How to Recognize If Bike Insurance is Cashless or Not?
In India, two-wheelers are the most popular and convenient mode of personal transport. With the rising number of bike owners, more people have started availing the benefits of two-wheeler insurance to protect their vehicles from unanticipated damages and losses. However, insurance companies offer cashless bike insurance and non-cashless bike insurance facility. To know the actual difference between these two facilities, read on!
Difference Between Cashless and Reimbursement/Non-cashless Bike Insurance
To understand how cashless bike insurance is different from reimbursement bike insurance, you can refer to the below table-
Point of Basis | Cashless Bike Insurance | Reimbursement/Non-cashless Bike Insurance |
Claim Settlement Process | Cashless settlement of vehicle repair and replacement bills with the authorized network garage minus the deductibles | Firstly, you will pay the bill amount to the garage and then file a claim for reimbursement |
Method | Paperless and hassle-free claim settlement via the insurer’s website or mobile application. | Documentation and paperwork required |
Claim Settlement Speed | Instant claim settlement with the network garage | More time taking than cashless bike insurance |
Policyholder’s Liability | Only compulsory deductibles are to be paid from own pocket. All the bills will be settled by the insurer. | The entire bike repair bill is first settled from own pocket and the insurer will reimburse the amount afterward |
How Does a Cashless Bike Insurance Work?
Cashless bike insurance involves the insurer and the authorized network garage or partner garage for settling the repair bill. If you have opted for cashless bike insurance, you can get it repaired at the authorized garage in case you meet with an accident and your bike gets damaged. However, you might have to pay the compulsory deductibles from your own pocket.
Benefits of Cashless Bike Insurance
Here are some benefits of a cashless facility in bike insurance policy-
- Cashless Mode- You can avail the benefit of a stress-free cashless mode as you do not have to pay the substantial claim amount from your own pocket. Moreover, there is no burden of managing the payment.
- More Convenient- This method is quite popular among policyholders. You can opt for this and get your bike repaired at one of the authorized network garages. Here, you do not have to worry about the bill payment. Your insurer shall pay the amount directly to the garage. Therefore, it is a convenient mode.
- Early Access- As network garages are established across the country, you don't need to worry about it. You can easily send your insured bike to the nearest garage in your locality.
- Get Original Parts- Getting original bike parts can be expensive. That is why people prefer buying duplicate parts and this might hamper your bike's performance. By opting for cashless bike insurance, you can get your bike repaired at an authorized garage, and your insurer pays for the original part. Thus, it helps in saving a huge amount, and the bike's part is also genuine.
Do You Need Any Documents for the Cashless Bike Insurance Claim?
There is no paperwork or documentation required to file a bike insurance claim under a cashless facility. However, your insurer might ask you to upload a soft copy of some documents depending upon your case. Here is a list of required soft copies of those documents-
- Driving License (DL)
- Registration Certificate (RC) of the insured vehicle
- Bike insurance policy document
- Pictures or videos of the damaged vehicle
- FIR (if required)
- Original invoices for repair
How a Non-Cashless Bike Insurance is Different from Cashless Bike Insurance?
If you choose non-cashless bike insurance, you will have to settle the final bill with any garage all by yourself. Later, you will raise a claim by submitting the required documents and bill receipts/invoices. Once your insurer review those submitted documents, they will reimburse the claim amount in your bank account after deducting the deductibles.
Conclusion
In India, obtaining third-party bike insurance is mandatory for all bike owners. However, it is advised to purchase comprehensive bike insurance from a reputed insurance provider. A bike insurance policy is a legal document that could help you save a lot if you meet with an accident or your insured bike is damaged in any misfortunate event.
With the help of the above-mentioned table, you can easily differentiate between cashless bike insurance and non-cashless bike insurance. To enjoy the hassle-free claim settlement process, it is suggested to choose cashless above non-cashless bike insurance.