Car Insurance

With the availability of online platform, buying car insurance online is a very simple and hassle-free procedure. However, if the insurance company demands, you would need to keep the following documents handy.

• The copy of your Registration Certificate (RC) of your vehicle
• The invoice copy for a new car
• Previous insurance policy
• No claim bonus reserving letter, whenever required

The sole purpose of buying insurance for your car is to get adequately compensated for any damages and losses. To ensure that you raise a successful claim, it’s necessary to keep all the relevant documents at hand. While insurance companies try their best to avoid pesky paperwork, here is a list of documents you need to have on you:

• The copy of the Registration Certificate and Tax Receipt of your car
• The proof of valid insurance document
• Copy of your Car Driving License
• Repair Bills and Payment Receipts in case of reimbursement
• Copy of FIR/Panchanama in case of Theft or Third Party damage/death/bodily injury For more details on different types of claim process, read motor insurance.

We all know that too many options usually implies too much confusion. That is why, before choosing, one must compare plans on the basis of:

• Car Insurance Company: Check the company’s past records for the number of claims settled and the time taken to settle them.
• Premium and Coverage: Balance between the premium you are willing to pay and the coverage that you will actually end up needing. Also, don't forget to include add-ons accordingly.
• Cashless Garage Network: Be sure about the insurer’s network garages in your area. You must remember that you can avail cashless services only at these garages, so that's always tricky.

A car insurance policy will be valid for a particular period. After this period, the insurance policy lapses. It is advisable to undertake car insurance renewal on time so as to benefit from the No Claim Bonus (NCB). If policy lapses car insurance renewal can be done within 90 days you may still benefit from the NCB. Post 90 days, you need to initiate the process by filling details all over again and getting your car inspected by the surveyor. Also, as the NCB is lost it would result to higher premiums.

No, online four wheeler insurance is not only for new car. You can also renew your existing policies online.

We all know that cars have become a need in today's times. One of the most convenient and favored ways to commute to work is driving the car you own. Most drivers are aware that buying four-wheeler insurance is mandatory as per Indian law. They also know that driving carefully would lower the car insurance premium and driving carelessly would increase the insurance premium. Also, being a new driver would again raise the insurance premium.

But, driving a car minus a valid car insurance results in you paying a hefty fine according to the Indian law. This makes it mandatory for every car owner to get four-wheeler insurance for every car they own.

Car insurance is the actual reason why our cars run on the roads hassle free. Life becomes really relaxed and stress free when you have car insurance.

Getting four-wheeler insurance is not only mandatory but is important for your well-being too. There are numerous reasons as to why this insurance is needed. There are certain things that are never in your control. For example, your car getting harmed in an accident is not in your control. It’s not necessary, it would be the driver’s fault always. Freak accidents cannot be predicted in advance and hence cannot be controlled.

If you buy a car insurance, you do not have to worry about spending money for getting it repaired in case of an accident. Apart from this, car insurance also provides coverage in case the car gets stolen. There are other coverage benefits too but those vary on the type of coverage you opt for.

Car insurance is mainly categorized into 2 categories i.e. third party car insurance and the comprehensive car insurance policy. But what will surprise you (if you don’t really know) is that only the third-party insurance is compulsory by law. And therefore, buying comprehensive car insurance still becomes a matter of choice.

1. Third party insurance for your car is nothing but the coverage guaranteed to the third party only .i.e. damage to another person’s vehicle or property, bodily injuries and permanent disability during an accident by your car and is mandatory by law.

2. A comprehensive car insurance is a complete coverage for any damages done to your car due to any dents caused by any other vehicle during a road accident. Or say, the windshield of the car getting damaged or broken or may be your prized possession getting stolen.

Below are the damages/injuries, specifically taken care by the comprehensive four-wheeler insurance policy:

• Theft
• Fire
• Vandalism
• Natural disasters
• Civil Disturbances
• Damage was done to your car by animals or wildlife
• Road accidents

You may be thinking that it is useless to insure a car standing idle in the parking lot. But, you actually fail to understand that an unused car is more prone to damages. It really makes sense to go for an insurance cover for such a car than paying hefty amounts in repairing the damages.

