GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Every individual who owns a car wants the best for their vehicle. However, wanting the best and understanding what's best for you are two different things. The two of these ideas coincide when a sensible car owner makes prudent choices regarding the car, including the purchase of private car insurance India, ensuring proper maintenance, and choosing appropriate accessories.

Since vehicles are a status symbol, maintaining their overall look becomes essential. Apart from its exteriors, the aesthetic of the interior cabin is just as important. When choosing the correct seat cover, most car owners need more clarification on fabric and leather seat covers.

This article offers you some tips on how to decide between fabric or leather seat covers, considering the functionality and benefits of both.

Evaluating their performance in hot weather.

Since cars are usually parked outdoors, the cabin is subjected to continuous changes in temperature, which should be kept in mind while choosing the right seats for your vehicle. This may not be your biggest concern if you have a covered space like a garage. Opt for fabric covers for all other cases, as leather seats tend to crack in the heat, ruining the plush look of your car. Fabric seat covers provide a cooler and more breathable option, especially if the fabric is made from moisture-wicking material.

Ultimately, the best seat cover option for hot weather will depend on your individual needs and preferences. If you prioritise comfort and breathability, a fabric seat cover may be your option. Leather may be the way to go if you want a stylish option.

You should also consider the following advantages of both seat covers.

Benefits of fabric seat covers –

1. Comfort:
For many reasons, fabric seat covers are more comfortable than their leather counterparts. Since fabric covers do not absorb heat, they keep the temperature cool inside the car.

2. Maintenance:
How much maintenance a fabric seat cover needs depends on the fabric's grade. A fabric seat cover isn't scratched as easily as leather and can be cleaned with top-quality wash material.

3. Variety of options:
Fabric seat covers come in various colours, textures, and patterns. Depending on your car’s colour and insides, you can choose the fabric seat cover that suits your requirements. Owners can choose the perfect car seat covers from dark to pastel colours.

4. Budget-friendly:
Unlike leather seat covers, fabric seat covers are more budget-friendly than the former. Maintaining a car is quite expensive for some car owners. If you are also one of them, fabric seat covers are the best option as they are readily available and do not burn a hole in your pocket.

Benefits of leather seat covers –

1. Hypo-allergenic:
Many people worldwide suffer from dust allergies. While it is not hazardous, some face severe consequences due to dust allergy. Leather seat covers are advantageous for people with allergies as leather does not accumulate dust mites or other allergens like fabric does.

2. Appearance:
There is no doubt that leather seat covers offer a specific look and radiate wealth and power, unlike fabric seat covers. Some people prefer the leather seat cover because it looks sleeker and more high-end than most fabric covers. While they are limited in colours, one cannot deny their elegant appearance and what they offer to the car interior.

3. Easy care and durability:
While fabric requires cleaning products, leather is easy to clean. It is durable and can last for many years if cared for properly. Unlike fabric, it does not require constant care but can quickly become a problem if a single crack comes on them.

Choosing a leather or fabric seat cover is entirely an owner's choice. Before selecting any seat cover, check its pros and cons carefully to avoid complications. Comfort and convenience must be the top priorities. We encourage you to apply the same approach while buying private car insurance India to find the best alternative.

Click HERE to buy private car insurance 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.

Health insurance consists of myriad terms and conditions that policyholders should read in detail at the time of health insurance policy renewal or purchasing. However, most of us usually do not pay heed to them and suffer at the time of settlement of the claim. An important clause involves sub-limits in a health insurance policy and the subsequent proportionate deduction.

Sub-limits in health insurance policies usually include capping or limiting the room rent during your hospitalisation. There are a variety of rooms available in any hospital, ranging from general wards to semi-private rooms and deluxe rooms. There is also a proportionate deduction clause associated with the sub-limit. Let us understand these terms in detail.

Sub-limits explained.

Sub-limits are limits or maximum percentage of the total sum insured that an insurance company will bear for the hospital expenses under various categories. Insurance companies usually use the maximum permissible room rent in the hospital as a benchmark for deciding the sub-limits.

