Car Insurance

Car Insurance works as a safety net for the owner/user of the car. Realizing its importance for car owners across the country, the Government made it obligatory for vehicle owners to have a third-party insurance cover for their vehicle. This means you have to buy a policy for your car to avoid any penalty/losses/legal trouble in the future.

Purchasing a car insurance policy is often a formality among many car owners because the only reason they care about getting a cover for their four-wheeler is that it is mandatory by law. People usually prefer low premium plans since they are easy on the pocket.

This means that spending on an inadequate cover that can make the owner pay a hefty amount out of his pocket in the event of a mishap or damage.

It is very important to invest in a comprehensive car insurance plan that’s right for you. Keep in mind that you need to understand the terms and conditions of the car insurance plan and draw a comparison with other policies to come at a suitable decision.

New Update on Motor Insurance as per Supreme Court Order 2019

As per the Honourable Supreme Court of India order, if a person buys a car after 1^st September 2019 then he or she has to compulsory take the third party car insurance for 3 years.

Although one might take OD (Own Damage) cover for 1 year at a time, it does not need to be bundled up with the long term third party car insurance package. So now there is 3 option a new car owner can select for car insurance.

Option 1 – Third party cover for 3 years and Own damage for 3 years

Option 2 – Third party cover for 3 years and Own damage for 1 year

Option 3 – Third-party standalone cover only

Is Car Insurance Mandatory in India For Motor Car Owners?

All the motor cars plying on the Indian roads must have a valid motor insurance policy as per the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. It is illegal to ride your car for private or commercial purposes on Indian roads without having a mandatory third-party liability cover insurance.

It is obligatory to have a valid car insurance policy as it provides financial protection against unfortunate accidents, which may damage to third-party property, and/or cause bodily injuries to the third-party driver or co-passengers and/or pedestrians.

In such cases, having a liability cover provides financial coverage, the insurance company pays compensation on behalf of the car owner.

Basics About Car Insurance Policy

Car Insurance Premium

It is the fixed amount that you need to pay to the insurance agency to keep the policy in effect.

Car Insurance Policy

The premium amount of the policy will depend upon the Insured Declared Value (IDV). This affects how high or low that amount will be. Many insurance firms have contacts with the manufacturers and provide you with the optimum value.

Natural Calamities

This section includes protection against the following phenomenon: landslide, self-ignition, lightning, explosion, earthquake, flood, typhoon/hurricane, inundation, and hailstorm.

Man-made Calamities

Under this, the policy protects against threats like burglary, theft, damage during transit, accidents happening due to external agents, terrorist activities, riots, and strikes.

Car Insurance Policy Assures:

You Stay Financially Protected

A valid car insurance policy provides you with financial coverage in case of car theft or any damage caused by or to your vehicle.

You Are Legally Protected

It is mandatory to have a valid motor policy for your hatchback, saloon, SUV car to drive them legally on Indian roads, so having a valid motor policy keeps you legally protected.

You Are Protected With Personal Accident Cover

In case the policyholder meets an accident, which causes a partial or total permanent disability or dies due to an accident, the insurance company covers the insured up to the sum of Rs.15 lakh.

You Stay Worry-free

You can enjoy your drive without having any worries about riding your car illegally, paying a hefty penalty, or paying from your pocket in case of third-party bodily injury or property damage.

Types of Car Insurance in India

There are two primary options available in the market and both of them cater to completely different needs.

Third-Party Liability Car Insurance

Third-party liability car insurance is the most vanilla form of car insurance policy that you can buy. In fact, as per the rules and regulations, it is the bare minimum policy that you must have to drive the car.

The Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 mandates all vehicles to have at least a third-party liability policy so that they can drive their vehicles legally on the road.

Thus, this policy type at least gives you the clearance of legal driving. As the name suggests, it covers damages to third parties during an accident.

If a policyholder meets with an accident, he/she is considered as the first party, the second party will refer to the insurer and any other person or property involved will be the third party.

The policy will cover any damages or injuries or death of third party individuals or property. It is important to note that since the coverage provided by a third party cover is very limited in nature, its premium prices are also low.

In fact, the IRDA recommends the price of the policy on a regular basis. Though the policy is just enough for you to drive, it doesn’t offer a lot of benefits and convenience.

