A car engine is the most critical component of a car as it converts the fuel into energy to power the vehicle. While car insurance is mandatory in India, insurers offer different plans with selective and specific coverage.
For example, mandatory third-party motor insurance only covers third-party risks; popular comprehensive car insurance plans offer protection against accidents, thefts, and damages due to natural disasters. What happens if the heart of the car, the engine, gets damaged?
Unforeseen breakdowns may sometimes happen that lead to the failure of critical engine components; in such cases, you will have to pay for the repairs/replacement of the defective components. Alternatively, you can opt for engine protection cover along with a comprehensive car insurance policy.
What is an Engine Protection Cover in Car Insurance?
An engine protection cover offers additional benefits that protect you financially from the car engine–related costs. From pistons to connecting rods and the gearbox, it will also take care of the costs of repairing lubricating oil leakage, water ingress issues and more. Without a car engine cover, insurers will not reimburse these engine-related costs as part of your regular comprehensive insurance plan. However, Insurers may also have a pre-fixed maximum claim limit.
Most leading insurance providers in India offer specific engine-protect insurance plans that can be purchased as an add-on to your regular comprehensive insurance policy.
However, it is best to remember that the engine protection cover add-on is unavailable with a third-party insurance plan; your car must be covered with a comprehensive policy.
What are the Engine Protection Cover Benefits?
The engine powers your car, and keeping it in perfect condition is critical. Besides, the engine components are expensive, and replacements/repairs can set you back financially. Therefore, your additional engine-protect insurance coverages will come in handy for all engine–related costs. In addition, during the rainy season or in a flood-prone area, water ingress can pose serious issues with your car engine;
What is covered under Engine- Protect Insurance?
While the specific coverage inclusions may vary from one insurer to another, in general, the cost following costs are within the purview of car engine cover:
- Leakage of lubricants.
- Water ingress.
- Hydrostatic lock (when you try to drive the car with water in the engine or through a water-logged road, the car's braking system becomes inoperable, which is termed a hydrostatic lock).
- Consumable materials, such as engine and gearbox oil, coolants and lubricants, nuts, and bolts, are included in the scope of engine-protect insurance, and you can claim reimbursement against the costs incurred while repairing your car engine.
Engine –protect in Car Insurance: Exclusions
Every insurer in India has specific terms and conditions; however, most of them broadly include the following exclusions in their engine-protect insurance add-on.
- Engine damages within the scope of the manufacturer’s warranty: Most car manufacturers, as part of their warranty, will have specific coverage for engine-related repairs and replacements; these items will be outside the purview of the engine protection cover.
- Repair and replacement of components: Similarly, components covered under the car manufacturer’s warranty are excluded.
- Time delays in reporting damage: This is a critical clause since delays in reporting often aggravate the damage; the insurer may not accept such claims.
- Delayed action: When vehicles are recovered late from water-logged areas, the damage to the engine may increase. The insurance provider may also not consider such cases.
- Normal Wear and Tear: The engine-protect insurance add-on excludes normal engine depreciation related to usage over time.
- Accidental damages to the car.
- In cases where the driver does not have a valid driving license.
- Damages caused to the engine when the driver was under the influence of alcohol.
Limitations of Engine Protection Cover in Car Insurance
Every insurer has specific policy clauses; therefore, it is always advisable to understand the full terms and conditions of any policy at the time of purchase to avoid future hassles with servicing your policy.
The general limitations followed in the industry are:
1. Restrictions on the number of claims: Most insurers accept only a limited number of claims, up to two or three, in one policy year.
2. Age of the car.
The usual industry practice allows car engine cover plans for cars up to five years from the date of manufacture.
Choosing Your Engine- Protect Cover
All leading car insurance providers have engine protection cover add-ons; for example, you can buy/renew Generali Central plans anywhere, at any time, with their user-friendly app. You can also report and track claims with Generali Central with a few simple steps.
What is Engine-protect in Car Insurance
An engine-protect in car insurance is a valuable add-on that covers you from the high cost of repair/replacement of car engine components.
It is always financially beneficial to get a car engine cover add-on with your comprehensive car insurance policy for your car, particularly if you own a high-end model with very high engine repair costs.
If you are located in a flood-prone area, engine protection is crucial.
All leading insurance providers, like Generali Central, offer customer-friendly engine-protect plans as an add-on to their comprehensive policies.
A careful study of the policy document will clarify the specific details, inclusions, exclusions and limitations.
