As traffic on Indian roads grows exponentially, vehicle accidents are becoming more frequent, both on city roads and on highways. While buying car insurance ensures you of your safety in case of an accident, you need to file a timely and proper claim post an accident to ensure that you recover the financial losses you incur. It is advisable to keep handy all the documents you would need, both to make a timely claim and to ensure that your claim is settled satisfactorily. In case of a theft, though, the maximum burden that the insurance company will bear is the insured declared value (IDV) of the vehicle. The IDV in car insurance is the present market value of the vehicle.
First thing to remember when you get involved in an accident is to call up your insurance company to inform them about the mishap. Also remember that your insurance policy is valid throughout the country, so it is immaterial as to where in the country the accident took place. If your car is stolen, also, you need to call up and inform the insurance company immediately after lodging an FIR in the nearest police station. Your insurance company will deal with the claim process on your behalf, much as your lawyer would do.
Information to submit to the insurance company while filing a claim:
Submit the following details in writing:
- Your mobile number
- Your car insurance policy No.
- Name of the insured person and the name of the driver
- Date and time and location of the accident
- Vehicle number, its brand and model
- Brief account of the accident
- Registration number of the other vehicle
- Names and contact details of witnesses
Documents to be submitted while filing for an accident claim
- Insurance claim form, duly filled and signed
- Registration certificate of the vehicle
- Copy of your driving license
- Copy of the FIR
- Estimate of repair
- Original invoice of repair and your payment receipt
Documents to be submitted while filing for a theft claim
- Car insurance claim form, duly filled and signed
- Registration certificate of the car and its original set of keys
- Copy of your driving license
- Copy of the FIR
- A ‘car untraceable certificate’ from the police
- Duly signed RTO transfer papers, including Form 28, 29, 30 and 35 in case your car is hypothecated. In this case of a theft, or when there is a total loss of the vehicle, the current market value of the vehicle, or the IDV in car insurance as it is called, is what you get as compensation.
Many people feel that the process of filing a car insurance claim is very tedious, but if you go around it in an organized way and if you produce all the relevant documents within given timeframes, it is actually a breeze. And moreover, you stand a better chance of your claim being settled in toto. Remember, though, not to carry out any repair work before the insurance company has surveyed the vehicle.
Buying your car insurance from Bharti AXA comes with some inherent benefits like attractive add-ons in the form of zero-depreciation cover, protection of your no-claims bonus, and availing the vast network of cashless repair garages all over India.
