Urban Indians may be overestimating their financial readiness, according to HDFC Life’s latest “Ready for Life” report. The nationwide study reveals a 26-point gap between perceived financial readiness (85 on the Ready for Life Index) and actual preparedness (59), highlighting significant discrepancies in financial planning, emergency preparedness, health coverage, and retirement strategy.

The report, conducted by Ipsos India with 1,836 face-to-face interviews across Metros, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities, shows that retirement planning remains India’s weakest pillar. Nearly two-thirds of respondents expect family support after retirement, while close to half have yet to start saving.

Among those who have begun planning, many anticipate a corpus of ₹50 lakh–₹1 crore to last roughly 17 years,

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