Personal Accident Coverage:

A third-party car insurance policy covers an owner-driver cover

Owner-Driver Personal Accident Cover: In case of a permanent total disability or an accidental death, the policyholder has a coverage of a sum insured of up to Rs.15 lakh on an additional premium.

Personal Accident Cover Table:

Accidental Event	% of Sum Insured
Death	100%
The dismemberment of both the limbs or loss of vision in both eyes or one limb and one eye	100%
The dismemberment of one limb or loss of vision in one eye	50%
Permanent Total Disability	100%

 

What is Not Covered in Liability Cover Only

• The Policy does not cover Own Damage of your car. Any damage incurred to the insured car due to an accident is not covered. The policyholder will have to bear the repair cost himself or herself.
• Accidental damage/ liability/loss happened outside the specified geographical area.
• Damage, liability, loss happened due to invasion, war and other warlike operations.

Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive car insurance, on the other hand, is a policy that will surpass your needs and then provide some more features and benefits. To start things off, it includes the third-party liability policy by default and builds on the top of it. A comprehensive plan offers the following coverage.

Own Damage Cover

If your car was to meet with an accident and you wished for your policy to look after the repair expenses, a comprehensive policy would do that for you. The premium that you pay for a comprehensive plan has a small component dedicated towards own damage.

Natural Calamity

In the unfortunate event that your car is at the receiving end of a natural calamity such as flood, cyclone, typhoon, landslide and so on, the policy kicks in. Your car insurance will cover all the expenses related to such repairs.

Man-Made Calamity

There are several instances where cars suffer damages due to riots, strikes, malicious activities, theft, or burglary. Having a comprehensive policy offers your car protection against all such things and ensures that you can sleep well at night.

Extra Add-Ons

Some of us want additional features and benefits or security to the base policy to enhance the protection of your vehicle. In such cases, opting for an add-on is the most sensible option. But you can only avail riders with a comprehensive policy.

Different Types of Add-on Cover in Car Insurance Policy

Zero Depreciation

Zero Depreciation is a coveted add-on car insurance coverage feature that allows you to get full settlement regardless of any write-offs for depreciation as in normal car insurance plans. By opting for such coverage, you gain access to full claim policy against a premium; such plans are very beneficial for the top and mid-segment luxury and expensive cars as they provide superior benefits at minimal costs.

Return to invoice

In case your car gets written off due to an accident or gets stolen, you will be eligible to get the original invoice value including registration and road tax. Usually, the calculation of maximum cover in case of total loss goes as per the IDV (Insured declared value) mentioned in the policy. The cover is available for normally 4 wheelers that are up to 3 years old.

No Claim Bonus Protection

No Claim Bonus is like a reward discount given to insured at the time of renewal of car insurance for every no-claim year. A minimum of 20% discount is eligible which can go as high as 50%. No claim bonus protection add-on helps you to preserve your NCB even if there is a claim, helping you to preserve a discount in your following year’s premium.

Engine Protect

We all are aware the engine is the heart of the car and probably the most expensive part of the car. The normal comprehensive policy usually does not cover engine repair. In case if you’re insurance company is not offering coverage for engine protection, it is a good idea to go for an engine protect add-on.

As the engine is the heart of any vehicle, always ensure your car engine is well protected at all times. Engine cover add-on also offers protection to the engine and its electronic circuit especially in case of flooding. Since flooding during the monsoon season is quite common, it is ideal to go for such an insurance add-on especially if your place of residence is prone to flood situations.

24/7 Roadside Assistance

The car can break down anytime anywhere. There is a good possibility of a garage and a service center is not always in the proximity of your reach. It can be a headache to get help in such cases especially if you are not familiar with the area.

In this add-on cover, the insurance company provides certain round-the-clock services like emergency refueling, towing, change of punctured tyre, arranging for a mechanic’s services and so on in case your car breaks down. So say adieu to car breakdown troubles and add these covers for complete peace of mind during driving.

Car Key replacement cover

Improvements in vehicle security and the development of smart key technology with programmed chips controlling locks, alarms, immobilizers and ignitions seem to have only increased the problems and cost when things go wrong. For a new generation car, local locksmiths cannot easily replace car keys if you have accidentally lost them.

It needs to come from the car manufacturer and can leave a big hole in your pocket. Key replacement covers the costs (up to the sum insured) of key replacement. If your car has been broken into then it will also cover locksmith charges, new locks and replacement keys.

