What to Do After an Accident: Car and Bike Insurance Claims Process Explained

Whether you own a car or a bike, having an insurance policy for your vehicle is a mandatory requirement for driving legally in India. However, accidents in your vehicle can happen unexpectedly, leaving you confused and unsure of the next steps. While it is impossible to prevent accidents entirely, understanding the insurance claims process can significantly ease the burden during such times. Likewise, if you wish to purchase a vehicle soon, you must also be aware of the claiming process for your insurance coverage.

Thus, keep reading this blog to find out more.

What Should You Do to File Vehicle Insurance Claims After an Accident?

Understanding the process of claiming your vehicle insurance coverage is one of the most crucial things to consider for a vehicle owner. Be it a car or bike insurance plan, you can refer to the following points to learn what you should do to raise your claim after you come across an accident:

Step 1: Connect With Your Insurance Provider You must always carry your car insurance provider’s contact details whenever you take your vehicle out on the road. In case of an accident, the first thing you need to do is make a call to your insurance provider and inform the entire scene of the accident. You must not withhold any information to ensure the convenience of the company while settling claims.

Step 2: File an FIR at the Nearest Police Station. An FIR or First Information Report is a legal liability in case theft or third-party damages are involved in the scenario. Make sure to visit the nearest police station in the area of the accident and file an FIR. Also, do not miss out on keeping a copy of that FIR with you. However, in case your accident does not involve any of such legal issues, you can skip this stage of filing an FIR.

Step 3: Take Pictures of the Accident Scene for Evidence. Photographs and videos serve as a source of evidence of the accident you face. These are also beneficial in clarifying the situation to your insurance provider while claiming the coverage. So make sure to take pictures of all the damage to your vehicle and the place of the accident. Also, you must ensure the photographs are clear so that the damages to your vehicle are visible to the insurance company to assess the extent of physical damage.

Step 4: Initiate the Claim Procedure Now start the claiming process by visiting the official website of your bike insurance provider. Navigate to their claim page and log in with your registered mobile number. Go to the car or bike option and upload the documents as required. These include details of your insurance policy, driving licence, a copy of the FIR, Registration Certificate of your vehicle etc. Lastly, fill in the claim form and submit it with the documents.

Step 5: Request an Authority Member to Survey. Most vehicle insurance provides an authority member to survey the place of the accident and verify the authentication of the claim made. This step can take some time to process depending on the policies of the insurance company.

Step 6: Get Your Vehicle Repaired. Once you receive approval from your insurance provider, you can proceed with getting your vehicle repaired. You can opt for a cashless claim and get it repaired from one of the garages that are available in the network of your insurance company garages.

Or else you can also get your vehicle repaired from any garage and get the expenses reimbursed from your insurance company later. For that, you need to provide the bills and accurate details of all the expenses you had to bear.

What are the Things to Remember Regarding Raising a Vehicle Insurance Claim After an Accident?

Given below are some of the crucial points that you must remember about raising your vehicle insurance claim after an accident:

● You must inform your insurance company within 24 hours of the accident. Any unnecessary delay can lead to the disapproval of your claim.

● Make sure to carry soft copies of all the documents related to your vehicle and insurance plan.

● You need to enter the accurate details regarding the accident and your insurance policy.

● You must ensure to abide by the legal rules and not get into any confrontation in case of third-party liability damages.

● You need to comprehend the seriousness of the situation and opt for the right type of claim to take maximum advantage of the NCB or No-Claim Bonus.

The Bottom Line

To wrap it up, while owning a vehicle can fill you with excitement, you must be mindful of the potential emergencies as well. Since accidents or damages can occur due to several reasons, you need to be aware of the claiming process to ensure prompt action whenever necessary. Therefore, make sure to follow the points mentioned in the blog and keep the details of your vehicle insurance provider handy when you go for a drive.