You're happy about getting done with work early and driving home on an almost empty road. So happy that you almost missed the puppy crossing the road. CRASH, BOOM, BANG! Thankfully the puppy is safe but you're now stuck on the side of the road with a badly dented, injured car. What are you supposed to do now? You renewed your car insurance 2 months ago and after 2 claim free years, you've almost forgotten the standard operating procedure to follow in case of an accident. Worry not! Here are 4 easy steps you need to keep in mind in case you ever find yourself in an accident or if your car breaks down or worse, your car gets stolen
1) Intimate your insurance company
First things first, ALWAYS inform your insurance company right at the moment that you are in an accident. In cases of damage, they are going to be your awesome friends that bail you out of sticky situation. All companies have a number that you can call on to make a claim. It is important to do this before you make a claim because it just eases the entire process. And makes the claim settlement faster. More on that later. If you've bought your motor insurance policy through coverfox.com, you can call us on as well. We'd help you with the entire process. Besides of course, cheering you up about the sad, inconvenient situation you're in. We're friendly folks like that!
2) Lodge an FIR
In case your car has been stolen, you have to lodge an FIR. Seems very obvious, but you just got to, no two ways about it. Your claim won't be settled without it. Even in case of accidents, it is always a good idea to lodge an FIR, though not mandatory for claim settlement.
3) Evaluate status of damage
Once you've called the insurance folks, a representative will come and evaluate the damage to your car. You will also be guided to the right service centre nearest to you. This will help you get the best service for your beloved car. It will avoid any further consequential damage to your car that you unknowingly may cause in an attempt to take it to the nearest mechanic yourself. This will also ensure you don't have to spend a lot of money from your own pocket, because most places you will be guided to, will have a tie up with the insurance company for cashless servicing. Which effectively means, the bill gets settled by your insurance company directly. Just like the nice meal your dad pays when he's comes to visit you in college! In case the car is not in the position to be driven, they will also help you tow the car away to the nearest mechanic.
4) Settle claim
Once they've evaluated and agreed on the damage and the timelines involved in the repair, you can go home and relax. Be rest assured that since the insurance company is involved and the authorised service centres are repairing your car, it is in good hands. The parts required to be replaced will be genuine, there will be no extra hidden charges randomly added to your bill. Most importantly, the claim settlement process will take much lesser time, since the company has been involved right from the start, they are prepared better for the process. Anyway it is in their interest to settle your claim within a stipulated time of being involved. The sooner you involve them, the better.
What happens when you don't inform the insurance company at the time of repairing your car?
1) There may be lack of transparency in terms of the parts replaced, the charges incurred and so on.
2) You may un-knowingly cause more consequential damage to the car by driving it to the mechanic without having the damage evaluated first.
3) You may be overpaying the labor charges if you go to an unauthorised mechanic.
4) You may have to deal with the partial or total rejection of your claim. You will not be aware of the kind of costs or damages that your car has incurred and which of those costs is claimable or not. Cashless services will also not be available to you. You would unnecessarily have to wait a long time before the money gets reimbursed in most of the cases. So be smart about choosing the right motor insurance and for all your car troubles, like Jerry Maguire said, help the insurance company help you!
Article courtesy: www.coverfox.com
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
