Automobile Insurance Queries? Ask me

[parsh]

Originally Posted by rajeshekm

Looking for some advice on the below.

While my father was driving our car (2006 Getz), an auto hit from the left side, causing some denting on both front and back doors on the left side.
There is also trouble opening the car front left car from the outside (due to the denting, there is something mechanically blocking when we pull the door flap from outside).

Any idea if it makes sense to go for insurance claim for this repair or get it done from outside?
Currently insurance amount per year is about 5,600 with a 50% NCB (coming to Rs 2,200).

I'm planning to take it to the service center tomorrow. But would be good to get an idea.
I know that for metal parts only 50% would be covered (since vehicle is more than 10 years old). How about cost of painting and labour ?

Paint cost will be covered 50% as a plastic component.
Labour (including painting labour component) will be covered 100%.

However, what you should contemplate is:
Would you be looking at preserving and transferring this 50% in buying new car?
Only in that case, it will be immensely useful to you.

Otherwise, weigh various factors:
1. cost of total repairs
2. using this 50% NCB for new car, if plan in future
3. buying a new car insurance for your 10 year old car, maybe only TPT, when you do transfer the NCB
4. NCB loss if availed now on present car only

[rajeshekm]

Originally Posted by parsh

Paint cost will be covered 50% as a plastic component.
Labour (including painting labour component) will be covered 100%.

However, what you should contemplate is:
Would you be looking at preserving and transferring this 50% in buying new car?
Only in that case, it will be immensely useful to you.

Otherwise, weigh various factors:
1. cost of total repairs
2. using this 50% NCB for new car, if plan in future
3. buying a new car insurance for your 10 year old car, maybe only TPT, when you do transfer the NCB
4. NCB loss if availed now on present car only

We intend to keep the car for 2 or max 3 more years. No plans for new car purchase (at least in my name) so NCB transfer is not an issue in the immediate future. NCB currently is 2.2K so over 2 years it would be about 4K only approx. I'll check the costs tomorrow and weigh the factors. Thanks a lot for your inputs.

[parsh]

Originally Posted by rajeshekm

We intend to keep the car for 2 or max 3 more years. No plans for new car purchase (at least in my name) so NCB transfer is not an issue in the immediate future. NCB currently is 2.2K so over 2 years it would be about 4K only approx. I'll check the costs tomorrow and weigh the factors. Thanks a lot for your inputs.

Even so, if you use insurance now, you will be down to 0% NCB which will be useless on any new or renewal insurance and it will take quite a time (5 years) to build up that 50%. So if you do plan to upgrade in future and can take repairs hit, weigh it properly and decide.

[The Brutailer]

Guys I’ve had 2 accidents on my car, unfortunately on 2 different sides (one on left side of the bumper and another on the rear right side door). How can I claim insurance for both the sides in a single claim? Please help!

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

How can I claim insurance for both the sides in a single claim?

I had claimed once this way saying I was caught in between like a sandwich collision. It was approved after some reasoning with the surveyor. I had three side damage but he approved front and back alone.

[Crank]

I have a Zero Dep policy from Bajaj Allianz for my VW Vento. As the warranty period is over, I am planning to get it serviced at a garage of my choice which is not a VW service center. Will this affect my Zero Dep insurance policy?

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by Crank

I am planning to get it serviced at a garage of my choice which is not a VW service center. Will this affect my Zero Dep insurance policy?

I do not think that it will affect the insurance. However I would recommend that you maintain the service bills and a service history file for the car. In the event of any dispute, which is highly unlikely, the records will come of use.

[sanchari]

Under what amount is it better to go with self repair instead of insurance? While backing up, didn't notice a tree and hit a tree. Rear bumper of Jazz dented. would it be worth it going with insurance or paying out of pocket? Any idea whether bumper needs to be replaced or can be repaired? Minor dent to the rear right door too. Can the dents in door be remove cleanly? I have zero-dep insurance

Also, I have already paid for the renewal premium which starts next month which includes NCB. If I make a claim now, will they charge me for the NCB amount?

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by sanchari

Under what amount is it better to go with self repair instead of insurance? While backing up, didn't notice a tree and hit a tree. Rear bumper of Jazz dented. would it be worth it going with insurance or paying out of pocket? Any idea whether bumper needs to be replaced or can be repaired? Minor dent to the rear right door too. Can the dents in door be remove cleanly? I have zero-dep insurance

Also, I have already paid for the renewal premium which starts next month which includes NCB. If I make a claim now, will they charge me for the NCB amount?

If the amount of repair is less than the NCB amount applicable during the policy, then its worth to repair from own pocket instead of claiming Insurance. Other wise Insurance claim is always beneficial.

If the bumper is cracked completely then it will need replacement. If not and there are minor scratches, then it can be repaired.

Since the Insurance is claimed during the existing policy period but the NCB claimed during renewal, you will have to return back the NCB amount (ideally). Let Insurance co ask for it. Till then no need to mention the same. In any case your next renewal should reflect the zero NCB.

