What it is
A motor insurance claim is a request to your insurer to pay for a loss covered by your vehicle policy. According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), a claim can fall into one of three broad types: third party, own damage and theft.
A third party claim covers personal injury or property damage suffered by someone else. An own damage claim is for damage to your own insured vehicle, and you are eligible for it only if you hold a package or comprehensive policy.
How it works
Third party claims
If your vehicle is involved in an accident that harms someone else, report it immediately to both the police and your insurance company. If you are the victim and another person’s vehicle was involved, get the insurance details of that vehicle and inform that vehicle’s insurer.
Own damage claims
If your own vehicle is damaged in an accident, tell the insurer straight away, and the police wherever required. This lets the insurer send a surveyor, a person who assesses the loss.
Do not move the vehicle from the spot without permission from the police and the insurer. Once you get permission to remove the vehicle and to repair it, you can go ahead.
If your policy offers cashless service, you do not pay out of pocket for covered damage. The insurer pays the workshop directly. Even then, you must inform the insurer immediately.
Theft claims
If your vehicle is stolen, inform the police and the insurance company immediately. You must also keep the transport department informed.
Theft claims carry a special requirement: you should surrender the vehicle keys to the insurer.
Paperwork
Collect all the required documents and submit them with the claim form, duly filled in. Some claim types have their own document requirements, so read the claims procedure in your policy document as soon as you receive it, rather than waiting for a claim to arise.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Delaying the intimation. IRDAI stresses informing the insurer immediately in every type of claim.
- Moving the damaged vehicle early. Wait for permission from the police and the insurer.
- Assuming own damage is covered. It applies only under a package or comprehensive policy.
- Leaving proposal form gaps. IRDAI advises filling the form yourself, factually, with no column blank, and keeping a copy.
- False declarations. Do not misstate how the vehicle is actually used.
- Letting the policy lapse. IRDAI advises renewing without a break.
What it means for you
Before you ever need to claim, read the policy brochure to see what is covered and what is not, and ask about add-on covers that may be available. Keep your RC book, permit and driving licence updated with the authorities, since the insurer may verify them.
You can buy a motor policy through anyone; there is no compulsion to buy it through your vehicle dealer. If you buy a used car that already has insurance, ask for the correct procedure to follow.