Even if your car is lying unused, buying a four-wheeler insurance would not only get you the peace of mind but also take care of all the unforeseen situations. So, even if you do not drive, do not avoid to buy a car insurance policy.

The Personal Accident cover available with the mandatory Third Party Insurance is up to Rs 1 lakh. However, one can increase this cover with the help of the optional Personal Accident add-on cover that is available on the payment of an additional premium. This rider offers a coverage for temporary or permanent disability and death caused because of an accident. Most four-wheeler insurance providers advise opting for this cover as it takes care of your financial burden in case of unforeseen situations.

Yes, there is an add-on cover for car accessories. Add-on cover for car accessories is an attractive benefit offered by a number of car insurance providers that gives additional coverage for your car accessories. On the payment of an additional premium, you can ensure that you are covered of the cost incurred on your car accessories that most car insurance policies do not cover. Hence, this is beneficial and a cost-effective advantage for car owners.

You can visit the insurer's website and enter your previous year car insurance policy details. In case you didn't lodge any claim during the policy period, you are entitled to No Claim Bonus (NCB) benefit, which is a discount on your car insurance premium.

You can check different four-wheeler insurance policies offered by various insurers and compare to pick up the best car insurance policy that best suits your needs before buying on online web-aggregators site. The renewal process is the same on most online web-aggregators.

While doing a car insurance comparison, you need to consider the amount you are willing to pay as premium with respect to the best coverage options available. Depending on the car model, engine type, and your area of residence, you need to understand your requirements and limitations.

A little background research is required on the insurance companies. Compare four-wheeler insurance premium breakup by different insurance companies. Check if the Insured Declared Value (IDV) is optimum enough to save you from total losses of your car in the event of an accident or theft.

Choose add-on covers, like zero-depreciation cover, as per your requirement. Apply discounts (like No-claim Bonus on own-damage premium) and then compare to see if the insurance quote provides value for money.

When you compare four-wheeler insurance quotes on Coverfox.com, you get customized quotes for your car from different insurers available. In case you do not understand the plan that you choose or any other aspect of the plan that you wish to buy, then our expert advisors are available to guide you through the process.

It won't change in few hours. However, it may change after every 15 days only if insurance companies update their insurance prices. In such cases, the insurance quotes may increase or decrease. However, note that each year, IRDAI revises the third-party rates, so you would find a change in quotes annually due to revision in third-party part of the premium.

For this, you can bookmark the URL and then view the quotes as per your convenience.

Another option that you have on Coverfox.com is to view your quote and click on the button ‘shares these quotes’ and then copy paste the link and save it somewhere. Perhaps if you want to show these quotes to your dad or a friend, you could do so easily via the share button.

No.

It is not necessary that your premium will get cheaper if you stay with the same insurer. Insurers usually don’t offer retention discounts online. They may have their own discounts to offer – Example: Occupation discount, etc.

If at all your premium decreases it could be because your IDV has reduced. Or perhaps, you had a claim-free year so you can ask for NCB discount. Or perhaps you chose to discontinue certain add-on covers. For example, you may have had a zero-depreciation add-on but that would be valid only till the 5th year. From the 6th year onwards, since the add-on is discontinued, your premium is lowered by default.

Your premium could also increase, if you may have added few more add-ons such as personal accident cover add-on or accessories cover add-on. Sometimes, due to increase in taxes, the premiums can increase.

Following changes are allowed in the policy:

1.Name rectification

• Please reach out to the customer support team with your policy details. You would be provided with a request number and the changes would be done.

• You can also visit the nearest branch of your car insurance provider with the requested documents.

2. Registration number/ Engine/ Chassis number rectification:

• Contact your car insurance provider by sending an e-mail with the policy details and a scanned copy of your RC. You would be provided with a request number and the changes would be done.
• You can also visit the nearest branch of your car insurance provider with the requested documents.

