How to claim car insurance?

Excited about purchasing that shiny new sedan? Awesome! But it’s also important to know about the nitty-gritty of its paperwork. One of the most important pieces of paper when it comes to your car is its insurance policy. And one of the most important aspects of your car insurance policy is knowing how to make a claim. We’ll discuss the claim process in detail and you’ll come out of this article with having a proper grasp on how to claim car insurance seamlessly and effortlessly.

But first, let us understand what a claim is.

What is a car insurance claim?

A car insurance claim is the occurrence of the event where the policyholder formally demands the insurance company to pay/reimburse him for the damages caused to his vehicle. If the claim is in accordance with the terms laid within the car insurance policy, the company will compensate the policyholder.

A simple example of this is when a person takes an insurance policy for their car and then meets with a car accident that damages his headlights. The person will make a claim with the insurance company to recover the damages caused to his car. If the claim is valid and in accordance with the policy, the company will pay the policyholder for his damages.

Now let us understand how to claim car insurance and its process below.

Car insurance claim process

The claim process for own vehicle

Let us understand the process in 6 simple steps:-

Step 1: You need to Intimate your insurance agent or company about the accident.

Step 2: Fill up the relevant insurance claim form and submit it along with other required documents like registration, insurance copy, PUC certificate, etc.

Step 3: Post this, the insurance company will disburse a surveyor that will survey the damages and prepare a report.

Step 4: Car repair takes place.

Step 5: You can present your car insurance company with the repair bills and make the claim.

Step 6: The insurance company will issue you the payment if the documents are in order.

If you have a cashless garage clause in your insurance, you may also make use of cashless garages. The insurer will directly pay the garage in a cashless car insurance policy.

Third-party claim process

If you are in the unfortunate situation where a third party claims damages caused by you, the claims process is slightly different. Let us decode this with 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Intimate your insurance company about any potential third party claim.
Step 2: The third party may send you a legal notice for the damages you caused.
Step 3: You should intimate your insurance company about the same and share a copy of the legal notice with them.
Step 4: You will need to submit relevant documentation like car registration, policy copy, Police First Investigation (FIR) Report, etc to the insurance company.
Step 5: The insurance company will pay the claimant the damages (amount will be as ordered by the court).

Car insurance claim rules

• Ensure that all claim-related communication is correct.
• The policyholder should not partake in any willful falsification
• Ensure that claim intimation is done as soon as possible
• Ensure that you have proof that an accident has indeed taken place

It is also very important that you are aware of the principles of insurance before you make an insurance claim.