to sustain their lifestyle for more than four months, significantly higher than the national average. Additionally, a majority of individuals in the region are able to access emergency funds within 48 hours, aided by a relatively lower cost of living, a preference for liquid investments, and prudent financial habits.
Health consciousness is another area where the East outperforms, with higher participation in daily fitness routines and regular health check-ups. Financial priorities in the region also reflect a strong sense of responsibility, with greater emphasis on planning for unforeseen circumstances and supporting ageing parents, alongside children’s education.
The study further notes that term insurance ownership in the East stands at 24 percent, in line with national figures, though emotional security remains a key motivator for purchase decisions. At the same time, lack of awareness and concerns over premium loss continue to act as barriers.
In terms of retirement planning, the East shows higher participation, with 68 percent of respondents having initiated savings compared to 55 percent nationally. However, expectations regarding the required retirement corpus remain conservative, raising concerns about long-term financial adequacy amid inflation and rising lifestyle costs.
Commenting on the findings, Vineet Arora of HDFC Life stated that the East appears better prepared and more realistic in assessing financial readiness, particularly in emergency planning and health awareness, though gaps persist in retirement planning and awareness of protection products. The report underscores the need for continued financial education to help individuals transition from confidence to true preparedness and build long-term financial security.
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