3. Address Rectification:

• Send your policy details via e-mail and the correct address details to your car insurance provider. You would be provided with a request number and the changes would be done.
• You can also upload the scanned copy of your address proof on the official website of the car insurance provider.
• You can also visit the company’s nearest branch with a request letter for address rectification.

4. Address change:

• Contact your insurance provider through the official website via an e-mail with the policy details and the correct address details. You would then be provided with a request number and the changes would be done.
• You can put in a request online and upload a scanned copy of your address proof.
• You can also visit the company’s nearest branch with a request letter for address change.

5. Change in model/vehicle:

• Please visit the nearest branch of your car insurance provider with a copy of your RC book, request letter and policy documents. These changes might affect the premium charged, so you must carry a cheque along.

6. Name transfer (Transfer of ownership):

• If you transfer your vehicle on some other person’s name, the insurance policy also needs to be transferred on the new owner’s name. Your four-wheeler insurance provider can help you with the same.

7. Addition of LPG/ CNG kit/ Electrical/ Non-electrical accessories:

For addition of LPG/ CNG kit or any other accessories, you can visit the nearest branch of the company with the following documents-

• Invoice copy of the CNG kit/ Electrical/ Non-electrical accessories and endorsed RC (with LPG/ CNG) or letter with the declaration value
• Request letter
• Cheque for paying the required premium

8. Addition of Anti-theft device:

In case you want to add an anti-theft device, please visit the nearest branch with the following documents:

• Invoice copy of fitted device (ARAI approved) or letter with the declaration value
• Request letter

9. Change in RTO/ Registration:

Please visit the nearest branch with the following documents:

• Copy of your updated endorsed Registration Certificate (RC)
• These changes might affect the premium charged, so please carry a cheque along

10. NCB Recovery/ Change:

Contact the nearest branch with the following documents:

• Request letter from Insured
• Original NCB reserving letter from Previous Insurer
• Proof of sale of old vehicle

11. Addition of Hypothecation:

• For addition of hypothecation, you can send an e-mail with the policy details, a scanned copy of your request letter, your sanction letter from the financial institution and the endorsed copy of your Registration Certificate (RC) to your four-wheeler insurance provider. You would be provided with a request number and the changes would be done.

• You can click here to place a request and upload the scanned copy of request letter, your sanction letter from the financial institution and the endorsed copy of Registration Certificate (RC).

• You can also visit the car insurance provider’s nearest branch with these documents.

12. Change of Hypothecation:

• Please send an e-mail with the policy details, a scanned copy of Request Letter, your sanction letter from the new financial institution, NOC from the previous financial institution and the endorsed copy of Registration Certificate (RC) to your insurance provider. You would be provided with a request number and the changes would be done.

• You can place your request and upload the scanned copy of Request letter, your sanction letter from the new financial institution, NOC from the previous financial institution and the endorsed copy of RC on the website.

• You can also visit the company’s nearest branch with these documents.

13. Cancellation of hypothecation:

Reach out to your insurance provider by sending them an email with the policy details and a scanned copy of Request letter, your NOC letter from the financial institution, documents and the endorsed copy of Registration Certificate (RC) on their official email address.

• You can also upload the scanned copy of Request letter, your NOC letter from the financial institution documents and the endorsed copy of RC.

• You can also visit the nearest branch with these documents.

A maximum of 4 times can be opted by the insured related to any of the services under this add-on. The insured would be able to claim only for the services opted for by him at the time of policy issuance.

The documents required to cancel the policy by the customers are as follows:

• Customer Request Letter
• Alternate policy proof (TP / Comprehensive)
• Original Policy Copy
• Sale proof of the vehicle or Sale Deed/Form 29&30 along with RTO acknowledgement. (in case of vehicle being sold)
• NOC from financer.

Yes, you will be eligible for the claim even after the expiry of the policy date. This is possible because the event happened during the policy period.

Yes. For example, if the insured has a cover of Rs.10,000 and incurs an expense of Rs.15,000, then the insured will have to pay Rs.5,000.

