Motor insurance is mandatory in India, but one of the major problems faced by the people is during the claim process. For some, the claim settlement can become a daunting task. Lack of information and knowledge can make the process even more challenging. To save on the hassles, one must follow the defined set of the motor insurance claim process.

Inform the insurance company- One of the first steps that you need to follow is to inform the insurance company about the incident. Make sure that you do that within the defined timeline. Delaying the reporting of the incident may impact the insurance claim process.

File an FIR- The next important step you need to follow is filing an FIR in the nearest police station. Make sure that you do not delay this process. The police will also visit the site of the incident to assess whether it was because of an accident or mechanical failure of the car.

Take photographs of the damaged car-You must also take photographs of your car to substantiate your claim

Ask for the surveyor-You must also ask the insurance company to send the surveyor to check the status of the car. Once the surveyor and the police give you permission, you can take your car for repair.

Submit all the documents- You must ensure that all the documents are submitted to the insurance company within the defined time frame. The insurance company will assess the claim and check whether it qualifies for the claim or not.

In many cases, it has been seen that the insurance company rejects the claim, and that’s where the problem starts. However, to address this issue, there are certain basic steps that you need to follow:

1. See the correspondence received from the insurance company-It is important that you must check the correspondence received from the insurance company. It will help you find the reason for the rejection of the claim.
2. You must cross-check the insurance policy- If you are not satisfied with the response of the insurance company, the next important step is that you must cross-check the insurance policy. Double-check the pictures and other details submitted by you. If you are still not able to figure out the problem, then you can file a complaint against the insurance company.
3. File the complaint against the insurer- It is important that you must file the complaint against the insurer in case you are not satisfied with their response to the claim rejection. IRDAI gives complete authority to the policyholder to file the complaint against the insurance company in case of any discrepancy.