GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Buying a home is a dream for most Indians. Considering the ever-increasing inflation, sky-rocketing real estate prices and constantly changing economic conditions, it requires extensive planning and budgeting. After putting in such efforts, a home becomes more than just a roof over one’s head- it is an investment, a sign of wealth, and probably the most important asset of your net worth.

Protecting an asset on which you have spent a fortune is essential. Buying the best home insurance policy in India is important to secure your home from multiple mishaps. While the best home insurance policy in India may offer you broad coverage from several risks, is the increasing threat of malicious mischief and vandalism included?

Read on to learn all about the specific coverage under home insurance.

What are acts of malicious mischief and vandalism?

To understand what the best home insurance policy in India covers, we must understand the meaning of the terms malicious mischief and vandalism.

Malicious mischief refers to the acts of destruction with the intent to damage or destroy property. It is usually acted out as a sign of resentment towards the property owner. Criminal mischief is recognised as a legal offence as per the Indian Penal Code, which prescribes an imprisonment term of 3 months, or fine, or both for perpetrators.

Vandalism is commonly used to describe the destruction of property without malicious intent targeting the owner. It is often seen as a mindless activity done to achieve the satisfaction of destruction rather than being fueled by ill intent. Vandalism is a punishable offence in India.

The need for malicious mischief and vandalism insurance.

While the terms may seem unfamiliar, malicious mischief and vandalism are rampant in the country. Irrespective of intent, such acts result in minor to massive losses for the property owner, depending on the scale.

In such situations, the prudent purchase of the best home insurance policy in India covering such acts pays off. Since one cannot immediately pinpoint the instigators of such acts of destruction, legal cases don't suffice as an instant relief. By comparing alternatives and purchasing the best home insurance policy in India, you can ensure the immediate raising of a claim and quick settlement of financial losses arising from vandalism and malicious mischief.

Exclusions from vandalism and malicious mischief:

1. If your property has been vacant for over 60 days consecutively, you cannot raise a claim even as a victim of vandalism or malicious mischief.

2. Suppose multiple people are listed as home insurance policyholders. If one of them intentionally indulges in destructive acts to damage the property, the other policyholders cannot raise a successful claim against the perpetrator.

General inclusions under vandalism insurance.

When comparing home insurance policies offered by multiple insurers to find the best home insurance policy in India, you may notice that each insurer offers a varying reimbursement limit and the extent of property covered under the policy. While minute details can differ, most vandalism and malicious mischief covers extend to the following.

1. Fixed structures:
The most apparent inclusions are the fixed structures on your property. This includes the house or flat's external frame, additional safety door, and exterior add-ons like mailboxes or shoe racks.

2. Personal property:
The best home insurance policy in India offers coverage for all your home appliances, furniture and fittings. Refrain from raising a claim for the destruction of commercial holdings since they are not covered by such plans.

In the backdrop of uncertainties, it is always ideal to have a security net that protects homeowners from the risk of vandalism and malicious mischief. If you are considering purchasing a house, ensure that you do due research to identify the best home insurance policy in India to safeguard your home and your finances!

Click HERE to invest in the best home insurance policy in India.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Detecting faults in your home's electric circuit can be simple if you know exactly where the fault is or which appliance has malfunctioned. Proper knowledge is the prerequisite to easily detecting faults in the home electrical circuit. It can be in any room, hallway, verandah, bathroom, bedroom, or kitchen.

The power supply may get disrupted in the entire house or only some portion of it. Safety is paramount when it comes to detecting faults in electric circuits. Even a small mistake can cause loss of life and massive property damage.

Are you someone trying to detect electrical faults for the first time? Let us understand how you can proceed with it conveniently.

1. Get the right gear:
The right equipment and tools are necessary before repairing a fault in your home's electric circuit. Get the right tools that ensure your safety while checking for the fault. Use a socket tester and voltage meter to check the running current.

2. Switch off the main power supply:
Make sure you switch off the main power supply of your house before trying to touch any open wire or faulty appliance. You can also remove the circuit fuse of the particular room or area where you plan the repair. Failure to do so can result in an electric shock.
If there was smoke or crackling noise from any wire or switchboard, wear rubber boots or slippers and rubber gloves before touching any wire or board. They will provide some electrical insulation if they are made of 100% pure rubber without any holes or tears.