Accident coverage for Co-passengers

This add-on is like accident coverage, it provides coverage for co-passengers of the vehicle. It provides lump-sum compensation to fellow passengers in case of death, permanent or partial disabilities suffered during an accident. So show the care for your co-passengers and make them feel safe and secure in your car with this add-on cover.

Car Accessories Cover

There are lot of accessories in the market which we put in the car to make our car look unique and enhance the driving experience. The accessories can be expensive if they need to be replaced if damaged or stolen. You can insure your car accessories with this add-on cover. Thereafter, you need not worry continuously when you park in unfamiliar locations.

As we can see there are plenty of add-on covers available today. Choose the add-ons based on your individual requirement and circumstances. The add-ons can enhance your base 4 wheeler insurance plan and make good value out of your premium payment.

Insured Declared Value (IDV) In Car Insurance

When it comes to car insurance, there are many terms that you need to be aware of. Among them, one of the most important terms is the IDV (Insured Declared Value). You must have heard people talk about the IDV a lot while purchasing or renewing a car insurance policy.

But what exactly is this IDV? IDV is nothing but the current market price of your car. With time the vehicle ages and its value drops. The insured declared value, or the IDV, is just that.

Why is IDV Important in Car Insurance?

It is very important for you to get the correct IDV of your car. IDV is absolutely crucial in car insurance. This is because the claim you get depends greatly on the IDV of the car. If your car gets stolen or is damaged beyond repair, your insurance provider will pay compensation equal to the IDV mentioned in your car insurance policy.

You must note here that the value of the car is not the current ex-showroom price but the IDV of your car. So if you have a Maruti Suzuki Wagon R that is a few years old, you can’t expect to get INR 5 lakhs (its current price for a brand new car) for it. The claim will consider the IDV in this case.

Apart from the claim, the IDV also affects the IDV. For older cars, the premium of the car insurance policy is lower. This is because as your IDV increases the value of your car drops, your insurance cover also starts becoming lesser.

Quite understandably, you pay a lower insurance premium for a policy of a lower value. So this is another area where the IDV plays a huge role.

These are the main reasons why the insured declared value or IDV of your car is so important when you buy your renew your car insurance policy. Make sure your insurance provider makes a correct assessment and you pay your premium accordingly and get an adequate cover too.

IDV and Car Insurance Claim: If due to an unfortunate incident your car gets stolen or it incurs complete damage, you will need to replace it. At such a time, your insurance provider is liable to pay a claim to you, provided you have a comprehensive car insurance policy. However, you will only get the claim amount that is viable with the IDV of the vehicle. If your car is just six months or less old, you can get up to 95% of the value of the car as compensation from the insurance company.

On the other hand, if the car is about four years old, you will only get 50% of the value of the car. So even you had a Nisan Sunny and want to continue with the same make and model, you will only get INR 4 lakhs as compensation after four years. The current price of the car is INR 9.5 lakhs, so you have to pay the remaining amount.

This is how the IDV plays out at the time of a car insurance claim. You must, therefore, be very careful when calculating the IDV. Never buy a car insurance policy before you check the IDV and understand what you are liable to pay as premium and what you stand to receive at the time of a claim.

How to calculate the IDV of a car?

Like most other things, the internet has made it very easy for you to find information about all aspects related to car insurance. You can get a fair idea about the IDV by using a simple internet calculator. Just enter the details regarding your vehicle.

These include the model and make of the car and the age of the car. You can use an insurance aggregator’s website to calculate the IDV of your vehicle. Alternatively, you could directly visit your insurance provider’s official website or mobile application for the purpose.

If you are on the lookout for buying insurance, the car insurance premium calculator 2018 is the smartest to go about the same. There are several insurers who offer such calculators on their websites. The simple idea behind using car insurance premium calculator 2018 is to get quotes from insurers before actually buying the policy.

Differences Between Third-party and Comprehensive Car Insurance

The Differences Between Car Third Party Liability Cover and Comprehensive

Coverage	Third-Party Policy only	Comprehensive Policy
Third-Party Liability	✓ Covered	✓ Covered
Third-Party Property Damage	✓ Covered	✓ Covered
Personal Accident Cover	✓ Covered	✓ Covered
Own Damage	X Not Covered	✓ Covered
Vehicle Theft	X Not Covered	✓ Covered
Add-on Covers (Extra Protection Shield)	X Cannot be added	✓ Can be added

Let us see an example to understand the difference between a third party liability cover and comprehensive car insurance cover.

