Compare & Buy Car, Bike and Health Insurance Online - InsuranceDekho
Claim, renew, manage & moreLogin

Car Insurance Online Vs Offline: Which is Better?

Written by Sharad Bajaj
Updated On Oct 15, 20232 min read
WishBookmark

Now all is instant. The biggest winners of this digital movement are the consumers. The insurance industry is right in the midst of this paradigm change driven by digitization. As far as car insurance is concerned, online insurers are changing the game.

Given a multitude of options in front of you, buying insurance on your vehicle can also be overwhelming and tedious. With the rise of technology and the launch of online insurance, the opportunities have expanded further. Buying car insurance necessitates enough time and commitment. You could either opt to purchase insurance online or by an agent or broker to buy it offline.

Car Insurance Online Vs Offline: Which is Better?

Differences Between Car Insurance Online and Car Insurance Offline

With digital advances, car insurance plans can now be quickly bought and also renewed online. Learn below on the difference between online and offline car insurance purchases.

Cost

Online Insurance

Offline Insurance

There is no agent commission/brokerage expense needed for online insurance and this can be passed on to the policyholder as a discount. To draw customers, online insurance may provide new user discounts, year-end discounts, or other festival deals that are impossible to find in offline insurance

When buying car insurance offline you have to pay the broker/agent a commission and this adds to your insurance cost. Also, you may not be able to compare well different policies, or read reviews, etc to make an informed decision

Process

The process of purchasing a car insurance policy is much easier and quicker. With the advanced technologies, all the details are available in one click and the whole process of comparing the proposal, choosing the policy, reviewing the terms and conditions, and initiating the payment can be completed in just a few minutes.

However, you will have to spend a lot of time contacting the agent, negotiating the contract, choosing the policy, executing the payment, and eventually getting the policy papers at your address. It can take you at least 2-3 days to complete all this.

Transparency

You can read the terms & conditions of the insurance policy in the case of online car insurance and understand the exact policy wording well before purchasing the insurance. For your reference, you can save the agreement specifics to make sure you receive what you see and what you make payment for.

Only after making the deposit do you get to see the official policy documents when you buy car insurance offline from a broker or an agent. To win a contract, an agent can mould the wordings. Therefore, if you go for offline insurance, buy it from a very reputable and reliable source

Settlement

The method of claim settlement is quite simple. Most firms have an excellent feature for online filing and monitoring the status of the claims. Online filing speeds up the claim /cashless process

While making the claim, you would have to call the broker. To send claim forms, policy documents, vehicle registration, and insurance paperwork, etc., you will be expected to personally meet the broker/agent/insurer. This would take a lot of processing time.

Support

You get 24/7 customer support that addresses all your questions and concerns

There could be limited support and the processing time for a resolution will be high.

Also, Read

Why Is It Important to Renew Car Insurance on Time?

Things to Consider When Buying Car Insurance in India

Conclusion

If you intend to purchase car insurance before determining whether to buy car insurance online or offline, take into account the above few considerations. Both have their pros and cons in general, so it is important to make a well-informed decision.

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.

Disclaimer

This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
Author Image
Written by Sharad Bajaj
View Author

 Sharad is an insurance industry veteran who has managed motor insurance products for over a decade. He helped set up and scale the motor insurance vertical for a leading insurance company in his previous stint. In his spare time, Sharad likes to read and be in tune with nature.

Explore more before buying Car Insurance

    must dotmust graphics

    Why to buy from InsuranceDekho?

    • Instant policy # within 5 mins
    • More than 45 Lac happy customers
    • Claim Support available all 7 days of the week

    People Also Read

    FIND RTO OFFICES BY STATE IN INDIA

    FIND RTO OFFICES BY CITY IN INDIA