Overdraft Limit

Overdraft limit is the money value or credit limit sanctioned by the Bank which can be withdrawn additional to the bank balance. Moreover, the bank also charges extra fees, if a customer exceeds his/her overdraft limit, or for bounced payments. As per this facility, the customer is allowed to withdraw money from their bank account even though the balance shows zero. It is important to know that, an overdraft facility is usually offered to withdraw a limited amount. OD Limit against property is also offered by financial institutions.

Introduction to Overdraft (OD)

If you have an overdraft account, then your bank would be able to manage cheques that had otherwise bounced and ultimately returned without resulting in any sort of payment. In the case of a loan, the candidate pays interest over the outstanding balance linked to an overdraft loan. It has been analyzed that, the interest on the loan is fairly lower as compared to credit cards. Moreover, in several cases, additional fees are also added for accessing overdraft protection.

Also Know: What is the current rate of interest on overdraft?

Does an overdraft hamper your credit score? It is decided by your bank to opt for using its own funds to aid a specific overdraft. The other option is to associate an overdraft with a particular credit card.

• Case I: When the bank uses its personal funds for backing an overdraft, in this case, there won’t be any harm to your credit score.
• Case II: When a credit card gets involved for overdraft protection, then there is a possibility that the customer can increase his/her debt to a stage where it can surely affect the credit score.

Suppose you aren’t able to pay the overdrafts under the scheduled time frame. If this happens, the bank can transfer your account to a collection organization. Therefore, such a collection action might affect your personal credit score and would eventually get reported with the chief credit agencies.

Comparison of Business Loan Interest Rates offered by Top Banks/NBFCs

Bank/NBFCs	Interest Rate
Axis Bank	10.75% p.a. onwards	Apply Now
Flexiloans	1% per month onwards	Apply Now
HDB Financial Services Ltd.	8% - 26% p.a.	Apply Now
HDFC Bank	10.75% - 25% p.a.	Apply Now
IDFC First Bank	10.50% p.a. onwards	Apply Now
Indifi	1.50% per month onwards	Apply Now
Kotak Mahindra Bank	16% - 26% p.a.	Apply Now
Lendingkart	12% - 27% p.a.	Apply Now
Mcapital	2% per month onwards	Apply Now
NeoGrowth Finance	15% - 40% p.a.	Apply Now
Tata Capital	12% p.a. onwards	Apply Now
UGRO Capital	9% - 36% p.a.	Apply Now

Advantages of Overdraft over Personal Loan

Considering a personal overdraft, the customer is permitted to withdraw funds as well as repay them at his/her convenience. Moreover, you only need to pay interest on the amount that stays overdue. It means that you can re-compensate the portion of the outstanding value whenever there is money in your hand, and simultaneously withdraw a certain amount whenever there is a requirement.

Furthermore, in India, there are banks that manage overdraft limits that can exceed 2-3 times over the individual’s salary or earnings. Apart from such benefits, there are several other advantages that make a personal overdraft a better option than a personal loan.

1. Quick Fund Release  

To access a personal loan, there is a need to fulfill a lot of paperwork. Moreover, you are also bound to present a satisfactory CIBIL score to be eligible to acquire the loan. However, for accessing an Overdraft, you are not required to wait for so long as everything is managed in a quick method.

As soon as you have completed the initial setup concerned for an Overdraft, money can be withdrawn within a few hours. On the other hand, if you have opted for a Personal Loan, there would be a similar process every single time when money is transferred, and that too under 3-5 business days.

2. Elasticity

With personal loans, there isn’t much scope for flexibility. The customer is required to pay EMI throughout the loan duration, with the payments being timely delivered. However, this can become a huge mess for many people, particularly for those who need to offer a larger amount of Variable Pay. Hence, a personal loan cannot be seen as an ideal option for such situations.

Under a personal overdraft, you are allowed to make money based on your limit as well as payback as per your convenience. The customer can repay the amount within days or months, depending on their capability. This makes this option quite flexible or elastic.

3. Credit Score Safety

If an individual is frequently availing or repaying loans, there is a greater chance that his/her credit score might change repeatedly. If this happens frequently, then it would be difficult for you to obtain credit cards or loan in the near future.

This condition can be settled by opting for OD Limit. Under this facility, you will be offered only a single loan that you are frequently servicing. Hence, this would offer a positive lift to your score.

You can actively contact your Bank branch to assist you with the details concerned with the overdraft facility. Moreover, the customer care service is another option that could inform you about various factors associated to overdraft loan.

FAQs 

Q. How is the overdraft limit calculated?

Ans. The financial health of an individual, enterprise or company determines the overdraft limit. There are various factors involved in calculating the overdraft limit, such as financial stability, account balance, age of account with bank, creditworthiness, relationship with bank, debts or defaults if any, and much more.

Q. What happens if you exceed your Overdraft limit?

Ans. Generally, a borrower is allowed to use cash, only until the sanctioned limit. He/she is not permitted to cross the overdraft limit.

Q. Who offers OD limit loan?

Ans. Almost every Private and Public Sector Bank offers OD loan and some of the leading banks include SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Punjab National Bank, etc.

Also Know: How to avail overdraft facility in HDFC Bank?

Q. Can I withdraw overdraft money?

Ans. Certainly, overdraft itself is termed as a credit instrument, wherein borrowers have access to withdraw cash, as per their requirements from the total sanctioned limit.

Q. Can I increase my overdraft limit?

Ans. Increase or decrease of the overdraft limit totally depends on the sole discretion of the lender or bank. You can approach the lender and place the request for an increase in the overdraft limit.

Q. What happens if I can’t pay my overdraft?

Ans. The bank may charge certain fees or may deduct the outstanding amount directly from your bank account.

Q. How much interest do you pay on an overdraft?

Ans. The interest rate offered on overdraft facilities varies from bank to bank and depends on your profile and relationship with the bank in which you have your savings or current account.