Example: Nitin and Parag bought a new Honda Jazz hatchback car in Jan’19. The on-road price in Mumbai is Rs.9.61 lakhs

Nitin insured car with only a Third-party cover. Third-party premiums cost him Rs.4000.

While Parag bought a Comprehensive policy (covers own damage + third party liability cover), which cost him Rs.8500/-.

In the month of June, both met an accident and it was their fault. And the total repair cost turns out to be Rs.20,000 (approx.).

As Nitin had purchased only third party coverage, he will have to bear the whole repair cost of his car. The insurance company will pay only third party property damage costs. Nothing for any damages incurred on the car.

Since Parag had bought a comprehensive car insurance policy, the insurance company will pay the repair cost (after deduction for the cost of the depreciable parts) on behalf of him.

Key Points	Nitin	Parag
Premium Paid	Rs.4000/- (only third-party)	Rs.8,500 (Comprehensive)
Third-party	Paid by the insurance company	Paid by the insurance company
Own- Damage Repair Cost Rs.8,000/-	Not paid by the insurance company	Paid by the insurance company
Total Money Invested	Rs.4500 + Rs.20000	Rs.8500
Net Savings (Rs.)	0/-	More than approx. Rs.11500

Total Money paid by Nitin is Rs.24,500, whereas, Parag paid Rs.8500. On the face value, Nitin saved money on the premiums paid. However, he had to suffer a huge financial loss of money that came along with the car damage. The total loss borne by Nitin is of Rs.20,000

Note: All the prices are indicative and are subject to change.

Understanding Car Insurance Premium

What is Car Insurance Premium?

The car insurance premium is the amount a policy-holder pays towards the total cost of his insurance policy. It is the sum he pays to the insurance company to cover your vehicle against untoward incidents.

Are Premiums Static Or Will They Inflate Over Time?

You might often get confused upon noticing that your car insurance premium has increased over the years without any fault on your part.

Even though you pay your premiums on time, a variety of factors contribute to the inflation in the amount of premium each year which might result in the increase in the premium.

Take a look at the factors that can cause a rise in your car insurance premium each year.

Previous Claims

If you have settled any auto claims previously with the insurer, it creates the impression that your vehicle is risk-prone. In such a case, the insurer might increase your premium amount to commensurate it with the quantum of risk involved.

Medical Condition

If over a period, you, as the insured, develop any diseases such as diabetes or heart ailments, the insurance company is bound to charge higher premiums. The simple reason behind that is that you pose a greater risk as a driver now. As a result, the insurance company needs to adjust your cover amount in proportion to any such contingency. 327136 / 21/86

Wear and Tear of Vehicle

If you are a frequent driver, your vehicle is bound to experience some amount of wear and tear. Insurers consider this an important factor while deciding on the premium amount. For cars that have traveled a certain number of miles in a year or those whose make, and model is old, insurers charge a premium more than the normal amount to balance their liability in case of a claim.

Location

You will often find that premiums for insurance policies in areas where traffic is low are quite cheaper when compared to metropolitan cities or places that witness high traffic. This is because there are greater chances of accidents and mishaps in the case of the latter. Therefore insurance companies have to be financially prepared to deal with liabilities arising from such cases.

Age of the Driver

Age is also an important factor while deciding on the premium amount. Younger drivers pay a reduced amount as premium. As your age increases, so does your premium amount as insurance companies are often skeptical about selling insurance policies to the elderly. This is due to their deteriorating physical capacity and medical conditions.

Will The Premiums Spike At The Time Of Renewal?

Your insurance premium can arise on account of the factors mentioned above. However, here are a few ways how you can prevent a steep rise in the amount payable as premium amount:

Avoid Claiming small Damages

Check the amount of repair that you would incur in case of damage. If the amount is petty, avoid filing a claim since it might form a negative impression on the insurer leading to higher premium costs in the future.

Safety Equipment

Installing safety equipment in your car can reduce your insurance premium to a considerable extent. For instance, installing a gear lock or a steering lock can work to your advantage, and it displays your sense of prudence and responsibility.

