There is hardly any need to reiterate that an insurance claim would start after you meet an accident. However, what remains to be explained are the steps you must take to claim your financial coverage in case of an untoward accident. Filing an insurance claim is more challenging than filing your diary, but it should be easier than accurately filing your income tax returns. This article will walk you through the steps of filing an insurance claim after you have an accident. So, let’s get started.

Claiming Your Vehicle Insurance After You Meet an Accident: Steps Involved

While two-wheeler or bike insurance provides financial protection for your two-wheeler against damages caused by accidents, weather events like floods or storms, fire incidents, and theft, car insurance offers the same for cars. An insurance policy cushions you from the associated repair expenses. Let us cover the steps in claiming your vehicle insurance after an accident. The key steps involved are:

1.  Informing the Insurer

Your insurance claim settlement process starts when you inform your insurer about the accident (including its exact extent and magnitude). The first step itself is the most crucial one. Most insurers in India have a fixed time limit for when you must inform them about the accident. Your claim will probably be rejected without scrutiny if you fail to inform your insurer within this limit.

2.  Collecting Evidence

Meeting an accident can be an extremely stressful event. But even during such times, being aware of the situation and clicking pictures of the accident spot could pay handsome dividends. These pictures would bolster your vehicle insurance claim. If the situation permits, you can note down the names and contact details of the witnesses on the spot.

3.  Filing an FIR

The first information report is an important document that an insurer might demand to settle your claims. The police officer’s input in the report helps the insurer assess the circumstances in which the accident occurred. They can identify whether the accident occurred because of mechanical failure or individual negligence.

4.  Survey

The next step in the claims process is the survey. Your insurer assigns a surveyor to survey your vehicle to make an exact assessment of the damages. The surveyor could also assist you in selecting a suitable garage from the insurer’s network to have your damages repaired. You can always mention your preferred motor garage for repairs.

5.  Formal Documentation

After receiving the FIR copy, you should immediately submit the necessary documents to your insurer. In most cases, you must submit copies of documents such as your driving license, your vehicle’s registration certificate, a copy of the FIR, your insurance policy, and other documents as required.

All these documents are attached to your insurance claim form. As a note of caution, please remember not to submit these documents in their original form. You can submit their copies along with the claim form. You will require your original documents later on.

6.  Vehicle Repair

After completing formal documentation, you are all set to get your vehicle repaired. There are two options available for you to consider: cashless settlement and reimbursement. In the case of cashless settlement, as the name suggests, you do not have to pay any cash upfront. In the case of reimbursement, however, you pay the repair cost initially but receive it back as a reimbursement.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve seen the steps involved in the insurance claims process in detail. We’ve seen how you need not worry excessively after meeting a road accident. All you have to do is inform your insurer and initiate the claims process. Top insurers such as ACKO offer hassle-free claims settlement processes. You can check out their insurance products by visiting their official website.