HDFC ERGO Home Insurance 

The HDFC ERGO home insurance policy is a comprehensive home insurance plan offered by HDFC ERGO General Insurance, which is one of the leading insurance providers in India. It is a type of insurance that protects a house or apartment against any loss or damages caused due to unforeseen risks, such as natural calamities, fire, accidental damage, manmade hazards, etc. The HDFC home insurance policy covers loss or damages caused to the building or structure of the house along with its contents.

Features and Benefits of HDFC ERGO Home Insurance

There is a popular saying ‘better safe than sorry’, which fits appropriately when it comes to protecting your home as it is one of the prime belongings of a person’s life. Home is one place where you spend valuable time with your loved ones. Hence, it is important to provide full-proof protection to your home from all kinds of risks, be it manmade or natural. HDFC home insurance plans protect an insured house from all kinds of risks in every possible way.

Take a look at the following features and benefits of HDFC ERGO home insurance:

• Provides comprehensive protection that includes coverage from burglary, fire, theft, lightning, explosion, flood, terrorism, etc.
• Home contents can be covered up to Rs 25 lakh
• Option to cover portable electronics as well as jewellery & other valuables available
• Alternative accommodation expenses covered
• Provides reimbursement at the actual market price of the house
• Policy tenure ranging from 1 year to 5 years
• HDFC ERGO provides round the clock customer service to all its policyholders

Types of HDFC ERGO Home Insurance Plans

HDFC ERGO provides three types of home insurance plans:

Home Insurance for Tenants

It refers to a type of home insurance plan that has been designed to cover the homes occupied by tenants. It covers the contents of the house from any unforeseen risks but does not cover the structure or the building.

Home Insurance for Owners

It is a type of home insurance plan that protects houses occupied by its owners. It protects the homeowners against any unpredictable loss or damage caused to the contents as well as building structure of the houses.

Housing Society Insurance

It is a type of home insurance plans that covers housing or co-operative societies from any unforeseen loss or damages. However, it does not offer long-term plans to co-operative societies.

The following table represents the coverage provided by the three types of HDFC home insurance plans:

Inclusions of HDFC ERGO Home Insurance

HDFC home insurance plans provide coverage for the following contingencies:

• Fire – This plan covers any loss or damages caused to your house due to fire and helps to rebuild it.
• Accidental Damage – Any accidental damages caused to your house, such as broken window fittings, will be covered.
• Burglary & Theft – If you get robbed off your valuables at your home, such as jewellery, HDFC ERGO home insurance will compensate for the loss.
• Natural Calamities – Natural calamities are unpredictable and therefore, any damages or losses resulting out of it will be covered.
• Electrical Breakdown – In case any electronic equipment breaks down in your home, the cost of repair or replacement will be paid by HDFC home insurance policy.
• Manmade Hazards – This plan also covers any loss or damages caused to your home due to manmade hazards, such as riots, acts of terrorism, strikes, malicious acts, etc.
• Alternate Accommodation – In case your house is damaged or unfit for staying because any of the covered reasons mentioned above, HDFC ERGO home insurance will pay for expenses, such as the alternative house rent/ hotel cost, shifting expenses, brokerage, emergency purchases, etc.

Add-On Covers

HDFC home insurance plans come with following add-on covers that can be purchased by paying a higher premium amount. Take a look:

• Jewellery & Valuables – This cover allows house owners to protect the jewellery and valuable items in their houses from any loss or theft.
• Portable Electronic Equipment Cover – With this cover, all portable electronic equipment in your house, such as laptop, musical equipment, cameras, etc can be covered from any unforeseen damage or loss.
• Terrorism Cover – It enables a society to stay protected from any loss or damages caused due to acts of terrorism.
• Pedal Cycle – With this cover, you can extend coverage to the pedal cycle as well as static exercise cycle in your house from any unforeseen loss or damages. It covers gearless as well as pedal cycles with gears.
• Public Liability – Under this cover, any public liability arising out of accidental third party property damage or accidental death, bodily injuries or disability of a third party person is covered. This add-on cover is only available under the HDFC ERGO home insurance for owners and does not cover domestic employee or staff of the policyholder.

