Delhi car insurance claims surge amid rising floodwaters — steps to raise yours

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Delhi flood crisis: With several parts of the city still heavily waterlogged after the recent extreme rainfall and flooding, car engines and electrical systems are all stressed out. Here are the steps to raise your insurance claim for the same.

Insurance companies have witnessed an increase in claims on account of heavy rains that have battered Delhi and its neighbourhood. Animesh Das, Chief Underwriting Officer at ACKO, said they have seen a roughly 5-10 percent rise in claim reporting. He added that this may increase once things gets settled and individuals get time to report the damages.

Echoing similar views, Nitin Deo, Chief Technical Officer at Zuno General Insurance, said the recent flood claims on account of Yamuna river overflowing will take a few days to get reported.

"While the intimations are not yet received, we are ready to handle the volume on account of the surge in claims. Insured individuals also have the option to get their vehicles inspected through a video streaming app called BOLT, allowing for a convenient and contactless inspection process," Deo told CNBC-TV18.com.

Dos and don'ts

Other insurance companies have also informed customers about dos and don'ts to avoid further damage to their vehicles this season. According to insurers, owners should avoid driving in a water-logged area where the water height is above the centre of the tyre. Additionally, they should not switch on the ignition or attempt to start the car by jump-starting it — even if the water has receded.

"Tow the vehicle to the nearest garage after disconnecting the battery. At the garage, ask the mechanic to do a thorough check of the car brakes (these have a higher chance of getting damaged as well)," experts say.

Here are the steps to raise a claim for flood-damaged cars:

Step 1: Intimate the insurer by calling them at their toll-free or landline number. The number may be accessible on the website/app of the insurer. It may also be available in the email containing the policy PDF sent to the customer.

Additionally, one can mail the insurance partner to notify a claim.

Step 2: Share the details accurately, such as where the car was parked and other information. Users will be given a claim registration number.

Step 3: The car insurance company will schedule a pick-up time, tow the car to the garage and assign a surveyor.

Step 4: Collect substantial photo and video evidence that can be shared with the surveyor during vehicle inspection. After examining the extent of damage, the claim amount would be conveyed to the owner.

Step 5: Once the repairs are done, and the payment settled (depending on reimbursement or payment made directly by the insurer to the garage partner), the customer’s car is ready to be back on the road again.

Here's a list of insurance companies' claim settlement ratio and number of cashless garages:

Insurance Provider	Claim Settlement Ratio	Number of Cashless Garages
Royal Sundaram General Insurance	92.66%	3,300+
HDFC ERGO General Insurance	91.23%	6,800+
IFFCO Tokio General Insurance	92.65%	4,300+
The Oriental Insurance Company	91.76%	3,100+
Tata AIG General Insurance	90.49%	5,400+
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance	88.83%	4,000+
SBI General Insurance	92.05%	16,000+
Reliance Car Insurance	98%	3700+
Kotak Mahindra Car insurance	82.81%	1000+

(Source: Bankbazaar)

Insurers are mandated by the regulator to publicly share their claim settlement ratio (CSR). CSR is the percentage of claims an insurer settled out of the total claims it received during the year. Considering this helps the user in choosing the right policy.

If the vehicle is damaged, the owner would need to take it to a garage to repair it. Insurers tie up with many garages and offer a cashless facility to the policyholders. This means the amount would be directly settled with the garage by the insurer and owner would not have to pay the amount upfront and claim reimbursement later.