The thought of getting a dent in your beloved car sounds disturbing. However, with a comprehensive car insurance plan, you can protect yourself from the financial burden of fixing a dent. Often, despite having the right car insurance policy in place, one may fail to file a claim correctly. This is why understanding the process of a car dent insurance claim is important.
Take the case of Sailza Sharma, who recently found a dent in her car while it was parked in a mall’s parking space. Sailza immediately informed her insurer, submitted the required documents and the repair cost, which was around ₹2,500, was covered cashlessly at a network garage.
Read on as we walk you through the process of raising a claim under car insurance for a dent on the insured vehicle.
How to Claim Insurance for Car Dents?
If your insured vehicle has been damaged, you don't need to worry if you have a robust motor insurance policy. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Notify the Insurer
The first step is to notify the insurer immediately after you have noticed a dent in your vehicle. This can help ease the verification process. Kindly check the policy documents for the time limit to raise a claim.
2. Submit the Documents
To raise a claim for car dents, you need to submit certain required documents, such as policy documents, a claim form, a driving license, and photos of the dent etc. Review your policy documents for a comprehensive list of required documents.
3. Wait for Damage Verification
Once you have raised a claim, the insurance company verifies the claim and documents. Many insurance companies also send an inspector to verify the claim physically.
4. Get a Repair Authorisation
After a successful claim verification, your insurance company gives a repair authorisation. Depending on the policy type, you might be asked to either get the repair from a network garage and claim reimbursement or have the insurer directly settle the claim with the garage.
5. Your Claims are Settled
Once the repair is done, your claims are settled and your policy is adjusted accordingly.
Did You Know that IRDAI releases the annual claim settlement ratio of every insurance company, which you can check before purchasing motor insurance?
Click here to learn more about the process of filing a claim for your car insurance.
Should You Raise a Claim for Car Dents?
Although insurance policies offer coverage for car dents, it is essential to determine whether to file a car dent insurance claim. Purchase comprehensive car insurance that offers wholesome coverage for all your needs.
Here are a few things to consider before raising a claim:
1. Extent of Damage
Assess the extent of damage to your vehicle because of the dent. In many cases, raising a claim under car insurance plans for minor dents might not be a good idea.
For instance, if you have opted for deductibles, the repair cost for car dents may be lower than your deductible.
2. Impact on No Claim Bonus
Raising a claim for a small dent that can be fixed at a minor cost can significantly impact your car insurance premium in the next policy year.
How? Insurance companies offer a No Claim Bonus to policyholders for not raising any claims during one policy year.
When Can Your Claim Get Rejected?
As a car insurance policyholder, you may already be wondering: What if my claim is rejected? Here are some reasons under which your claim might get rejected and practical tips to bear in mind:
1. Lack of Documents
Raising a claim without proper documents is a common reason for claim rejection under a motor insurance policy.
Solution: Ensure that you review the detailed list of required documents and have them ready before submitting a claim.
2. Delay in Raising the Claim
Raising a claim after a substantial delay from the date of the incident can also lead to claim rejection.
Solution: Make sure to raise a claim immediately/within the time frame as specified by the respective insurance company.
3. Getting Repair Before Authorisation
Getting a repair before your insurer has provided authorisation can lead to claim rejection because the evidence for verification has been altered.
Solution: Wait for the insurer to perform verification and offer a way to get the repair.
4. Driving Illegally
If you were driving illegally on the day of the incident, your claims may get rejected. Illegal driving includes driving without a licence, driving in a state of intoxication.
Solution: Ensure that you are always driving with a valid licence and never under the influence.
5. Damage Beyond Policy Coverage
Claims for damage caused by uncovered situations will not be accepted.
Solution: Review your policy document before raising a claim. Typically, comprehensive car insurance policies offer coverage for car dents.
6. Misrepresentation of Damages
Claims under car insurance are meant to be rejected if facts are concealed or misrepresented.
Solution: Always be truthful about the damages while raising a claim.
Summing Up
Raising a claim under your car insurance policy for dents is a simple process. All you need to do is inform your insurer immediately and make sure to submit proper documents for a smooth verification. However, before you take the step of raising a claim, assess the situation and understand the consequences of raising such claims to avoid a negative impact on your motor insurance plan in the long run.
Looking for a motor insurance plan that works well for your specific driving needs? Explore our motor insurance policies, which offer customisation options.