Online Insurance

Since online insurance involves minimal documentation, both at the time of purchase and renewal, you stand a better chance to save up on the yearly increase in premiums. You can visit insurance aggregator websites, which allow you to buy the best insurance online by comparing a range of policies from reputed insurance companies.

Loyalty towards Insurer

It is advisable that you choose an insurance partner that you have previously associated with other insurance policies. This is because insurance brands reward customer loyalty in many ways, with one of them being, ensuring and controlling the rise in the premium amount in subsequent years.

The Key Benefits Of Buying Car Insurance

Enhanced Financial Protection

Your car insurance will save you from financial burdens occurring from third-party liabilities, natural calamities, man-made calamities, and other strokes of ill luck. If you purchase a liability cover, only then will your car insurance cover protect you from financial burdens arising due to any third-party person or property damage. However, if you buy a comprehensive package, it will offer third-party damage cover as well as personal damage cover.

Cashless Garage Service

Most of the insurance providers now provide cashless garage service, which means that you don’t have to pay the repair amount yourself and then claim reimbursement. You can directly go to the network garage certified by your insurance provider and get a cashless repair service. The provider will directly clear your bill and you can clear the remaining amount which the company does not cover under the car insurance.

Personal Accident Cover

Personal accident cover is an essential policy benefit that most car insurance policies generally include without any extra premium charges. The cover offers insurance in case of permanent or partial disability and death of the owner of the vehicle/policy. Personal accident cover amount is up to INR 1 lakh or more depending upon your car insurance cover.

Towing Facility

In case of an accident or any other related event, if your car gets wrecked or damaged severely, the insurance cover offers to tow facilities to carry the vehicle to nearby service centers. Your insurance will cover the incurred amount, and you can receive towing benefits up to a certain cash limit, which is dependent on your policy cover.

Add-On Covers

Motor insurance policies have many add-on covers that offer extra protection against financial liabilities. You can avail of these add-ons at a minimal increase in the premium amount. The add-on covers may include zero depreciation cover, key replacement cover, loss of personal belongings cover, etc.

No Claim Bonus (NCB) in Car Insurance

A no claim bonus in a car insurance policy is like a reward which is the insurance company provides to the insured for not making a claim in the policy year. This works as a discount on the premium payable and the percentage depends on the no-claim years consecutively.

The No Claim Bonus discount percentage increases with subsequent no-claim years. Below is the table highlighting the percentage of discount on year by year basis.

Number of Consecutive Claim-free Years	NCB Percentage
On 1st year claim-free renewal	20%
On 2nd year claim-free renewal	25%
On 3rd year claim-free renewal	35%
On 4th year claim-free renewal	45%
On 5th year claim-free renewal	50%

There are some important aspects of no claim bonus which should be known to everyone. Some of these are:

Available when Policy is Renewed

The no-claim bonus is a discount you will get if you have filed no claims in the policy year and the percentage of the same depends on the number of no claim years consecutively. Thus, it is not available when you are buying a new car insurance policy. The discount is available at the time of policy renewal and varies from 20-50%.

Bonus is Not Given to Car

No claim is not given to the car but is offered to the insured. Thus, if a person has not claimed any amount from the insurance company for 3 years and now decides to buy a new car, he will be eligible for a no-claim bonus. Transferring of no claim bonus from an old car to a new car is a simple procedure.

The policyholder has to send a letter requesting to transfer the no claim bonus along with form 29 and 30. After this, the insurer issues a no claim bonus certificate with a validity of three years, and the policyholder will need to be submitted to the new insurance company.

Insurance Company

If you decide to renew your policy with a different insurance company due to any reason like low premium or customer service, you can use your no claim bonus. You will need to provide all the policy details and the discount will be automatically calculated.

When you change the insurance company at the time of policy renewal, you will only need to submit the policy copy of the previous year.

If you buy the policy online, the no claim bonus is calculated as per the declaration filled by you. The insurance company will verify the same, and hence, you must be careful while giving the information.

Not Applicable on Third Party Liability

As per law, all car owners must have third party liability insurance and taking own damage protection is a choice. However, you should note that no claim bonus is not given on the third-party liability but only on its own damage component.

Add on Cover

Though companies allow no claim bonus when you have not registered any claims in the policy year as an insured, you have the option to take an add-on cover. This will help you avail the no claim bonus even if you have filed a claim in the policy year.

