Steps to Follow If You Have Injured a Pedestrian by Bike in India

Bike Insurance Covers Financial Liability In Case You Injure Any Pedestrian

Zipping across town in your bike is a thrilling experience. The feel of wind whooshing in your ears gives you an adrenalin boost. That is why many youngsters are speed-loving and indulge in buying a bike. But what about the other effects of this adrenalin rush? You are prone to accidents, aren’t you? What if you injure a pedestrian in the process of enjoying the thrill?

Bike accidents are very common in India. When you injure a pedestrian you are legally liable for compensating the injured party financially. Doesn’t this incur huge financial costs?

It does, but thankfully, your two-wheeler insurance policy comes to your rescue. The policy covers your financial liability in case you injure any pedestrian when driving your bike.

So, let’s understand the steps which you should follow when you have injured a pedestrian:

Step-1

The first and foremost step after injuring a pedestrian is helping the pedestrian and assessing the extent of injuries sustained. Though you might be tempted to run away, don’t. Yes, there would be legal proceedings but face the situation. If you run away and your bike number is noted, you would face severe punishments for running away from the scene of the accident.

Step-2

The next step is informing the police. A police FIR is necessary if you want your insurance policy to pay for the injuries suffered by pedestrians. This FIR serves as a proof of accident. So, file an FIR with the police station about the accident.

Step-3

The next step is informing the insurance company. The insurance company is the one paying the injured party for the injuries suffered. Needless to say, the company should be informed. The company might ask you about the diary number of your FIR. Furnish the number so that the company may register your claim and pay the expenses involved.

Step-4

If the injuries are extensive which require hospitalization or if the injured individual goes to the hospital for treatments, make sure to know the expenses incurred. The hospital bills are very important for the claim. The insurance company pays the amount incurred in treatments. So, it might require the relevant hospital bills. You should make sure to collect the hospital bills and submit them to the insurance company for a faster claim settlement.

If you follow these steps, your third party insurance claim would be paid by the insurance company if you injure any pedestrian. There are some things which you should keep in mind though.

Points to Remember in Case of Accident

Even if the injuries are minor and you want to settle the matter mutually without involving the police, inform the insurance company at least. This prevents the chances of frauds when the injured party might make a big claim for a minor injury.

A policy FIR report is important for getting your claim from the insurance company. So, don’t try and avoid it.

In certain cases of injury your case might go to the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT) which deals with matters related to compensation payable to accident victims. In that case, the rulings of MACT would determine the amount of claim payable.

Keep all the documents related to the accident handy. The insurance company might require them and you might also need them for maintaining your records.

Though you do not want to injure pedestrians, accidents are common and uncertain. If you too are involved in any such accident, don’t panic. Your bike insurance policy would take care of your financial liability. Know the above-mentioned steps, keep the important pointers in mind and you wouldn’t have to worry about your financial liability.