Answers:

1. This is more a GST related question. While an expert on the subject matter should be consulted, but to our knowledge, the liability to pay GST is of the service provider and not of service receipient. This being an indirect tax, the incidence of the levy is typically passed on to buyer based on commercial terms. If they say that the price that you want to pay is inclusive of gst, it should not matter that whether the service is exempted or not. If you want to know the exemption details from academic purpose, you will need to call for an exemption notification.
2. Many other companies offer term insurance to NRI. One company we can recollect is ICICI pru from our experience. This information is pre-COVID, the situation is very dynamic since COVID19 hence you will have to check again.

Hope this helps!

Team Beshak