Never Claim for Small Losses

As it is evident from the above definition, no claim bonus is a discount on the premium for car insurance. Thus, if you claim for a small loss, you will end up losing the bonus.

Due to this reason, you must always compare the amount that you are claiming from the insurance company versus the amount of no claim bonus you will get and take a decision accordingly.

No claim bonus is an integral part of the car insurance premium payable. If you are eligible to get a no claim bonus, you can save a lot of money on the premium payable as you will get a good discount. As it involves saving money, you must be careful when filing a claim.

You should do a proper comparison of the claim amount to the amount of money you will forego as the no claim bonus. This is something that you must do and if not able to, should take help from an expert.

Inclusions of Car Insurance Policy

Third-party coverage

Third-party coverage or basic/mandatory insurance will give you protection against third-party liabilities or damage only.

Natural Calamities

A comprehensive car insurance policy will offer financial protection against natural calamities such as landslides, floods, earthquakes, etc.

Man-made calamities

If your car gets stolen or damaged due to manmade calamities such as strikes, riots, etc., your insurance provider will offer help as per your policy terms.

Own damage and third party coverage

Comprehensive car insurance protects financially own vehicle damage along with third-party vehicle/property damage, and damage to a third-party person.

Accidental hospitalization expenses

If you have been injured in a car accident, your car insurance policy will provide financial assistance to you under personal accident insurance cover, if you have added it as an add-on to the base car insurance policy.

Exclusions of Car insurance policy

Expired Policy

If your car insurance policy has expired and you have not renewed it, then your insurance provider will not cover any financial losses for accidental damage or liability after the expiry of the policy.

Damage to the vehicle due to war

Damages incurred as a result of war, nuclear attacks, hostilities, or invasion will not be covered by the policy.

Alcohol and drugs

In case of an accident, if the person driving the car is under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, the insurance will not cover incurred liabilities.

Illegal Activities

If the vehicle is purchased illegally or you have provided any fraud information to the insurance provider, your insurance cover will invalidate.

Void or no License

If the driver was driving the car without a valid driving license or against the Indian traffic laws during an accident, the insurance will not cover any type of financial loss.

Negligence on purpose

Consequential losses (such as you are driving the car even after gear oil is leaking) will not be covered in your car insurance plan.

Car Insurance Exclusions related to Add-ons

Wear And Tear Expenses

You cover will not include the wear and tear of your car’s mechanical or electrical parts. However, with zero depreciation add-on, you can receive coverage for replacing these parts of your car.

Pillion Rider or Passenger Cover

Even if your car insurance includes personal accident cover, the passengers of your car are not covered. With passenger cover or extended accident cover, you can include passengers in the insurance coverage.

Invoice Cover

In case of theft or damage, your car insurance provider will only offer IDV of the car. However, with invoice cover add-on you can reimburse or receive the full amount paid for repair or purchase. This is only applicable for the initial years since the purchase of the car.

How to buy car insurance online.

You can purchase car Insurance online directly from the car insurance company’s official website or it from the insurance aggregator’s website.

It gives you an edge by helping you compare and select the best suited and most affordable insurance plan for your car.

It can help you save lots of money on premium and also give help you compare important features offered by the car insurance plans of different top-notch insurers.

Procedure Get Car Insurance Quotes Online

1. Car Model and Variant
   Higher model cars and expensive cars generally have higher premium value.
2. Manufacture Year
   With the help of the year of manufacture, your provider will assess insured declared value, based on which the premium is decided.
3. Car with CNG Fitting
   Just like high-priced cars, CNG fitted cars also have a slightly high premium.
4. Additional Covers
   You need to assess if you need additional coverage for enhanced insurance coverage for your car.
5. Documents needed
   You will need to provide the registration certificate copy and fill the proposal form.

Here’s how you can purchase and do your car insurance comparison online:

1. Visit insurance aggregator website and click on car insurance
   2. Here, if you already have a policy, then Enter Your Car Number and select the relevant option from Your Previous Policy drop-down.
   3. If you want to buy online car insurance for your new car, then click on Bought a new car.
   4. Now, select your car, car model, and car registration year.
   5. Enter which RTO you will register your car in
   6. Enter your 10 digit mobile number and hit Compare Quotes.
   7. You can then see your car insurance comparison online. Select your policy after checking Premium Breakup.
   8. Provide when you want your policy to start and when your car was manufactured to receive the final quote.