Exclusions of HDFC ERGO Home Insurance

HDFC home insurance plans do not cover any loss or damages caused to your house due to the following reasons:

• War – This plan does not cover any loss or damage caused to your house due to war or related operations.
• Under-Construction Houses – Any loss or damages caused to your under-construction house will be excluded under HDFC home insurance policy as only the house where you reside can be covered.
• Precious Collectibles – It does not cover any losses arising out of precious collectible items, such as work of art, bullions, coins, stamps, etc.
• Cost of Land – This plan will not share the cost of the land on which your house is built under any circumstances.
• Old Content – HDFC home insurance policy will not cover any of your possessions or contents of your house that are over 10 years old.
• Maintenance/ Renovation – Any expenses incurred on the maintenance or renovation of the house due to normal wear and tear will not be covered.
• Consequential Loss – This plan does not cover any consequential losses sustained by your house.
• Third Party Construction Loss – If any third party construction led to any losses sustained on your house, it will be excluded under this plan.
• Willful Misconduct – In case any loss or damage is caused to your house intentionally, then it will not be covered by HDFC home insurance plans.

Eligibility for HDFC ERGO Home Insurance

The eligibility criteria for HDFC home insurance plans are as follows:

• Owners of independent houses/ flats/ apartments
• Tenants or non-owners residing in independent houses/ flats/ apartments
• The independent houses or flats should be made of burnt bricks/ stones as well as ACC roof/ tiles/ RCC/RBC.
• Housing societies or co-operative societies

Claim Procedure for HDFC ERGO Home Insurance

In case of a mishap, it is important to raise a claim with HDFC ERGO to get the losses covered. The claim procedure of HDFC home insurance policy is very quick and simple. Take a look at the claim procedure for HDFC ERGO home insurance below:

• Notify HDFC ERGO about the mishap or accident within seven days
• Send all the required documents to the insurer within 15 days
• A surveyor would come to assess the damage
• Once the surveyor submits his report, the insurer will verify the documents
• Post verification, the claim amount will be paid to the policyholder

Documents Required to Register a Claim

At the time of making a home insurance claim, the following documents need to be submitted:

• Duly filled and signed claim form
• FIR report (in case of burglary)
• Fire brigade report
• Police investigation report
• Invoices/ bills and valuation reports
• Suppliers’ invoice for replacement
• Estimated repair bill
• Final repair bill
• Evidence of rent of alternate accommodation
• Rent agreement
• KYC documents (if the claim amount is over Rs 1 lakh)
• Legal notice/ court summons (if any)
• Bank account details and cancelled cheque
• Certificate by the relevant architect or municipal authority confirming the house is uninhabitable (in the case of the total loss)

Additional Documents Required by Flat/ Apartment Owners:

• Approved house construction/ extension plan and license by the relevant authority
• Building Completion Certificate from the builder
• Occupancy Certificate from the builder
• Letter of Possession
• Sales deed, title deed and related document
• House payments receipts
• Latest electricity bill or house tax bill by the relevant municipal authority
• Development agreement (in case the building is a redeveloped building)

HDFC ERGO Home Insurance Renewal Process

An HDFC home insurance policy can be easily renewed online. You just have to follow the steps mentioned below to renew your policy:

• Go to the policy renewal section on the website
• Fill up the details required, such as your previous policy number, name, etc.
• Review the plan you want to buy
• Check the add-on covers that you want
• The final premium amount will be shown
• Pay the home insurance premium amount online
• Your HDFC home insurance policy will be renewed after the payment is successful

HDFC ERGO Home Insurance- FAQS

How to pay home insurance premium? What are the modes of payment available? 

HDFC ERGO home insurance offers three modes for payment of premium:

• By signing a debit mandate so that the premium can be deducted automatically from the bank account
• By cash or cheque collection
• By direct online payment via debit cards, internet banking or credit cards

How can I check the status of my HDFC home insurance policy?

To check the status of your HDFC home insurance policy, you need to visit the website from where the policy was purchased. Login into the website with your user ID and password and go to the option of checking the policy status. Enter the required details in the space provided to view the current status of your home insurance policy.

What is the policy cancellation process under HDFC home insurance plans?

Cancellation of HDFC home insurance policy is possible any time. All you have to do is contact HDFC ERGO and request for policy cancellation. However, the full premium amount will be refunded only if you cancel your policy within the first 15 days of policy start date. After completing 15 days, a certain percentage of premium amount will be forfeited.

Can I get the house owned by my parents insured under HDFC home insurance plans?

No. You can only insure independent houses/ flats/ apartments owned in your own name under HDFC home insurance plans. Your parents will have to buy home insurance for the home owned under their names.

Does HDFC ERGO home insurance cover debris removal?

Yes. HDFC home insurance plans cover debris removal up to 1% of the sum insured during the reconstruction of the house.

Is police FIR mandatory while filing a home insurance claim?

Police FIR is mandatory only in the case making burglary or theft claims.