GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Road accidents can be dangerous, not just physically but mentally as well. The trauma of post-accident can be devastating and scare a person for life. Since an accident can involve a lot of gore, and even casualties, sensitive and weak-hearted people can take years to get over post-accident trauma.

Witnessing or even hearing of a road accident involving the loss of life or even injury to a close one is a disturbing experience. One can be too scared to drive again and may develop a phobia of sitting at the wheel. Vehophobia is the fear of driving that can take place after a road accident. It can significantly affect a person mentally and physically.

Knowing the effects on your life and vehicle, you should always buy motor insurance online to avoid problems later. While such measures are modern introductions, you can now seek help to overcome your fear of driving after an accident. You must take baby steps toward recovery and gradually return to the steering wheel.

This article will help you do that at the earliest with the following steps to overcome fears to drive again confidently.

1. Therapy:
Psychotherapy can help you a lot if you are dealing with accident trauma. Accident trauma can manifest itself as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It can prevent you from driving again. Your therapist can help you get to the root of your problems. They will also use coping mechanisms to help you drive again. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is the most effective tool to help with your recovery. It can help you move past your trauma and anxiety.

2. Be a passenger:
To help you get used to driving again, start as a passenger first. You must get in a vehicle first. It will help you adapt to the look and feel of a moving car again. Ask a trusted friend or family member to take you along for a ride. You can also play some music to keep the ambiance lively and help keep your mind away from negative emotions.

3. Don't drive solo:
Do not go solo as soon as you think you are ready to return to the wheel again. Start diligently from a quiet area with no traffic. You can start in a parking lot or open ground before getting ready for the road again. You should also ask a trusted friend to accompany you at all times. If anything goes wrong, they can take charge.

4. Employ a driving instructor:
A driving instructor can do wonders in a situation like this. They not only teach you to drive but also help you get over your fears. The instructors will help you take the much-needed baby steps in overcoming your fear of driving. They can also help you with defensive and more careful driving tactics. By this, you can avoid accidents in the future.

5. Be kind to yourself:
The whole process of recovery can be frustrating. You will feel like giving up many times, but you must fight the urge to do so. As recovery is a long process, you should be kind to yourself. Let yourself heal at your own pace.

You need to remember these things before returning to the road after an accident. Recovering from a road accident is difficult but not impossible. Give yourself ample time to heal and grow out of it. During this chaotic time, you can stay financially secure. Buy motor insurance online to protect your vehicle from unexpected expenses due to damages.

Click HERE to buy motor insurance online.

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.

Bikes are nothing short of an adventure on two wheels. While they have always been highly preferred in the Indian market due to their convenience, relative inexpensiveness, and ease of learning and riding, bikes are also doubling as a means of thrill providers over the last few decades.

With the varied topographical diversity in India, adrenalin seekers that enjoy motorbiking have found new joy in off-roading. While taking your bike on the road not commonly taken may give you momentary exhilaration, keeping your safety in mind before taking on such adventures is essential. Purchase a bike insurance policy that covers accidents resulting from such extreme sports.

Before getting started on your off-roading journey, consider purchasing these add-on covers to your bike insurance –

1. Engine protection:
The bike's engine is quite literally the heart of the machine. Ensuring it is in excellent condition is essential, especially when taking on challenging terrains. Since off-roading involves steep and rocky inclines, it puts tremendous pressure on your bike's engine. This makes it more likely to break down and leads to high engine repair costs. This add-on provides coverage for all expenses allied with engine repairs and maintenance.

2. Zero depreciation:
Wear and tear is a natural occurrence, and your bike is no exception. Usually, in case of raising a claim, the insurance company only admits a partial amount of the insured sum after factoring in the depreciation costs of the bike parts. However, buying a zero-depreciation cover can help you receive a higher claim amount than in the absence of such cover, making it easier to finance the cost of replacing bike components.

3. Theft of personal belongings:
Unlike regular riding, dirt biking requires special equipment that enhances the rider's safety. Such personal belongings are often expensive and require additional care to maintain. In case your riding gear gets stolen, a personal possessions cover can help you recover the insured sum or the cost of the stolen assets, providing peace of mind and financial security.

4. Roadside assistance:
Breakdowns may be frequent, even for regular bikes used for standard conveyance purposes on paved roads. Harsher terrains inevitably lead to greater chances of bike breakdowns due to multiple uncontrollable factors and mechanical failures. In such emergencies, it is necessary to have a backup plan to rely on. A roadside assistance cover provides reassurance of help in unforeseen conditions, making it a key requirement to purchase.

5. Outstation emergency cover:
The outstation emergency cover is necessary for off-road biking enthusiasts who enjoy long-distance biking adventures away from their residences. Generally, most bike insurance companies state the scope of coverage to be outside a 100-kilometre radius from the place of residence stated in the policy papers.

Can you buy specific bike insurance for your dirt biking adventures?

If you are a beginner to the sport, you may think of purchasing the above-stated add-on covers as a hassle and wonder why not buy an all-inclusive dirt biking insurance policy to protect your bike. Whether you intend to use a regular motorcycle for adventure sports or own a dirt bike, most insurance companies in India do not offer specific off-roading bike insurance. However, you may get comprehensive bike insurance that provides extensive coverage for your bike.

As the activity gains popularity, we expect the Indian insurance industry to adapt to the changing demand and provide suitable security cover for adventure activity. Until then, if you wish to take on the thrilling activity, we urge you to purchase the requisite add-on covers to make your bike insurance policy's coverage comprehensive for your needs.

Click HERE to buy bike insurance.

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.

