Car Insurance Claim Process for Accident, Own Damage & Theft

Car insurance is much needed in today's day and age as mishaps don't come with a warning. In the event of an unfortunate incident, the last thing on your mind would be learning about claims for car insurance. Instead of waiting for that day to arrive, let's understand the various car insurance claim processes.   Types of Car Insurance Claims There are two different types of car insurance claims that you should know about, cashless and reimbursement claims.   Cashless Claim

• Insurers offer you with the facility of cashless claims at network garages associated with them
• If you take your vehicle to one of the network garages for repair work, you don't have to pay the bill. Your insurer will directly settle the final amount with the garage

  Reimbursement Claim

• In case you take your vehicle to a garage that is not affiliated with your insurer, you will have to opt for reimbursement claim
• For this, you will have to pay for the repair expenses from your own pocket and later file a claim for the same with your insurer
• It is advised to maintain all original receipts, bills, invoices, etc. for the claim process. The insurance provider will then validate the submitted bills and process your claim accordingly

  Car Insurance Claim Process   The claim process varies as there are different types of car insurance plans with varying coverages. Here’s a detailed account on steps to claim car insurance:  

	Third-Party	Own Damage	Theft
Step 1	You should contact your insurer and the police immediately if you have caused loss or damage to third-party property	In the event of own damage, you should intimate the police and your insurer immediately. There is a time period set by the insurer for reporting such incidences. Failure to do it on time can lead to claim rejection.	In case of theft of your vehicle, you would first need to inform the police and file an FIR as evidence for the case. You can then intimate your insurer about the claim.
Step 2	Your insurer will then transfer the case to the Claim Tribunal who will then decide the compensation amount	The insurer will then appoint a surveyor to assess your case. Once your car has been inspected, a report will be sent to the insurance provider.	You will have to submit certain documents such as Registration Certificate, policy documents, the driver's licence, etc. Your original car keys may also be required.
Step 3	In case you have incurred damages due to another vehicle, take down their insurer's details	The insurance provider will reimburse you the expenses incurred for repairing your vehicle based on the terms and conditions of your policy	If the police are unable to find your car, then a non-traceable certificate will be generated. With this, the insurance provider will settle your claim as per the terms and conditions of the policy

    Documents Required to File Car Insurance Claim Below are some documents that are required during the car insurance claim procedure:

• Copy of Registration Certificate
• Copy of car insurance policy
• FIR or police report (In case of theft or if requested by insurer)
• Copy of your driver's license
• Original bill, receipts, invoices, etc.

  Cashless Car Insurance Claim Procedure

1. Notify your insurer as soon as possible via call or email
2. After your claim gets registered, you will receive a claim registration number that should be saved for future communication
3. Take your vehicle to one of the network garages affiliated with the insurer
4. A surveyor appointed by your insurance provider will assess the damage, make a report and give the go-ahead to repair your vehicle
5. After submitting the required documents, you can collect your repaired vehicle, and the bill will be settled by the insurer

  Reimbursement Car Insurance Claim Procedure

1. Inform your insurer about the claim immediately via call or email
2. After registering the claim, you will receive a registration number for future references
3. A surveyor appointed by the insurer will then inspect the damage and submit a report
4. You can then take your vehicle to a preferred garage for repair
5. Submit the original bills, duly signed form, and other documents for the successful reimbursement process
6. After processing the claim request, you will get the expenses incurred for repair

  You can now file your car insurance claims without any hassle with the above-given process.