How to claim car insurance after an accident or natural calamity
- Getting insurance coverage for the damage to the car can be easily processed if a few simple tips are followed.
Even if you are a very good driver, you can still have an accident and the consequences can sometimes be very stressful. Also, you may see your car getting damaged due to natural calamities or disasters. When you are involved in an accident, you need to take steps to ensure everyone is safe, comply with the law, and begin the insurance claim process to get the damage fixed. This same process applies in the case of natural calamities as well.
In such a case, your immediate action should be to notify your insurance provider company and follow the correct process for making a car insurance claim. Working with your insurance company after an accident is very important to ensure that your claim is resolved correctly.
Also Read : How to choose the right car insurance policy: Key tips
Here are the step-by-step guides to follow to claim the insurance compensation.
How to claim insurance coverage after accident
Here is the step-by-step guide on how to claim insurance coverage from your insurance provider in case your car meets an accident.
Notify the insurance company
Notify your insurance provider company about the accident and provide detailed information about the damage to your vehicle. Always make sure you do not hide any information from your insurance provider as this could be counterproductive when trying to raise a claim.
File FIR with police
Immediately notify the police about the accident and file a First Information Report or FIR, if necessary. Usually, an FIR is required to be registered in case of theft, traffic accident or vehicle fire. If the damage is just minor dents and scratches on the vehicle, you may not be required to file an FIR. However, you will need to register an FIR if a third party is involved in the accident.
Take proper photos
Always make sure to take enough photographs of the damage of the vehicle as well as of the accident scene. Also, make sure the photos are clear and the damage is clearly visible so the insurance company can check the extent of the physical damage to the vehicle and settle your coverage claim accordingly.
Send necessary documents to the insurer
In order to initiate the claim procedure and for swift processing, your insurance provider company would require certain documents such as a copy of the insurance policy, a copy of FIR, a copy of the owner's driver's license, a copy of your car registration certificate, etc. Make sure you submit these documents properly and work with the insurance company for a hassle-free claim settlement experience.
Repair the car
You can bring the damaged vehicle to the garage for repair. On the other hand, you can ask the insurance company to repair the car for you. If your insurance coverage claim is approved, the company will reimburse your costs or compensate you as they see it suitable. If you are repairing the damage of the vehicle on your own from a workshop, the claim settlement can be done in two different ways. One is on account, which means the insurance provider will assess the damage and give you the money upfront. The other way is you have to submit the estimated repair cost before the repair or the actual invoice after getting the damage repaired, which the insurance provider will reimburse as per their policy.
How to claim insurance coverage in case of damage due to natural disaster
If your car has been damaged due to a natural calamity or disaster, you can raise a claim for insurance coverage to get the repair done on the vehicle. However, it is advisable to check your car insurance policy document to know which are the covered and non-covered elements under the plan, in case the vehicle meets a mishap due to natural calamity or disaster.
The process of raising a claim for insurance coverage for a car that took damage due to natural calamity or disaster is quite the same as the one of raising a claim after an accident. In this case, too, you will have to immediately contact the insurance provider company to initiate the claim process. Make sure to click clear pictures and make a video of the damaged car, showing the damages clearly.
You may be required to fill out some forms or submit necessary details and documents such as mishap information, a copy of the owner’s license, a copy of the vehicle’s registration certificate etc via mail or any other communication medium. However, submission of these documents may vary from one insurance company to another.
Based on these, the company will assign a surveyor to inspect and assess the extent of the damage. Make sure to honestly answer all the questions the surveyor asks, as depending on that, the claim settlement will be hassle-free. Make sure to provide the correct information to him or her. After the verification, the vehicle will be repaired at the workshop. The claim settlement can be done via an on-account basis or reimbursement, but it will be your insurance provider’s call.