Yes, there are multiple insurance providers that provide car insurance renewal facility online. Car Insurance renewals can be done 60 days before the expiry of your existing policy. In case your vehicle insurance policy has already expired, an authorised surveyor will inspect the vehicle before reissuing the policy. The policy would only be issued subject to a satisfactory inspection and submission of required documents.

ARAI is the short form of Automotive Research Association of India. If you have installed an ARAI approved anti-theft device in your vehicle, whose installation is dully certified by the agency, you are eligible for getting a discount of 2.5% on the Own Damage (OD) premium subject to maximum of Rs. 500.

Yes, in case your vehicle is fitted with anti-theft devices, which are approved by the Automobile Research Association of India (ARAI), a discount on Own Damage (OD) premium is provided by the insurer.

A written evidence of an agreed change in the policy is called an endorsement. It is a document that incorporates changes in terms of the policy. As applicable, an additional premium is charged.

A premium bearing endorsement is a kind of endorsement for which additional premium is charged. To cite an example, transfer of ownership, addition of LPG/ CNG kit, change of RTO location, etc. are premium bearing endorsements.

Constructive Total Loss refers to accidental loss/ damage to your vehicle where the aggregate cost of retrieval and/ or repairs amounts to be more than 75% of the Insured Declared Value (IDV) on your policy.

If there are any changes in the existing policy, such as change of address or modifications to the vehicle or its use, it can be done by an endorsement by the insurance company. All you have to do is submit a letter to the insurer with proof for the required changes, and obtain the endorsement. Some endorsements may require you to pay an additional premium. Hence, you must check the correctness of the endorsement before submitting the same.

For the purpose of applying premium rate, the place where the vehicle is registered is taken into consideration, instead of the place where the vehicle is used. If your vehicle has been registered in Mumbai, the rate applicable for Zone A is charged. Even when you shift to a different city, the same premium rate will be applicable for your vehicle. Similarly, if a vehicle is registered in a town or a tier 2 city, it attracts Zone B premium rate. Subsequently even if the owner shifts to a metro, he will continue to be charged the Zone B rate.

The following documents are needed while plying in public places-

• Certificate of Insurance
• Xerox copy of Registration Certificate
• Pollution under Control Certificate
• Photocopy of Driving Licence of person who is driving the vehicle

Yes, there is a possibility to transfer the insurance in the name of the buyer of the vehicle, provided the seller informs of such transfer in writing, to the insurance company. A fresh proposal form has to be filled in this case. There is a nominal fee charged for transfer of insurance with pro-rata recovery of NCB. This is charged from the date of transfer till the policy expires. Please note that transfer of ownership in comprehensive/package policies has to be recorded within 14 days from date of transfer. If the policyholder fails to do so, no claim will be payable for own damage to the vehicle.

A valid car Insurance is mandatory by law for all cars running on Indian roads. There are mainly two types of four-wheeler insurance in India offered by general insurance companies in India. They are- third party insurance and comprehensive insurance.

Third party insurance covers for damage and liabilities of the third party only arising out of a collision. It is the most basic and cheapest form of four-wheeler insurance to get. Comprehensive insurance covers for damages for the insured vehicle and also the liability of the third party arising from the accident.

four-wheeler insurance premium calculation is done primarily on the basis of Insured Declared Value (IDV) of the specific model. The IDV is calculated on the ex-showroom price of the car and it changes annually as per the depreciation rate of a certain model. The other factors affecting car insurance premium include no claim bonus which is rewarded to the insured for not making any claims during the policy term. No Claim Bonus(NCB) can be accumulated to a staggering 50% on the premium amount. Discount on four-wheeler insurance can be availed if the car owner has installed an anti-theft device approved by ARAI (Automobile Research Association of India) or opts for a voluntary deductible.

All the above factors affect the final calculation of the car insurance premium payable.

As you fit the CNG / LPG kit, it is necessary to inform both the Road Transport Authority (RTA) where the vehicle is registered and your Insurance Company. The RTA will make a note of the change in the Registration Certificate (RC), and the Insurance Company will inform you about the payment of extra premium for the value of the kit to be covered under the “OD” and “TP” sections. The fitting of the CNG should be endorsed in the RC barring, which an insurance claim would be considered as void.