Benefits of buying car insurance online

1. Hassle-Free Buy

Car insurance comparison online is hassle-free, and you can simply compare policies online, pick the one that suits your requirements, and get a quote. After that, you will have to provide some details and documents for verification.

1. Cost-effective Premium, Better Policy

Comparing car insurance policy online lets you evaluate similar policies with different pricing models. There is a possibility that your agent may advise you car insurance that is costlier than any other insurance with similar features and add-ons. With this, online comparison gives you an option to choose relevant add-on covers that you may get in some policies but not in others.

1. Simple Renewal and Reminders

Renewal option in online policy is simple and you only need an internet connection. Your online car insurance provider will additionally send you renewal deadline reminders before the end date. And if in case you are not satisfied with your previous policy, you can shift your previous benefits to another policy with ease.

1. Easy Claim Process

If in case you and your car got involved in an accident, you may or may not get time to proceed with the claim process in offline insurance. However, if you have online insurance, you can easily start the claim process online with just a gadget and internet access.

1. Get Discounts

Many insurance providers offer discounts on online purchases. If you buy your car insurance online, you can avail these discounts, which would otherwise not be available offline

List of top car insurance companies in India

• ICICI Lombard Car Insurance
• Bajaj Allianz Car Insurance
• Bharti Aa Car Insurance
• Kotak Car Insurance
• TATA AIG Car Insurance
• Oriental Car Insurance
• HDFC Ergo Car Insurance
• United India Car Insurance

Easy Ways to Calculate Your Premium With Car Insurance Premium Calculator

Age

The age and gender of a buyer play a crucial role in deciding the premium for the policy. People who are below 25 years old are more prone to accidents and thus might have to shell out a higher amount for the policy.

Residence

If you live in a city that has a dense population, the chances of incidents are also relatively higher. A higher insurance premium is imminent.

Vehicle Details

The fuel type of your car is also an important factor for the premiums. For instance, a CNG fitted vehicle will fetch higher insurance premiums as compared to petrol or diesel cars. Also, the year of manufacture of your car is important.

The older the vehicle is, the lower will be its insured declared value and likewise the premium.

Discounts

The most prominent category for a discount is the NCB or no claim bonus. It ranges from a minimum of 20% up to a maximum of 50% for every consecutive year or no claims. There are some other forms of discount as well.

If you install an anti-theft device that the ARAI has approved, you can get a 2.5% discount and likewise if you are part of an automobile association, you can expect some discounts.

It can get a bit overwhelming for someone new to consider all of the above factors and then come to a conclusion. It is at such times that the car insurance premium calculator comes into the picture and how.

These calculators take into consideration all of the factors and offer you quotes from either individual insurers or multiple insurers. A car insurance premium calculator allows a potential customer to change the parameters slightly and see how that impacts the premium as well.

This way, they can pick up a policy that best suits their needs without burning a hole in their pockets.

You can push the benefits to a level higher by opting to compare the quotes from different insurers online. You can save a considerable amount of money on the same.

Car Insurance Renewal

Car Insurance comes normally in the package when a person buys the new car. The insurance is only valid for a year and needs to be renewed after that.

If a car owner fails to renew the car insurance then it will lapse and he or she will commit an offense as it is mandatory to have valid car insurance to make the vehicle road legal.

Hence Car insurance renewal is an important thing that needs to be taken care of. The ideal time span to renew the policy is recommended to be 30 days before the expiry date.

Documents required for car insurance renewal

While processing car insurance renewal, you need to keep some documents handy to ease and smooth out the procedures.

Registration certificate

To decide the premium for the policy, you will need information like make and model of your vehicle, registration date, registration place, name of the owner, lease/hypothecation details, etc.

The registration certificate contains all such information about the vehicle, and it would be better to have both a hard copy as well as a soft copy of the same.

Previous year’s policy documents

If you switch your car insurance renewal provider, then on clearing out your account from the previous company, the company will provide you with the no-claim bonus amount. This amount is transferable, using which your premium amount for the insurance will reduce to a nominal amount.

Once you have all the information that you need to furnish to the insurance provider or broker or agent, then, all you need is to complete some formalities and drive home tension free.

