Documents Required for Car Insurance Claim Process in India

Let us start with knowing the meaning of a Car Insurance Claim Process.

What is a Car Insurance Claim Process?

A car insurance claim is a request that the policy owner makes to the insurance provider from whom he/she bought the policy asking to reimburse for the damage sustained by the vehicle of the insured because of any accident or mishap. There are different ways to process a claim request as listed in the blog below. Also, the blog talks about the various obligatory insurance claim documents required while making a claim.

Compulsory Documents Required to Make Car Insurance Claims in India

Below are the obligatory documents required for car insurance claim in India:

• Details of the car insurance plans
• Detailed information of the insured car
• Name of the insured person
• Registered mobile number
• Make and model of the insured vehicle
• Detailed information of the accident
• Extent of damage caused in the accident
• Garage details where you got the repairs done (location and phone number)

Although making a car insurance claim request is not a very difficult task, it is necessary to provide the correct documents required for a car insurance claim to the insurance company so that your claim doesn’t get rejected.

List of Documents to be Kept Handy for Car Accident Insurance Claims, India

• Copy of the insurance policy cover note.
• Driving License of the one driving the car at the time of accident.
• Registration Certificate of the vehicle involved.
• An applicable intimation form to make the claim.
• ID proof of insured – it can be an Aadhar or a PAN card.
• If needed, an estimate of repair.

There are some additional papers required if the insured person gets the damage repaired at a non-cashless garage and makes a reimbursement claim. These papers are:

• Invoice of the repair done
• Payment receipt of the repair work
• valid copy of a canceled cheque

Although buying a third party policy of car insurance is compulsory, it is better to opt for a comprehensive plan as it safeguards your car further by covering all expenses against accidents, fire, theft etc.

For claims concerning car thefts, you must provide some extra insurance claim documents along with the ones mentioned above. Here’s what is needed:

• FIR copy from the police
• Non-traceable vehicle report
• Sale invoice of the vehicle, if required

How to Avoid Rejection of Car Insurance Claims in India?

Below are the points that will ensure that the claim you made doesn’t get rejected:

• Valid License – Make sure you had a valid driving license, which has not expired or was invalid during the time of the accident. If you were driving with an invalid license, you might call for a rejection of claim where the insurance provider might not pay the reimbursements.
• Location restrictions – If you were driving your car outside the jurisdiction of the Indian territories, your claim might get rejected. Your insurance policy is valid within the geographical limits of the country, and so if you drive outside the location and a mishap happens it will not be covered by the insurance company.
• Insurance Policy Transfer process – For people driving a second-hand vehicle must make sure to transfer the RC and Insurance plan on their name before driving the car on the roads. This is because if any mishap takes place during such time, the insurance company will not accept it. So, you must transfer the papers within 14 days of buying the second-hand car.
• Insurance Renew – Also, to make sure that your claim doesn’t get rejected, you must renew the policy regularly and on time. If a policy expires, the insurance company will not entertain your claims.
• Copy of FIR – For claims made against accidents or in case of car theft it is required to file an FIR at the nearest police station. This serves as  a critical document in the claim process for accidents. If you do not file an FIR, you might face complications in the process of claim.
• Modifications (Non-Disclosure) – Any modification done to your car must be conveyed to your insurance company. Be it performance related modification,  security related or aesthetic related, every minor change in the car needs to be informed to the insurance providers.

The reason is because the insurer includes the different car parts while considering the policy premium. Thus, if you hide any modifications from the insurer, it might result in your claim getting rejected.