A Quick Guide on Own Damage Car Insurance Claim Process

A minor scratch or a major accident, vehicle damage can happen anywhere and anytime. A small mistake like a missing document or a delayed intimation can lead to claim rejection, leaving you helpless with a huge bill to pay when you file an own damage insurance claim. To save yourself from the same, know the detailed steps of an own damage car insurance claim process below.Read more

What is an Own-Damage Car Insurance Claim?

A standalone own damage (OD) policy provides coverage for the damage caused to the insured car due to an accident, natural disasters, fire, or theft. A claim against an own-damage car insurance policy is a request made to an insurer to cover repair or replacement costs for damage caused to the insured vehicle.

You can easily file an own-damage claim with your car insurance company at a network garage or a reimbursement claim for a non-network garage. It is important to note that you must always have an active third-party insurance with your OD cover to be legally compliant.

How to Claim Car Insurance for Own Damage?

Filing a claim against your car insurance in case of own-damages is a straightforward process when you follow the correct steps and provide accurate information. Here are the steps for an own-damage claim process:

1. Inform Your Insurer: You must inform your insurance company about the accident as soon as it occurs. You can only claim the policy within the specified number of days from the date of the accident. Any claim after that period is not considered eligible.
2. Document the Accident: Take clear photographs and videos of the damaged vehicle and the accident to submit them to the insurer.
3. File an FIR: File the First Information Report (FIR) at your nearest police station, if required. The accident report is crucial to claim a car insurance policy. If you can, file an FIR on the day of the accident as soon as possible.
4. Damage Inspection: After filing the FIR and informing your insurer, a surveyor will be sent by the car insurance company. As per the final report of the surveyor, your insurance company will settle the claim for the damages under the cashless settlement claim or reimbursement settlement claim, whichever you choose. Also, it is advisable to never tow the car yourself to avoid further consequential damage.
5. Document Submission: Gather all the documents to submit it to the insurer for filing your claim smoothly.
6. Car Repair: Once the surveyor approves and all the verification is done, your car will be sent to the garage and repaired.
7. Claim Settlement: Upon submission of the final report by the surveyor, the repair costs are settled with the network garage in case of a cashless claim settlement process. However, claims are settled after you submit repair amount receipts to your insurer in case you have opted for the reimbursement settlement claim process.

Please note that while your insurance company pays a vital amount for repairing the car, you will have to cover some part of the total costs incurred, which are known as compulsory deductibles.

Documents Required to File an Own Damage Claim

Here are the documents required to file an own damage insurance claim:

• Duly signed and filled claim form
• Copy of car insurance policy
• Valid driver's licence
• Car Registration Certificate (RC).
• Copy of the FIR
• Repair estimate

Types of Own-Damage Claims

Under a comprehensive car insurance plan or an own-damage policy, there are two types of claim settlement processes:

1. Cashless Claim Settlement

   The cashless claims against your own damage insurance, you can get your car repaired at a network garage with your motor insurance. The entire process is cashless as the insurer directly settles the claim amount with the network garage where your insured car is sent for repair.

   As per the policy norms, the policyholder is only required to pay for the compulsory deductibles or voluntary deductibles (whichever was opted at the time of purchase of the insurance plan).

2. Reimbursement Claim Settlement

   In the case of a reimbursement claim settlement of your OD policy, you get your car repaired at a non-network garage and share the bill with the insurer to get reimbursement.
   In other words, you pay for the repair costs at the garage of your choice and later claim the repair cost reimbursement to the insurer.

   After evaluating the damage, the insurer promises to pay the reimbursements to your bank account after adjusting the applicable deductibles.

Important Tips to Remember While Raising Own-Damage Car Insurance Claims

You are eligible to raise own-damage claims only if you have a standalone own damage cover or comprehensive car insurance plan. Here are a few pointers that you should keep in mind while raising own-damage claims-

1. File a claim within the stipulated time given by your insurer. In case of any delay, the claim might be denied.
2. In case of a major accident due to any other motor vehicle, do not forget to note down the registration number of the third-party vehicle.
3. For faster approval of claim requests, take photographs or record a video of the place of the event from your smartphone.
4. Take the names and contact details of the eyewitnesses present at the time of the accident. This might help you further at the time of policy inquiry.
5. If you find that the damages are minor dents and scratches which you can pay for from your own pocket, it is advised not to raise the claim. This might affect your accumulated bonus (known as the No Claim Bonus in car insurance).
6. Do not move the vehicle from the accident spot without the permission of the police and the insurer.
7. Do submit all the necessary documents for the successful completion of the claim process.