Important points to remember during car insurance renewal

• Provide the correct vehicle information to your car insurance provider like car make and model, car registration number, registration date, registration city, owner’s name, no-claim bonus eligibility, etc. This information decides the amount you have to pay as a car insurance premium.
• Compare various quotes offered by different companies and find out if the company is offering any cashless facility in your area.
• Ask for the add-on covers that the company is providing. If your car is new, then you can have a zero depreciation add-on cover.
• On receiving all the documents, do check for the correctness of even the smallest details in all of the documents.
• You can get your policy renewed instantly if it has not crossed its expiry date. If so, ask the insurer for an official vehicle check under the company policies. You, broker or agent, can obtain this information, after which you can proceed with the further processes as instructed by the insurer.

Car Insurance Claim Process

Inform the insurance company through phone, email or app

The first and foremost step of a claim is to inform your insurer at the earliest about the incident. Most insurers have strict timelines that they adhere to when it comes to claims. Thus, to be on the safe side, do call your insurer as soon as you meet with an accident or the earliest you get some free time.

FIR (First Information Report)

Though it is not mandatory for a claim settlement, it will surely aid you during the claim process. File an FIR at the nearest police station. And should the insurer ask for it, provide them with an original copy of the same.

Evaluation and Repairs (Cashless or Reimbursement)

Post a claim request, insurers usually send an independent representative to assess the situation or damages. Once the same is complete, you can take the help of your insurer to repair your car at a network garage or any other garage for that matter.

Should the insurer ask for supporting documents, helping them will ensure a smoother process?

Approval of claim

Once your insurer is happy with all the documents that you have provided and the claim, they will approve the same. For network garages, they will send the amount directly to the garage.

For reimbursement cases, the same will be sent to the account number mentioned in the policy documents.

For a third-party liability policy claim, here is what you need to do.

FIR

For any claims related to third-party liability policies, it is important to file an FIR and provide a copy of the same along with the claims form.

Policy Documents

You will have to share a copy of your policy details with the third party. This will ensure that they can claim for the damages without your involvement.

Motor Tribunal

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal settles all the third-party claims. The third-party who was involved in the accident must file for the claim in the tribunal.

Claiming Online in Car Insurance Plan

Insurers these days are going the extra mile to ensure that their policyholders have access to convenience and hassle-free experience. Thus, it was only a matter of time before insurers integrated the same with the claim’s settlement process.

Now, you can log on to the website of your insurer and register a claim for your policy. Once you register the claim on the website, the process continues as usual as mentioned above.

After you have raised a request for the claim, the insurer would send for an independent representative to look into the claim and you must submit all the necessary documents. Documents such as claim form, KYC documents, a copy of the FIR, registration certificate of the car, etc. are the usual asks. The claim settlement process continues as usual.

GST on Motor Policy

The government implemented the GST to centralize the tax imposition in the country. The car insurance has been categorized under the general insurance class in GST. Due to this, a GST of 18% is levied on car insurance.

This means there is a hike of 3% with regards to tax on car insurance. This has made car insurance slightly more expensive than the previous tax rules.

Bundled Car Insurance

As per the IRDAI circular, with the introduction of long-term Motor Third Party Insurance, a car insurance applicant should have two options—Long-term package cover offering both Third Party insurance and Own Damage Cover insurance for 3 years as the case may be or a bundled cover with a 3-year term for the Third Party component and a 1-year term for the own damage cover.

This means that the car owner can attach Own damage cover on an annual basis with the long-term third-party cover policy.

Endorsements

An endorsement can be due to various reasons and to know more about endorsement policies for car insurance are as below:

• Change in the car insurance owner/policy holder’s address
• Changes in car owner/policy holder’s name
• Change in car owner/policy holder’s email id or mobile number or both
• Change in the car registration number
• Change in the car engine number
• Change in the car model and built
• Change in the car variant
• Increasing voluntary deductible
• Correction of premium
• Correction in the car’s Insured Declared Value (IDV)
• Corrections of No Claim Bonus (NCB)
• Transfer of ownership of the car

How to Make an Endorsement

It is very easy nowadays to make an endorsement in the car insurance policy. All the policyholder has to do is to contact the insurance company via phone, email, letter etc and inform about the changes that you want.

The insurance company will analyze the request and if feasible will ask for the necessary documentation. After submission of the required documents, the insurance company will verify the documents submitted and approve the request. After making the changes, the insurance company issues the updated policy to the policyholder.