Natural calamities can happen at any point in time. And quite naturally, they can wreak havoc on your personal belongings as well. Nature’s anger can be terrifying. However, isn’t there a way to safeguard our pockets in case we end up losing or damaging our possessions and stuff due to a natural catastrophe like a cyclone?
Of course, there is. However, in natural disasters like storms, earthquakes, or cyclones, vehicles get damaged easily as they are parked outside. So, if your car gets damaged due to a cyclone, you can always claim your car insurance and get coverage against your loss.
Although, a lot of people assume that damage caused by a cyclone isn’t covered under four-wheeler insurance. The fact is, under comprehensive car insurance online, damages caused by such natural calamities like cyclones are covered.
Hence, it’s prudent to compare car insurance options first and then buy car insurance with comprehensive coverage, as it will help you protect your four-wheeler in a better manner.
How to Claim Car Insurance Online?
The claim process for cyclonic damage to your four-wheeler in the case of a cyclone is straight and simple.
Here are the simple steps involved in claiming car insurance for damages caused to your four-wheeler due to a cyclone.
- Contact your insurer
The first step is to inform your car insurance provider. Although the cyclone will be national news, you cannot expect your insurer to have an idea about the kind of damage your four-wheeler may have suffered. Hence, get in touch with a representative from the insurance company at the earliest and take a brief from them regarding the claim procedure.
- Gather evidence of the damage
Next, you need to have proper evidence to prove your point. So, click pictures and make videos of your damaged car. Also, letting your insurer know about the cyclone by sharing with them the news of the same can help you build a strong insurance claim.
- Accumulate every single detail
Keep the two-wheeler insurance policy number, every detail of your car, and all other important documents related to the insurance handy. You will require all of these while raising a claim.
- Raise a claim
Once all the above steps are done, you can raise a claim by visiting the official website of your insurer. First, simply log in through your registered email ID or mobile number. Then, follow the instructions for raising a claim on the website, fill in all the necessary information, and complete the claim.
The insurance company may take some time to go through your claim application. Hence, make sure that every single detail shared by you is genuine.
- Claim settlement
Once the claim has been filed, the insurer will send a surveyor to assess the damages. The surveyor will submit a report of the extent of damages to the insurance company. After the report is approved, you can take your car for repair to a network garage for cashless claim settlement. You can also get your car repaired at the garage of your choice and file a reimbursement claim later.
What Happens During a Total Loss of the Car?
If your car gets fully damaged due to a cyclone, and if it’s beyond repair, you can get coverage against the loss from the insurer. Simply put, if the repair charges for your damaged car are more than 75% of the actual price of your four-wheeler, you can get a reimbursement from the insurance company under your comprehensive car insurance coverage.
However, you need to declare the IDV of your vehicle when buying the comprehensive policy for your four-wheeler. So, if you need to raise a claim for a total loss of your vehicle due to a cyclone, you will receive the claim amount that will be almost equal to your chosen IDV at the time of your policy purchase.
A Few Points to Consider When Claiming Your Car Insurance
A cyclone can cause a lot of damage to your four-wheeler. Your car may face visible damages as well as mechanical damages. Hence, when applying for a car insurance claim, keep in mind the below-mentioned things:
- Always read the policy documents properly to understand the coverage options. Go through the terms and conditions posted by the insurance company as well.
- Try to inform your insurer about the damage as early as possible to make the settlement process happen faster.
- Do not take out your car for a spin when you can sense damage due to the cyclone. Doing so can further damage your car, or cause physical injury, as it is unsafe to drive the car in that condition. Also, your car insurance might not even cover consequential loss due to this.
- Ask your insurer to conduct a damage survey before taking it for repair. This is vital because the company may reject your claim if your car is repaired before their survey.
Conclusion
So, now you know how to make a car insurance claim due to cyclone-related damage to your four-wheeler. First, you should opt for a comprehensive insurance plan from a reputed insurer like Tata AIG as it covers the damages caused to your vehicle due to natural calamities. This will also let you further solidify your insurance plan with additional covers.
