Claiming Insurance in case of Accident

Claiming insurance in an uneventful case such as an accident is a request made by the holder of the insurance to the insurance company to pay the damages or compensation as per the terms of the insurance agreement. Generally, insurance is claimed from the insurance company either by claiming the expenses of damages caused to the individual directly or by reimbursement.

In case the individual has sustained injuries or death has been caused due to the accident, the individual himself or his family member or legal heir can claim damages from the insurance company directly. However, if the individual decides to treat himself on his own expenses or make repairs to the vehicle by his own expenses, then the same can be claimed by the individual from the insurance company. The insurance company shall reimburse the expenses incurred on behalf of the individual. In order to claim the insurance, the policy must have the required documents.

An insurance claim is an official request that a policyholder makes to the insurance company for the compensation of the damage incurred due to accidents.

In case of an accident, the individual who has sustained injuries or if death has been caused by the accident, then the legal heir or near relative of such an individual must submit the required documents for claiming the insurance. Along with filing up the form for claiming insurance, one needs to submit all the essential documents. The following is a list of documents that are required to claim insurance. 

• Insurance policy copy.
• The First Information Report (FIR) has been filed with the police.
• The form of claim has been duly filled as well as signed by the policyholder.
• A registration Certificate (RC) copy is attached with the form.
• Driving License copy
• Approximate estimated details of the repairs
• Receipts of medical bills and expenses in case of injuries sustained.
• Original bills of any other repairs or cash receipts.

• A completely fill-up accidental death benefit claim form
• Death certificate
• Medical report that indicates the cause of death which occured to due to an accident.
• A written statement outlining the date, location and circumstances of the accident.
• Copy of FIR
• Official documentation proving the insured family member's status, and for the beneficiaries, proof of identity along with proof of relationship with the insured member.

The policyholder of the insurance has two modes of claiming insurance which depend on the circumstance of the case. The two modes of claiming insurance are third-party claims and own damage claims. The following paragraph explains the steps for claiming insurance after an accident.

An individual can raise a third-party claim against the owner of the other vehicle, where the damage or injury has been caused to the individual or their vehicle in the accident due to the third party. A claim can be made for the medical expenses or to compensate for the injury caused to the individual or if there has been damage to the vehicle. A third-party claim can also be made against the owner of the vehicle for loss of earnings, that is if because of the accident the individual is not able to work. Similarly, if there has been a death due to the accident, compensation can be claimed for the same. 

On the contrary, if there has been an accident due to your fault or your vehicle has hit another vehicle for which the other party suffered loss or damages, then your insurer will ensure to cover the damages, loss, or any injury caused by you to the other party. However, a provision for covering such loss has been mentioned in the insurance policy.

An individual can file an ‘own damage claim’ where there has been a loss or the damage has been caused to the insured vehicle due to an accident. The insurance company will pay the expenses incurred due to the repairing of the damages caused to the vehicle as well as any medical expenses. The individual is required to authenticate the damage that has been caused by the accident by presenting proper documents required for claiming the accident insurance.

1. Informing Insurance Company

The first thing the individual should do is to inform the insurance company about the accident by providing all the details about the damage caused to the vehicle due to the accident. Every detailed information is necessary so that it does lead to a counterproductive claim by the other party.

2. Filing of FIR 

The next thing the individual should do is to file a First Information Report (FIR) at the police station immediately after the accident. FIR is important in cases where the accident has been caused due to a third party.

3. Taking pictures of the damages

The individual must ensure to take enough pictures of the damages caused to the vehicle at the site of the accident. This will be helpful for the insurance company in examining the damages and help them settle the claim accordingly.

4. Submitting Documents

As mentioned earlier, to claim insurance in case of an accident must provide the required documents to the insurer. For instance, a copy of the insurance policy, copy of FIR, Driving License, etc. By providing these documents, the insurance company will ensure a hassle claim of the insurance for the accident.

5. Repairing the car

By following the above steps, you can finally get your car repaired in a garage. If you get your vehicle repaired at the garage which is associated with your insurance company, then the claim is settled by paying for expenses directly to the garage. However, the individual can repair the vehicle in any other garage and give the bill of expenses incurred in repairing the damage to the insurance company. The insurance company will reimburse the amount incurred while repairing the damages.

The  following points need to be kept in mind while claiming insurance:

• Make a thorough check of yourself as well as the vehicle in case of any serious injury or damage. On the basis of the injuries sustained, decide if medical help is required or not.
• Make the claim within the stipulated time frame fixed by your insurance company, usually within 24 hours. The claim may be repudiated due to the delay caused in claiming the insurance. 
• If your vehicle has been hit by any other vehicle then make a note of the vehicle number, model, or color.
• If you find that the damage is caused only to the vehicle and is negligible you can avoid making a claim. 
• Don’t get into a fight with a third party and that might cause unnecessary confusion.
• Do not make any statement to the police or any insurance company if you are not aware of the next step. Take the help of a legal professional.
• Do not move the vehicle from the accident spot unless the same has been permitted by the police as well as the insurance company.

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