The monsoons have arrived in almost all parts of the country, and people are experiencing the aftermath of heavy rain in certain states. Since early July, spells of heavy rain have led to flooding in many states. Cyclones like Amphan in West Bengal and Bangladesh in May or Nisarga in Maharashtra in June 2020 have caused widespread damage. The impact of the monsoons is felt on states like Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of Kerala.
It is imperative to take special measures to ensure the safety of your vehicle during the monsoons. Road accidents, vehicle damage due to potholes and clogged roads in the rainy season are always a matter of concern for most people, but natural calamities in the recent past have added extra stress in everyone’s life. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have caused panic amongst people. There are a few people who do not know how to recover their losses, and they are still struggling with the situation.
This article is aimed at addressing the concerns of people who can benefit from contactless motor insurance without even stepping out of their house.
Get Comprehensive Insurance: Customers should make sure that they have a comprehensive motor insurance policy. It is slightly different from the government- mandated third-party insurance, which does not cover damages to your vehicles but only to a third party. Comprehensive car insurance will pay for the damages to your car with additional benefits that will help you in the time of need. The cover also ensures the damage of engine failure and gear box breakage caused due to water seepage or oil leakage during monsoon along with door jam. It also offers the option of useful add-ons especially in the monsoons like tyre protect, consumables cover that can otherwise burn a hole in your pocket.
Use Instant Assist: The digital approach to staying in touch with customers and redefining customer experience in the time of COVID has been the priority of most of the brands. With contactless claim, the entire process becomes cashless and reduces the settlement claim periods from days to minutes. New age digital insurers let customers to upload the pictures of the damaged vehicle through the convenience of their mobile phones instead of waiting for a manual surveyor. Also, go ahead with an insurer who offer a 24*7 claim assistance service, as emergencies especially in monsoons can be any time in the day.
Get 24*7 Road Assistance: It is generally better to avoid driving during heavy rains until and unless it is an emergency. However, if you are traveling during monsoon, the roadside assistance, add on cover which customers can opt in a comprehensive motor insurance plan will help you in the hours. While traveling, in case there is an engine failure due to water logging and your vehicle breaks down with flat tyre in the middle of the road with no garage services in the range, road assistance will be of great help. All you need to do is call on the helpline number of the insurer and keep the policy details handy.
Cover your Vehicle Against Natural Disasters: Natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and storms can damage your vehicle drastically. So for such situations, if you are insured with a comprehensive motor insurance policy, you should consider taking some add-on covers, too. These add-on covers offer additional protection safety and coverage to your car during natural disasters. Engine protector, consumable items, i.e. bolts, screws, lubricants, AC gas, bearings, distilled water, engine oil and zero-depreciation cover are some of the add-on covers.
How to claim your motor insurance: Digital mode is the need of the hour and most of the insurance companies are following this process. If unfortunately, you meet with an accident, you should park your car on the safer side of the road and call the insurer immediately. To claim, if the insurer offers a self-inspection that’s the best option as it is quick and hassle free. You only need to take photographs of the damaged vehicle through the link shared by the insurer and insurer will get back with a rough estimate. Also, it is not advisable to start your car in this scenario and in the worst case nothing works, you can request for towing service from the insurer in case they offer a pick-up service, so that your vehicle can be dropped to a nearby garage.
Driving during the monsoons is inevitable and ensuring your safety and the safety of your vehicle without burning a hole in your pocket is important.
(By Vivek Chaturvedi, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Direct (online) Sales at Digit Insurance)
