What to Expect When You File a Car Insurance Claim?

All vehicle owners understand the importance of car insurance. It is not only mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act but also an extremely important financial tool to protect yourself from any financial distress that can be caused due to an accident, natural calamities, fire, etc. The car insurance claim is a procedure wherein the policyholder can ask the insurance provider to compensate the owner for damages incurred. There are mainly two types of car insurance claim processes when you file for one –

1. Car Insurance cashless Claims

In cashless car insurance claims, you do not have to pay for any repairs at the insurance company’s network car garages. Instead, the insurance company settles the claims directly with the car garage on your behalf.  You will have to make sure that any damages that your vehicle has suffered will be taken care of from the policy you have availed. Here’s how you can avail of cashless claims –

• You have to register your cashless car insurance claim through the insurance provider’s website or application
• After this, you will receive a claim registration number that is important for future communications with the insurance provider
• You can then take your car to the authorized garages with all the right documentation
• Submit any required documents to the surveyor

2. Car Insurance Reimbursement Claims

In a reimbursement claim, you will have to pay for the repairs or the damages initially. After this, the reimbursement claim will be issued based on the terms and conditions of the policy you hold. Under this policy, you do not have to get your car fixed in the authorized garages – you have the freedom to choose this. At the end of the repair, you can send all the bills to the insurance policy company. Here’s how you can avail of the same –

• Register the claim through the insurance provider’s website or application.
• After this, you will receive a claim registration number that is important for future communications with the insurance provider
• You can then take your car to the garages with all the right documentation
• Submit any required documents to the surveyor and once the liability is confirmed, the reimbursement process is initiated.

When you’re claiming car insurance, a very important thing to keep in mind is the documentation you would require during the process –

1. Driving license
2. Proof of identification such as a photocopy of a PAN card
3. A copy of the insurance policy certificate signed by you
4. Registration Certificate (RC) of the insured vehicle
5. A canceled cheque
6. First Information Report (FIR) in case of theft or third-party accident
7. Fire Brigade Report if lodged
8. Original purchase invoice
9. Any other document as requested by the insurance provider

Along with this, it’s important to keep certain things in mind like – the time you file for auto insurance after damage will depend on your policy and the terms involved. It’s essential that you verify these details before you sign any policy. Make sure, you also have all the receipts such as service expenses or prior towing receipts. Once you have filed an insurance claim, you can expect –

1. A claim adjuster will contact you – they will get in touch with you to get basic details which will help with the claim process. The insurer will ask you specific questions about the site, repairs, and if you have any preferred vendor to get your car fixed.
2. After this, the insurance company will assess all the information that they have been given and determine the fault. In case of an accident- things can be a bit complicated only if a third party is involved and an FIR has been filed
3. In case you disagree with the insurance company’s assessment – you have the opportunity to refute it. A discussion with the insurance company can sort this out for you and help them with more information that makes your case stronger.
4. The car will then go for repair – to the garage of your choice/authorized garage depending on your policy. The payment either will be a cashless one or a reimbursement. According to your policy, your claim will be settled.

Once you have filed the insurance claim, your insurance provider should also –

• Give a timely and clear explanation of the coverage that you’ll receive
• Give information on how the claim process will take place if/when needed
• Be prompt with your questions and take care of any grievances
• Give payments in case of need in a quick and seamless manner

If you are planning to get a new car insurance policy, there are two ways you can do so- online and offline. Through the online method, you can get your car insured from the comfort of your home, but if you prefer getting it through offline modes, then you can get in touch with various insurance agents or visit the branch of the closest insurance company! To learn more about car insurance, visit the Chola MS website.