How Is Car Insurance Beneficial During Natural Disasters?

The damage caused by natural disasters is covered under the own-damage component of a car insurance plan. Thus, your car shall be covered against natural disasters automatically if you opt for a comprehensive car insurance plan or a standalone own-damage car insurance plan. However, you will not be able to avail this benefit if you buy a third-party car insurance policy.

What To Do If Your Car Gets Damaged In A Natural Calamity?

If your car has undergone damages in a natural disaster, you should do the below-mentioned things once the environment around you is safe:

• Take photos of the damages of your car from all angles
• Take a note of the timeline of the natural disaster, including the time and date when it hit your area and damaged your car
• Gather evidence, for instance, news articles in regards to the natural disaster occurrence in your area
• File a car insurance claim with your car insurance company
• Do not move the car from the spot unless the assessor sent by your insurer examines the vehicle
• Do not fix the damages of your car until your insurer approves it

Tips To Raise A Car Insurance Claim For Natural Disasters Damages

If your car has gone through damages because of a natural calamity, you can file a claim under your comprehensive insurance. Mentioned below are the steps to register a claim car insurance:

• Contact the claim support team and notify them about the damages caused to your car because of the natural calamity
• The claim support team will assign an surveyor to examine the damages to your car
• Surveyor will submit the survey report to the insurer for claim approval
• Send your car for repair to a garage
• Submit all the documents necessary so that the insurer can process the claim
• In case of a network garage, the repair bill will be paid by your insurer directly
• In case of a non-network garage, you will have to shell out the repair bill and submit the bill and the payment receipts to your car insurer
• The insurer will confirm the documents and you get the claim amount

Add-On Covers For Policyholders Living In A Natural Disaster Prone Place

If you stay in a disaster-prone place, your car is at the threat of getting spoiled constantly. Recurrent damages can damage certain parts of your car gradually, which may not be covered under the basic comprehensive insurance policy. Fortunately, the car insurance companies come with a range of add-on covers that offer coverage for damages which are otherwise not covered under a comprehensive insurance policy. Some of the common add-on covers are as follows:

• Zero Depreciation Cover

It protects car from any depreciation and assists obtain an IDV (Insured Declared Value) equal to the present market value of your vehicle.

• Daily Allowance

It provides a daily travel allowance to the car owner if the car is getting repaired at a garage for the natural disaster damages.

• Engine Protector Cover

It indemnifies any damages or loss caused to the car’s engine due to a natural calamity.

Also, Read

How to Claim NCB on a New Car?

How will Modifications Affect My Car Insurance?

Conclusion

All comprehensive insurance plans cover car damages caused because of the natural calamities occurrence. However, you can enhance the coverage of your car insurance policy by buying relevant add-on covers.

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.