3. Testing a faulty appliance:
If any of your appliances are not working, you should try to plug them into another socket to ensure it is working properly. If the appliance works there, you have a problem with the circuit of that particular room. If the appliance still does not work, it means that your house's electric circuit is okay and not at fault. You will have to get the appliance repaired from the electrician.

4. Checking the Fuse / MCB:
Our homes have fuses or MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers) for every room and separate portions of our house. To prevent overloading, there are separate MCBs for heavy appliances, such as an air-conditioner. When a circuit or appliance malfunctions, the fuse will break, or the MCB will trip automatically, which will shut down power to that circuit.
Whenever you face a power problem in any particular house area, you should first check the respective fuse/MCB. A faulty appliance can also result in tripping off an MCB or blowing a fuse. You can repair the fuse by fixing the live wire if the fuse is blown. If the MCB is down, you should switch it on again and check for the fault in that particular room or appliance. If the problem is still there, the MCB will trip or shut off again. In such instances, you should call a qualified electrician rather than fixing it yourself.

5. Faulty power line:
If all the MCBs are also fine and there is still no power in your entire house, the problem can be bigger from the main line or the transformer. Please do not try to rectify faults from the main line because of the high voltage running through them. Call a qualified technician who is capable of repairing such faults.

You do not have to run for a qualified technician whenever you have a minor electrical fault at your house. You can also detect and repair the fault if it is not that severe and manageable. However, you should be careful while checking or repairing faults in your home electric circuits.

Faulty electric circuits and malfunctions can result in fire and heavy loss at your house. Fret not! Home insurance provides you with safety and security from any such unfortunate events. It covers the house structure and its contents and assists in rebuilding the damaged property. Get complete peace of mind by opting for a good home insurance policy.

Click HERE to purchase a comprehensive home insurance policy.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

In recent times, technological advancements have been table-turners for corporates in the insurance industry. They aim to bring a noteworthy revolution to the conventional business management approach. The reorientation of the entire business using these futuristic technologies can be a great advantage in bridging the gap between service and convenience, which are major pain points for insurance providers.

Talking about the insurance sector, "efficient customer handling" is the need of the hour that demands the maximum technological support. If you think on a broader level, customer handling encompasses every aspect of the service provided by the insurers.

Customers are seeking higher expectations from their insurance providers to enjoy services conveniently. Insurance companies have been analysing and implementing every strategy placing customers as their top priority. With automation establishing itself diversely in every field, insurance industries are now ready to upgrade their business model to consolidate their position in the market and be more liable to their customers.

Moving into 2023, the insurance world will be riding this wave of technological advancement. It will be interesting to watch how technology-aided services help the insurance sector build a solid customer-centric approach.

Automation: Where imagination shapes into reality!

Who had imagined that getting tasks done automatically would be a practical thing? The introduction of automation is significantly impacting behind-the-scenes operations, making them more hassle-free. The involvement of automation technologies is a boon to the insurance industry that works as the brain behind all data handling tasks and achieves all desired objectives.

Companies can now supervise various processes and real-time monitoring and delivery of the services with the help of automation. This allows the organisations to lower their servicing costs, keep an eye on the operations and maintain transparency, which helps ensure faith and trust in their employees and customers.

There is a lot of sensitive information shared by the customers during their interactions with the insurers, be it purchasing, renewing, claims, etc. And this information needs to be carefully stored and safeguarded to avoid any data breach.

The technology like blockchain will help companies keep track of customers' vital information and help consistently revamp the data, along with developing robust and resilient networks to mitigate the risks of cyber-attacks and identity theft.

What other aspects of insurance are influenced by incorporating technology-aided services?

Technology-aided services enable insurance companies to track customer demands and preferences, current industry trends, and product innovation. Adopting artificial intelligence and similar technologies will help analyse a pattern and eventually create more applicable and prevalent algorithms, transforming how an insurance company handles its customers and curates an unmatched customer experience.

