Insurance claim: Labour charges included?

[Nimz]

Hi Everyone

Am planning to claim insurance for a dent on the side of my car.

One of my colleagues had earlier stuck his Spark (6 months old) under a bus and replaced the bonnet under insurance. He had to pay 1.5K odd as labour charges + 50% of the value of some sealant. Bonnet was replaced free of cost.

My question is will I have to pay labour charges?

Another friend of mine had scraped his entire door of his UVA(1 day old) and he had to pay only the 500 bucks minimum for claim. No labour nothing. Now am confused.

Can you please help. I want to arm myself before I face the service station

Thanks Nimz

[quicksilver]

Normally once the surveyor has approved the charges, you can get the complete amount claimed for labour. For parts, insurance companies deduct a certain % for depreciation.

Parts like glass have lesser depreciation and plastic parts have maximum depreciation. So go ahead and make a claim, provided your no claim bonus is not much. Try and do a search as there are a lot of threads here with information on the insurance claims and depreciation, NCB details.

[Technocrat]

Labour charges are 100% refunded

One of my colleagues had earlier stuck his Spark (6 months old) under a bus and replaced the bonnet under insurance. He had to pay 1.5K odd as labour charges + 50% of the value of some sealant. Bonnet was replaced free of cost.

The 1.5k must be the 5-10% cost of the bonnet, all parts have some amount of depreciation but labor is 100% covered. You have to pay some amount as claim charges as well.

Hope this helps

[hellstar]

I also have the same experince as technocrat

All charges are refunded at 100% ( inclusive of labour) minus the depreciations at different rates for metals and plastic parts.

Yes claim charges apply and you will lose your NCB next time you renew your Insurance. And belive me if the dent is small and can be rectified with a small financial implication do it , better than losing out on the NCB.

[shankar.balan]

all charges for labour etc are paid by insurance subject to negotiated labour charges between the surveyor and the garage.

Plastics, metals, etc attract depreciation so parts are paid at depreciated value.

If the garage recommends a part be completely changed, then that also is subject to negotiation between them and the surveyor. Especially in these new vehicles where they hardly ever tinker and paint - they simply change the entire affected panel.

Thumb rules to consider while deciding to claim or not -
1.Is the likely cost of the repair higher than the Premium you paid?
2.Is the likely cost higher than the amount of No Claim bonus you will get at the time of next renewal or not?

If it IS higher, then close your eyes and claim. After all, why be out of pocket for repairs when you've paid your full premium?

And remember that all Insurance companies will always charge a limited liability to the owner - Around 1500 Rs will ultimately be borne by the owner as part of this limited liability, in case the total Insurance claim is say Rs 15000 odd. (10% - another rough thumb rule.)

Cheers

Originally Posted by hellstar

I also have the same experince as technocrat

All charges are refunded at 100% ( inclusive of labour) minus the depreciations at different rates for metals and plastic parts.

Yes claim charges apply and you will lose your NCB next time you renew your Insurance. And belive me if the dent is small and can be rectified with a small financial implication do it , better than losing out on the NCB.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

all charges for labour etc are paid by insurance subject to negotiated labour charges between the surveyor and the garage.
....

Surveyor (read Insurance Companies) recognizes labour charges of certain garages. So its better to check with the surveyor for the list of garages. If a certain garage charges more than the rate specified by the surveyor, you have to bear the difference.

[Nimz]

Thanks everyone

I will be taking into Sundarm motors at Rajaji Nagar (the Kasturba road one doesnt accept it saying I have to take it there and they wont take it there. Me thinks.. same company where you do it is not customer's concern right?!? Pretty annoying)

And I expect the charges to come above my NCB for the next year but lesser than the premium I paid.. so am thinking of going for it..

Thanks so much again

Nimz

[archat68]

Though may be OT - I have a query:
Is it true that when repainting a car in a pre 2000 car only cost for non 2K paint is redeemed - not 2K paint?

[jaysmokesleaves]

For my recent insurance claim the labour charges were approx 29000 and the claim amount was approx 48000. The Insurance paid 40000 while I paid 8000 as 50% of plastic parts. Labour charge was paid in full by insurance.
This being my first insurance claim in my life, I recommend Bajaj Allianz for hassle free claims. I left the car at the workshop and only got it back after it was fixed 10 days later. Only spoke to the Surveyor over the fone twice.

[rjvora_2000]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Labour charges are 100% refunded



The 1.5k must be the 5-10% cost of the bonnet, all parts have some amount of depreciation but labor is 100% covered. You have to pay some amount as claim charges as well.

Hope this helps

Partly

Labor charges are paid 100% if the car is in the authorized workshop only. otherwise there are deduction in these charges as well.