Can I Claim Insurance for Car Scratches in India?
Can I Claim Insurance for Car Scratches in India?
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Your car insurance does allow you to claim for minor damages like dents, scratches etc. However, if you look at the long term benefits of your insurance, you are expected not to avail claims for such minor issues. Do you know the reason why? This is because claiming for such minor issues might prove expensive for you in the long run. In this blog we are learning about the feasibility of filing claims for minor scratches on your car.
Should You Claim Insurance for Car Scratches & Dents?
Our car gets many scratches and dents on and off while commuting. These may be due to minor accidents and road mishaps etc. But when it comes to making a claim for such scratches, you might think, can I claim insurance for car scratches in India or whether my insurance policy allows compensation for such minor issues. Moreover, even if they allow you to reimburse for dents and scratches, is it worthy to file a claim for them?
You can have protection against multiple unexpected damages for your car provided by your insurance. Depending on the kind of damage, huge loss or minor dents, everything can be claimed by the insured to the insurer. However, it is better not to make a claim for minor expenses as it might lead to paying a high premium amount in the long term. On the other hand, if you do not make claims for minor issues and can have a claim free year, you might get the benefit of a No Claim Bonus during policy renewal.
Is Car Scratches And Dent Covered By My Car Insurer?
This is the first thing to consider before you raise a claim for minor scratches. So, you must know if your policy provider covers minor dents and scratches or not. For instance, if you have a third-party policy, it might not cover anything else other than third-party damages and liabilities. So, you can claim for third party damages. However, you might not make a claim for any minor damages caused to your car under the third-party insurance.
But if you have a comprehensive policy, you can make a claim for any minor and major damages caused to your car under such policies. This is because comprehensive insurance covers both your third-party damages as well as your own car damage expenses.
How Does Claiming for Scratches Affect Your NCB?
Yes, it does affect your NCB. If you claim for minor issues under your car insurance policy, you lose the option of NCB reward which can be received on the condition of a claim-free policy year. Thus, if you do not make claims for minute issues, you can get NCB discount on your policy premium during your next car insurance renewal. But making claims for dents and scratches will nullify the NCB reward that you can avail.
When Is It Worth Claiming Insurance for Minor Car Scratches?
If you have scratched your car and are thinking of submitting claim for damage repair, you must reconsider whether it is worth risking your accumulated NCB for just a scratch. Here are a few factors you must consider before claiming insurance for minor car scratches.
Read Your Policy Terms
Comprehensive car insurance policies provide financial cover for minor car scratches. However, it is better to recheck policy terms to understand whether minor scratches are covered by the insurance. Since third-party car insurance does not cover damages to the insurance owner’s vehicle, one cannot claim third-party insurance for minor scratches.
Cost Of Repairs Vs. Deductible
If the cost of repairing the car scratch is higher than the deductible, you may consider claiming insurance for scratches provided the damage is really bad.
Impact on NCB
When you submit a claim before your policy renewal time, it affects your chances at availing handsome discounts on your next year’s insurance policy premium rate. Hence, one must be careful to consider this factor before applying for claim.
Visibility and Extent of Damage
Assess the extent of damage. If the scratch is deep and is visible, rethink it’s worthiness to claim insurance.
Will It Have Any Impact On My Deductible?
Deductible is the amount that you agree to pay during claim settlement as part of the sum insured. This option is available on online car insurance policies. Here, the insurer pays for the rest of the claim amount. Hence, the two parties – insurer and insured – share the liability of claims together. Depending on the deductible you choose, you end up paying accordingly for claims. Thus, it is also important to consider deductibles before making a claim for minor dents and scratches as it may affect what you pay to the insurer.
Will It Impact My Monthly Premium?
Yes, if you raise claims frequently, it will impact your NCB, your claim history as well as your premium. This is because as per car insurance claim rules, premium is determined by NCB and claim history and when your NCB and claim history varies it impacts the premium as well. So, by raising claims for minor issues frequently, you may levy a greater premium on your insurance in future. This is because with frequent claims you will portray the image of a huge liability to your insurer, and they might levy more charges on you by increasing your premium.
Conclusion
The above discussion answers your question, ‘Can we claim insurance for car scratches?’ Of course, it entirely depends on you if you want to raise a car insurance claim for minor damages or not. But before you make a claim you must remember the car insurance claim process and that your insurer keeps a record of all your claims – big or small. They take into consideration such claims for your future premiums. So, it is better not to file a claim for minor issues and rather claim only when you have big expenses on your way. This way you can avail NCB discount on your premium and have a good claim experience.
Also read: Car Insurance: 10 Tips That Can Save Money