The policy document is a ready reckoner that you can refer for the complete list of documents to be submitted if you have a Car

Insurance claim. The documents which you would generally require are:

• The duly filled claim form
• The Registration Certificate (RC) copy of the vehicle
• Original estimates of loss
• Repair invoice and payment receipt

If you are availing the cashless facility then only the repair invoice would be required. For theft claims, you would need to file an FIR with the local policy and the copy of the same needs to be submitted to the insurance company along with the keys of your vehicle and a non-traceable certificate.

The premium for your four-wheeler insurance is calculated on different factors for the Own Damage cover (Comprehensive cover) and the Third party cover.

The Own Damage cover Premium is calculated basis the following:

• The IDV (Insured Declared Value) of your car (the value of your car that will be compensated to you in case of theft or total damage)
• The make and model of the car
• Your car’s manufacturing year
• Your geographical location
• The applicable No Claim Bonus, accumulated over claim free years
• Any add-on benefits you wish to opt

The Third party cover shields you from loss or injury you cause to a third-party (the calculation is based on the engine capacity). You may also apply for the Personal Accident cover, which will protect you from accidents. The premium amount would have the PA cover and service charges would be reflected in it.

A third party liabilty insurance cover is clearly limited. But there are some scenarios where even a comprehensive car insurance policy with add-ons can't help:

• Damages when the policy is not active.
• Damages when the driver/owner is breaking the law. (Always carry your license, follow traffic rules and NEVER EVER drink and drive!)
• Damages due to oil leakage.
• Damages when you don't follow manufacturer's guidelines.
• Gradual wear and tear. (Because everything grows old!)

A comprehensive car insurance will cover your car from instances of theft, fire and vandalism. It also protects from natural disasters such as cyclone, floods, earthquakes, or from civil disturbances such as riots, which damages your car. A list of what perils are covered will be provided in the policy document. Make sure you go through the list to understand the protection being offered. Along with this, it also covers any legal liability arising due to the damages caused to any third party triggered by your car.

The third party car insurance only covers your legal liability for any loss and damages to third party because of your car. It will not cover you or your car for any damages suffered.

A comprehensive four-wheeler insurance will cover your car from damages, which are caused from perils apart from collision. The comprehensive plan covers damage/losses to your car as well as third party.

A deductible is a part of the monetary loss which you decide to bear in case of a claim. While the compulsory deductible is pre-set by the IRDA, you can choose to opt for a voluntary deductible based on your capacity of bearing the claim amount. The higher you opt for a voluntary deductible, lower will be your premiums.

Yes, it does. The location at where you reside can affect the premium. If your locality is prone to robberies, theft, burglary then the motor insurance premium will be higher than the localities where the instances of theft are less. The metro cities in India usually have higher premium than non-metro cities, you will find that cities are usually divided into zones for insurance purposes normally it is metro cities and the rest of India.

You may wish to make changes to your existing car insurance policy, and these changes are done through an endorsement. An endorsement is a written evidence of the changes made in the policy. If you need to make any changes then you can submit a letter to the insurer with the necessary proofs. This helps you obtain an endorsement, which can affect the premium to be paid for the policy.

The Third Party Liability is also called as Liability Only or Act Only, and is mandatory by law for all vehicles plying the roads in India. The Liability Only covers the legal liability of the third party against damages to the property or any injury/death caused by your car. The policy type does not cover you or your vehicle. Hence, it is apt to go for the Comprehensive Insurance policy which will cover the ‘Liability’ and ‘Own Damage’.

The add-on covers are meant to support four-wheeler insurance plans adequately. Some of the add-on covers are zero-depreciation, invoice cover, engine and electronic circuit cover and No Claim Bonus Protector cover. A zero depreciation cover ensures that the insured can have a full claim on the value of the parts without deductions for standard depreciation that are replaced after an accident. The invoice cover ensures that you will be reimbursed the ‘on road price’ in case the car gets stolen or has a total loss due to a major accident. The engine and electronic circuit cover offers protection during flooding. The No Claim Bonus cover helps you retain the NCB benefit even after one claim has been made during the year.