If you don't drive often, you could believe you don't need the competence to change a tyre and may leave it to the mechanic. However, the "flat tyre" problem can happen to anyone at any moment, whether you're driving your car around the block or through highways. The process of changing a tyre is more straightforward than you may imagine. It is better to fix the flat tyre issue immediately before it results in an accident.

Also, remember another best practice to follow is to buy new car insurance. This will provide a considerable financial benefit if your vehicle meets with an accident and causes loss or damage to any third party's property.

Here are some of the most frequent problems encountered while changing a tyre are listed below.

1. Shifting while on an incline:
Get to level ground before pulling the jack out of the car and changing the tyre. If you try to replace the tyre while on a slope, the car can slide off the jack. Before you jack up the car and steady it, set the emergency brake. To prevent rolling, put wheel wedges in front or behind the tyres.

2. Lacking the required tools:
Most individuals don't examine the vehicle jack kit when they acquire a car and undermine the importance of a complete kit. Ensure you check the jack kit thoroughly before driving.

3. Having passengers in the car:
Consider the situation when you have to repair a flat tyre quickly, and you have located a suitable location to do it. Before the tyre-changing procedure begins, ensure all passengers, including pets, exit the car. This can help change the tyres easily as you remove obstructive weight from the vehicle.

4. Stuck alloy wheel rims:
Even seasoned drivers can get caught off guard by this one. Due to rust, alloy wheel rims that haven't been removed for a while may end up attached to the hub immediately behind where the tyre is located. You might need a hammer in the car, which you can use to hit the centre of the wheel covering the tyre. However, it is recommended to take the help of a professional mechanic.

5. Incorrect use of jacking points:
Every car has a few places on the underside that are intended to be used with a jack. Neglecting this part of a flat tyre replacement could cause damage to the automobile or cause it to fall off the jack. The owner's manual for your particular car model will include the proper jacking points. Always use those points to secure the jack.

6. Forgetting about your spare tyre:
Some vehicle owners heed it. An easy maintenance task is to check the spare tyre's condition every few months. If you need to put the spare tyre, do ensure that it is adequately filled and in good condition. If it's flat, weak, rotten, or fractured, it is of no help.

7. Impossible to unscrew wheel nuts or studs:
Even people with well-developed biceps may struggle with this. It might be relatively easy to manually free wheel nuts if they were excessively tight the last time you visited the workshop. Additionally, overtightening has the potential to harm threads permanently.

A flat tyre is a common occurrence that causes stress levels to soar. Take a deep breath and ensure you exit the road safely to prevent the risk of accidents. While there is no way to avoid a flat tyre, you can prepare for such situations by knowing basic car know-how. We also urge you to buy new car insurance since it covers the costs of an accident and financially protects your vehicle against the damages.

Click HERE to buy new car 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.

Insurance is a financial product like no other. Upon payment of a meagre premium amount, it protects the insured person or asset against a contingent event involving a risk to its present or future value. While general, health and life insurance are relatively common products with a higher penetration rate in India, personal accident insurance online lags far behind.

While this may be attributed to the lack of awareness, it is straightforward why the product is required. Accidents are uncertainties that can occur in any setting, whether travelling, commuting, or at work. Since you cannot eliminate the risk of accidents, purchasing personal accident insurance online is essential to protect yourself against hospitalisation costs and other expenses resulting from an accident.

The limited awareness regarding personal accident insurance is also only partially reliable due to the misconceptions surrounding the product. While its coverage to the extent of travel accidents is commonly known, there are several questions surrounding its scope of coverage for adventure sports.

Find out whether adventure sports are covered by personal accident insurance online.

Defining adventure sports.

Adventure sports are easy to define in lay terms but are described differently by every insurer. It includes sports that involve contact, extreme speed, technical gear, and extremely high levels of risk. As the name states, these sports have a considerably high-risk grade, making most insurers hesitant to cover them. Common extreme sports include skydiving, skiing, rappelling, mountaineering, etc.

Generally, irrespective of the type of insurance- general or non-general, most insurers do not offer coverage for adventure sports due to the intensity of the activities.

Why should you check for adventure sports inclusion before participating?

The thrill of adventure is second to none, and the addition of multiple uncontrollable factors only adds to the experience for those who seek an adrenaline rush. However, one must always ensure to protect themself from potential accidents before participating in such sports for the following reasons –

1. Hospitalisation coverage:
With medical inflation on the rise, covering any possible medical expenses, including those arising from adventure sports, is prudent. Considering the high-risk profile of these sports, it is always better to be ready for the worst and prepare a financial net that shoulders the burden of such costs.

2. Allied perks:
Personal accident insurance online offers related allowances such as a daily cash allowance, transportation, and more. This reduces the strain on your finances during your period of hospitalisation or any inactivity as an earning member.

3. Mental peace:
The most significant benefit of inclusion is the peace of mind to engage in activities of your choice. You don’t have to worry about the consequences due to the existence of a safety net for your finances.

Does personal accident insurance online cover extreme sports?

At face value, one may assume that personal accident insurance online would offer extreme sports coverage. Most insurers in India presently do not include accidents caused while engaging in such sports within the scope of the policy.

However, if you want coverage against such risks, some insurance companies offer comprehensive accidental coverage across all terrains and destinations. It may take additional effort to discover such insurers amid all those that exclude such accidents. Here are a few factors you should consider before purchasing a policy from such a provider:
1. The extent of sports covered- land, air, water, etc.
2. Provision of immediate medical assistance
3. Customisation of a plan as per your adventure needs
4. Active policy period

Despite the exclusion of extreme sports by most insurers, personal accident insurance online is an essential requirement that provides financial assistance when you are only partially covered by your term or health insurance policy alone. We encourage you to consider purchasing personal accident insurance online to cover the other form of accidents and your risk exposure.

Click HERE to buy personal accident insurance online.

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.