These technologies will humanise the process, thus increasing productivity and providing better touchpoints for the customers to interact with. There will be efficient data storage and analysis, thus helping the professionals gain insights from past interactions and offer reliable solutions to all problems to keep up with the frequent change in consumer demands and buying patterns.

A new era of storage and computation:

The businesses are future-ready and opportunistic about the evolution of cloud technology and believe that it will advent the massive shift of insurance companies and their infrastructure. This switch of all the core systems to the cloud will make it significantly more accessible for the insurance sector to launch new products and services. Once this transformation to the cloud completes, the large data sets will be easier to analyse and draw patterns.

Cloud technology aims to create an entirely different ecosystem that balances customers' expectations and insurance companies' aspirations.

The services are being reshaped with the involvement of automation and other prominent technologies. This global adoption in the insurance sector will help reform the life, health, asset management, and other fields of customer handling. Technology is the backbone of the insurance framework, from instant applications to faster claims and customised purchases to hassle-free settlements. These smart services will be a massive bonus for the customers to interact with their insurers, mention their grievances, and provide their feedback.

With the global advent of technology-aided insurance services, you need to be proactive to keep up with the pace of advancement and the changes in the expectations of the customers. The world of insurance is observing a digital shift, and you need to welcome it to see what it offers.

Buying a car in India is seen as more than just a mode of convenient travel. It is seen as an investment and a status symbol too. In such pursuits, people spend way more on their vehicles than they should.

However, considering the income disparity, uncertainty of economic activity, and rising costs in the current scenario, purchasing such high-value assets without security is not feasible. This makes car insurance a necessity.

Despite the benefits of car insurance, there are several things a policyholder has to consider while going through the buying process. It is essential to remember the policy period and renew it before it lapses. Read on to learn all about a car insurance lapse.

What is a policy lapse?

Car insurance is an annual mandatory policy as per the Motor Vehicles Act 1988. The policy document needs to be renewed within the date mentioned, after which it becomes due and expires—failing to renew it before its expiry is called the lapse of a car insurance policy.

Need to prevent lapse.

A policyholder cannot claim damages incurred after the policy has lapsed since it is no longer valid. Such expenses have to be borne by the policyholder himself. Hence, to protect yourself from getting into such a situation, it is essential to renew your insurance before it lapses.

Effects of a lapse.

Apart from bearing the entire cost of damages by oneself, several other problems arise from allowing your car insurance to lapse, including:

1. Vehicles with lapsed insurance policies must undergo the inspection process, which is rather tedious and time-consuming.

2. After your policy lapses, the premium amount on your policy may be revised and will likely be greater than the amount you were previously paying.

3. Fines and penalties are often inescapable while renewing a lapsed motor insurance policy.

4. If you are found to be driving a car without valid insurance, you may have to shell out a fine of up to INR 2000 as per the present rules in case of your first offence. For repeat offenders, the penalty amount increases, and you may be imprisoned for up to 3 months.

5. Since your insurance is no longer valid, you lose out on the accumulated amount of the No Claim Bonus.

Renewing car insurance after lapse.

Depending on the duration after the lapse, you can proceed with the steps stated below:

1. Within the grace period: Insurance companies usually offer a grace period of up to 90 days post-lapse. If you renew your policy within this period, you may avoid paying additional fees altogether or only have to pay a nominal amount.

2. Post-grace period lapse: If the grace period window has passed, immediately contact your insurer. While some may still allow renewal, be prepared to purchase a new policy if your insurer rejects your request to renew the policy.

3. Post-permanent lapse: If it has been a long while since the expiry of the policy, including the grace period, purchasing a new car insurance policy is the only route remaining. It is inevitable to undergo a car inspection for this process. Ensure you keep track of the policy duration and expiry to prevent making the same error again.

Keeping track of minute details can be challenging amid hectic schedules. Therefore, insurers do their part by sending electronic notifications through texts or emails to alert you about the upcoming renewal of your car insurance. While it is an aid you can benefit from, it is ideal to set self-reminders or set up automatic payments with your bank to stay on top of all things related to car insurance.

Using effective self-reminding mechanisms makes avoiding the consequences of a car insurance lapse easy. Ensure that you compare policies and keep track of periods each time you renew your policy.

Click HERE to buy the best car insurance in India.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.