As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, it is mandatory for all car owners to have at least a valid liability motor insurance policy if they wish to drive their vehicle legally on the roads in India. Though every car owner has to have coverage, not many know how to claim car insurance after an accident. If you too don’t know how seek compensation from insurance, this article is the perfect read for you as we have listed down steps involved in the process to claim car insurance:

How to claim car insurance?

Insurers allow you to raise two types of insurance claims: cashless claims and reimbursement claims. In reimbursement claims, you pay for the car repairs from your pocket and when the claim gets approved, you receive compensation within the scope of the insurance policy. On the other hand, in cashless claims, the insurer directly pays their partner garage for the repairs. The process to claim car insurance online is almost same for both the types of insurance claims. You can follow the steps listed below to raise a car insurance claim:

• Step 1 – FIR

  The first thing you need to do after getting into an accident is call the police and lodge an FIR about the incident.
  

• Step 2 – Inform the insurer

  Next, you must inform your insurance company about the accident and express your need to raise an insurance claim. You can do so by either calling the insurance company’s toll–free number, visiting their website or through their offered mobile app. The insurer will then send a surveyor to measure the damage incurred to your car.
  

• Step 3 – Gather evidence

  Take photos of the accident and gather all the evidence you need to proof your claim. You can also take contact details of the people who witnessed the accident. If your car is hit by a third–party, do not forget to note down the registration number of the third–party’s vehicle.
  

• Step 4– Transfer to garage

  If you are raising a cashless claim, make use of the insurer’s towing service and get your vehicle towed to the insurance company’s partnered garage. If you are raising a reimbursement claim, inform the insurer and tow your car to your preferred garage.
  

• Step 5 – Documentation

  Submit all the required documents to the insurer and pay the compulsory and voluntary deductible amounts as outlined in your car insurance policy.
  

• Step 6 – Compensation

  If you have raised a cashless claim, the insurer will settle the bill directly with the network garage. If you have a reimbursement claim, submit the bills to your insurance company to get compensated.
  Remember that the exact steps involved in raising a claim can vary slightly between insurance companies and between situations.
  

What are the documents required to raise a car insurance claim?

Here are the documents that you would require to successfully raise a car insurance claim:

• Copy of the car insurance policy
  
• FIR of the accident
  
• Copy of your driver’s license
  
• Copy of your car’s registration certificate
  
• Original receipt of repairs and other expenses (only for reimbursement claims)
  

Your insurer may require other documents, depending on your situation or case.
Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.