How To Claim Car Insurance?
How to Claim Car Insurance?
If you own a car, you should know that buying car insurance is mandatory in India, as per the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988. All car owners are obligated to buy a third-party insurance policy. However, if you require full coverage, you can invest in a comprehensive car insurance policy featuring different additional riders. Irrespective of the type of plan you purchase, you should be aware of the claim-filing procedure. Find out how to claim car insurance under different circumstances in this article.How to claim car insurance for own damage
Most insurance policies typically cover the vehicle and not the policyholder. As such, you can file a claim to repair or receive reimbursement respectively (i.e. sum assured based on the car’s current market value) if your car is damaged or totalled, respectively. Own damage is essentially defined as an incident that results in the damage of the car you own. Let’s say you purchased your car insurance policy from PINC Insurance and wish to file an insurance claim for own damage. Here are the steps to follow for how to claim insurance for own damage:1. Take photographs of the vehicle, especially highlighting the parts damaged
Car damage can occur due to several reasons. It could be owing to an accident, collision or due to man-made problems such as vandalism, riots, strikes and other civil issues. You must first take photographs of your car, primarily focusing on the parts that are damaged.2. Report the incident to the police
You need to visit your nearest police station and register an FIR, stating the circumstances under which your car was damaged. Most insurance providers require you to register an FIR before filing an insurance claim, so you must not miss this step. You may also have to submit a copy of the FIR when you file your insurance claim.3. Inform the insurance provider
Next, you need to inform your insurance provider about your intention to file an insurance claim. You can communicate this message via your insurance broker, agent or directly by calling the insurance company’s helpline.4. Take your car to the repair facility
You need to bring your vehicle to the repair facility. You can get it repaired at your chosen garage or the garage registered under the insurance providers’ network. The benefit of choosing the latter is that you can make a cashless payment, whereas if you choose the former, you need to pay for the cost of repair upfront and apply for reimbursement from the insurance provider.5. Submit the necessary documents
Now, you need to begin the claim filing process by submitting the required documents and proofs. You must gather your original insurance policy documents, along with photocopies of your vehicle registration documents, driving license and the damage repair bills. You are also required to provide photographs of the damaged vehicle from the scene of the accident.6. Wait for the insurance provider to evaluate your claim
Once you submit the documents to the insurance provider, you have to wait for them to assess your application. This may take up to 1 month, depending upon the time taken by your insurance company. Once the claim is evaluated, the insurance provider will reimburse you for the cost of damage.How to claim car insurance for car theft
Apart from filing claims for car damage, your comprehensive policy also covers you against car theft. Learn how to claim car insurance for car theft. Here’s a step-wise guide in continuation with the example of PINC Insurance.Inform the police
You need to inform the police the moment you notice that your car is stolen. Register an FIR and ask the police to provide a copy of the same.1. Inform the insurance company
After registering the FIR, you need to inform the insurance company, in this case – PINC Insurance. Once again, you can do this through your broker, agent or by calling on the insurance company’s helpline. You must notify the insurance provider about the car theft within 24 hours of the robbery. An insurance provider like PINC Insurance, which is known for its end-to-end customer service facilities, will help you through the claim-filing process in every step of the way.
2. Inform the RTO
Next, you have to notify the RTO where your car is registered. If the theft occurs when you are away from home, then you need to inform the RTO nearest to you as well. The RTO will also give you a certificate stating you have registered the complaint.
3. File the theft claim and submit the documents
You now need to file the insurance claim. Ensure you provide all the documents listed in the claim form including your original insurance policy, driver’s license, RC book, RTO certificate and FIR document along with the no-trace report. The police provide the no-trace report after 30 days of lodging the FIR. You must also submit both sets of car keys to ensure the insurance provider that the theft did not occur owing to your negligence.
4. Wait for the insurance provider to evaluate your claim and approve it
The insurance provider now evaluates your application. If there are no discrepancies, your claim will be approved within 30 days. You will be provided with the sum assured after depreciation, i.e. the current market value of your car.
Things to remember
Now that you know how to claim vehicle insurance for own damage and car theft, you need to remember a few things:- This type of coverage is typically offered to policyholders who have comprehensive insurance policies.
- You cannot file an insurance claim for own damage if you only own a third-party policy since third party individuals and their vehicles are the beneficiaries of third party policies.
- Also, note that the claim procedure for how to claim insurance for car dent is the same as that for own damage claims.