[shijanto4]

Hi Friends,

Couple of days back, while on a highway, I had to stop at an intersection due to halted vehicles in front of me. After about half a minute of stopping, I heard a huge noise at the rear of my vehicle. I got down and saw that two guys in a bike had rammed into my car (Baleno). The rear bumper was severely dented and there was also a minor hole on the bumper, hitting some metal inside. Also, the bike's headlamp/handle had managed to touch the right bottom corner of my car dicky, which left a small dent there with paint peeled off.

Here's my confusion now. My car has not even completed one year from its purchase, so no plans of getting this repaired at any outside local shop. So, I went to Maruti authorized service center (same place where all services on my car are being carried out). They inspected the vehicle and quoted a cost of approximately 10-11K (around Rs. 6500 for rear bumper replacement and around Rs. 3500 for dicky denting/painting plus taxes). Mine is ICICI Lombard insurance with 50% NCB available that was carried over from my previous car insurance. The NCB amount is around Rs. 5812 in my existing policy, and my car insurance is due for its second-year renewal on April 12, 2018 (about 1.5 months from now). Though the service center is advising me to get this done through insurance, I am confused what to do. Obviously, the repair cost quoted is higher than my current NCB amount, so does it mean I should blindly go ahead with claiming insurance now or will I stand to lose more in future premiums because of this claim. Another question in my mind is - why am I paying premiums for 12 years now, without making a claim when necessary! Planning to leave the car tomorrow for repair. Any practical advice here will be of great help. Thanks.

[JohnyBoy]

Originally Posted by shijanto4

Hi Friends,
... I am confused what to do. Obviously, the repair cost quoted is higher than my current NCB amount, so does it mean I should blindly go ahead with claiming insurance now or will I stand to lose more in future premiums because of this claim. Another question in my mind is - why am I paying premiums for 12 years now, without making a claim when necessary! Planning to leave the car tomorrow for repair. Any practical advice here will be of great help. Thanks.

Go for the claim. Insurance is exactly for this purpose.
Yes, after 'kitna deti hein', saving NCB is the next popular thing among us Indian car owners.

Let's assume everyone just claims all accident repair costs. What's going to happen? Most of us lose NCB, so premium increases in the future years. Also number of claims increases overall and the insurance companies will increase the premium overall. So yes, there will be an increase in how much we have to spend for insurance.

On the other hand, there won't be any fights and arguments when an accident happens - no 'it's not my fault', 'you pay for my damage', no angry crowds to handle. Also no need to tackle the insurance surveyors. In fact drivers/owners need not 'figure out' how to repair the car. Insurance companies will 'fight' among themselves and do it.

This is the way it happens in most other countries.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by JohnyBoy

Let's assume everyone just claims all accident repair costs. What's going to happen? Most of us lose NCB, so premium increases in the future years. Also number of claims increases overall and the insurance companies will increase the premium overall. So yes, there will be an increase in how much we have to spend for insurance.

3rd party claim is so tough here and everyone wants to save their own NCB so the it’s your fault you pay me fight is still there.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by shijanto4

Another question in my mind is - why am I paying premiums for 12 years now, without making a claim when necessary! Planning to leave the car tomorrow for repair. Any practical advice here will be of great help. Thanks.

The amount you quoted for repairs is roughly equivalent to 2 years NCB amount which practically means is that you save the NCB for 2 years and then get your car repaired. Are you willing to do that? I suppose not, hence getting the repairs done through insurance claim is the most practical way to go about it.

I would still suggest to get the repairs estimate from a FNG, not the road side ones. The repairs may cost less than 10K. If you are worried about the paint quality even MASS wont be able to restore to the factory paint quality.

[Sujoy Mukherjee]

I have claimed an insurance in the current cycle and would like to get suggestions on the best options to take for Insurance renewal plan post a claim. Since the NCB amount is quite high, in case I make a claim for the next 2 years I would lose the NCB discount.

Background
My current plan (Tata AIG Pearl Choice for Corolla Altis (March 2015) has the following main features
1) NCB protection
2) RTI
3) Zero Dep
4) Additional features like RSA, Key replacement, Hotel stay etc.

Cost highlights
Premium - 39k
IDV 11.5 Lakhs
NCB - 50% and approx. Rs 8000

New plan offered
The agent has offered me 2 packages
1) Continue with the all the existing options except NCB protection (Rs 31k)
2) Go in for only the minimum required (Rs 20K) i.e. Basic insurance + 3rd party.

My Questions
1) Which plan should I go in for based on the assumption that I will not be able to make a claim in case the insurance value does not exceed Rs 45k (assuming this on a simplistic calculation of the NCB value * 6 years - some reduction in premium due to IDV going down)

2) Ideally I would like to be only protected for RTI and major accidental damage, but RTI does not seem to be available as a stand alone option for a car which is 3+ years old.

3) My experience during my last claim with TATA AIG and the agent has been really positive, so would like to stick with them only.

Sujoy

[JohnyBoy]

Originally Posted by hserus

3rd party claim is so tough here and everyone wants to save their own NCB so the it’s your fault you pay me fight is still there.

Yes. I think it's time for us to push for easier 3rd party claims. Now because of 'NCB Protection', the insurance companies are gaining.
Think, how much time and effort can be saved if there is no need for 'it's your fault' fighting. And the peace of mind.