A policy period is the duration during which the policy is effective. The policy period starts on a particular day, which is defined on the purchase of the policy and. It is valid for one year or a period of three years depending on the insurance plan selected by the insured.

Yes, the policy can be cancelled and the unused premium amount refunded usually on a pro-rata basis. This will happen only if an alternate insurance proof is offered, and claims aren’t raised subject to 30 days prior to the policy expiry date. If a claim is raised, refund shall not be made. There could also be a nominal cancellation, which is charged.

Depreciation in four-wheeler insurance refers to loss of value due to wear and tear of the vehicle. The rate of depreciation is significant from the time you buy the car insurance policy. It is applicable to each car part except glass. The rate of depreciation is 50% for rubber, plastic parts, tyres and tubes, batteries and air bags; while a 30% for all fibre components.

A cover note is an interim document, which is issued by the insurer until a final insurance policy can be provided. The cover note will have the name of the insured, the insurer and details of the coverage. A cover note is usually valid for a period of 60 days and the insurer issues the Certificate of Insurance before the expiry of the cover note. It enables the purchaser to cancel the policy, and receive a refund on the condition that a claim is not yet made.

Yes, it is possible to transfer the No Claim Bonus (NCB), which is accrued to the new insurance policy even after expiry. This is possible within 90 days from the expiry of the four-wheeler insurance, the NCB benefits post this period is not transferable. Within 90 days the amount and discounts earned are all transferred to the new policy.

The premium can be lowered by availing the No Claim Bonus (NCB). There are more discounts which can be availed under the Own Damage premium for membership of Automobile Association of India, Vintage Cars (Private cars certified by the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India) and installation of anti-theft devices approved by the ARAI (Automobile Research Association of India), Pune. There are also concessions for modified vehicles for the blind, handicapped and mentally challenged persons that is endorsed in the RC by the RTA.

No, this is not advisable. The registration and insurance of the vehicle should be in the same name and same address otherwise the claim might get denied. So a fresh proposal can be filed and with the payment of a nominal fee so that you can initiate the transfer of the insurance.

The value of wreck when a vehicle meets with an accident where the vehicle is damaged is considered as salvage. Whereas when the retrieval of the damaged vehicle to its initial condition is not possible is considered as total loss.

A cashless claim is the complete responsibility of the insurance company. Most of the companies have their own garage network, which can repair the damaged vehicles. The owner does not have to worry about the expenses apart from the consumables (not covered in the policy). The payment of only the difference amount as confirmed during the process of the claim needs to be made.

If you decide to choose your own garage for repair works (not a part of the insurer’s garage network), then you can claim reimbursement for the same. You will need to submit the original bills, payment receipts to the insurance company after you settle the repair amount from your own pocket.

The documents which are required to make the claim are:

• A copy of the vehicle’s registration book.
• The driving licence copy of the person driving the vehicle.
• Duly filled in Claim form
• Original RC book
• FIR copy in case of third-party injury/death.

You will need to read the policy document to check the documents required apart from the ones which are listed.

The certificate of insurance is a document which provides information on the specific insurance coverage issued by the insurance company as per the Rule 141 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, and only in Form 51. The document offers information on the effective policy date, type of the insurance coverage. This document should always be carried in the vehicle.

The documents which you need to keep in the vehicle while plying public places are the Certificate of Insurance, a copy of the Registration Certificate, the PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate, and the Xerox copy of the driving licence of the person who is driving the vehicle.

In case you lose your four-wheeler insurance papers, here's what you need to do:

Step 1 - Let the car insurance company know right away

Step 2 - File a policy complaint (this will help with justifying your condition when you ask the insurer for a duplicate car insurance policy copy)

Step 3 - Place an advertisement in an English and a vernacular newspaper that gets circulated within the state where the four-wheeler insurance policy was lost or misplaced.

Step 4 - Submit a filled-up application for a duplicate insurance certificate to the insurance company

Step 5 - Provide an indemnity bond on an appropriate stamp paper