For example, if your health insurance policy is Rs.5 lakhs and the permissible sub-limit for room rent is 1%, the insurance company will only bear 1% of Rs.5 lakhs or Rs.5000 per day for the rent of your room in the hospital. Any amount over it will have to be borne by you.

In this case, if your room rent is Rs.7000 per day, the excess amount of Rs.2000 over the sub-limit cap of Rs.5000 per day will have to be borne by you. Generally, the sub-limit on room rent ranges between 1%-2% of the total insured amount.

Proportionate deductible clause.

Insurance companies usually insert a proportionate deductible clause in health insurance policies. The companies calculate the excess room rent over the sub-limit allowed in percentage terms. They then deduct a proportional amount from all associated treatment costs, including surgery fees, tests, doctor consultation and visiting charges, ICU charges, etc. The insured has to bear them from his pocket.

Insurance companies use the following formula to calculate the proportionate deduction.

Excess room rent over the room rent limit/ Room rent limit as per the policy x 100
For example, suppose the room rent limit per the policy is Rs.5000 per day, and the actual room rent is Rs.7000 per day. Hence, proportionate deduction to be applied:
2000/5000 x 100 = 40%
In this case, if the doctor consultation fee is Rs.2000, the insurance company will deduct 40% of this amount, i.e., Rs.800, and will cover only Rs.1200. The remaining Rs.800 will have to be borne out of your pocket.

How to deal with the proportionate deductible clause?

You should always check whether the proportionate deductible clause applies to your health insurance policy when purchasing it. If applicable, you should adhere to the sub-limit cap and choose a room accordingly in the hospital, especially if your hospitalisation period exceeds 3-4 days. This will ensure that the insurance company cannot apply the proportionate deductible clause and will cover all expenses during the hospitalisation period.

If your policy includes a sub-limit capping, consider changing your insurer at the time of health insurance policy renewal to one without such a clause. We can also port our policy to some other company for this purpose.

A health insurance policy is fundamental in the present world because of our food habits and lifestyle. However, only some people know the concept of sub-limit capping and proportionate deductible clauses. This can burn a big hole in your pocket in a medical emergency.

Do not worry if your health insurance policy comes with these riders. Shift to another policy or company at the time of health insurance policy renewal. This will protect you while ensuring that the insurance company will bear all the hospital expenditures in case of hospitalisation.

Click HERE to purchase reliable health 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.

Car insurance services are evolving to serve their customers more efficiently and effectively. With the advancement of technology, car insurance has moved from paper-based to digital-based insurance offerings. One such evolution in car insurance is introducing pay-as-you-drive insurance.

If you've never heard of the term, here's all you need to know!

What is pay-as-you-drive insurance?

The pay-as-you-drive insurance model is a new car insurance policy recently introduced in India. It allows the policyholder to customise their car insurance and reduce the premium. The required third-party liability car insurance is included in the pay-as-you-drive insurance for the length of the policy. Apart from that, it provides comprehensive coverage based on the distance the car travels. Policyholders of pay-as-you-drive insurance pay the premium for the distance their car covers.

There is no need to worry about the authentication of pay-as-you-drive insurance, as the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved this insurance mode. Therefore, some car insurance companies in India offer and accept the pay-as-you-drive insurance model. This insurance is an excellent option for infrequent drivers. So, if you take out your car occasionally, this insurance is an advantage for you!

How does pay-as-you-drive car insurance work?

As mentioned above, pay-as-you-drive is new in India, and only some people are aware of the rules and regulations of this insurance policy. To make things easier, we have mentioned some essential points for a better understanding.

1. Research a little about the insurance company:
Only some insurance companies are offering the pay-as-you-drive insurance mode. Thus, it is essential to look for genuine sellers. Conduct basic online research about those who offer this plan. Once you've found a genuine insurer, you'll need this feature to move forward with the insurance policy along with
● Recent odometer reading and other essential car details
● Consent form
● Necessary KYC details
● Driving licence
Besides these, provide other documents requested by the insurance company.

2. Deciding the kilometres:
Unlike other types of car insurance, the premium for a pay-as-you-drive policy is determined by the number of kilometres driven by your car. While choosing the policy, you must make an informed decision on how far you wish to drive your vehicle since you'll have to pay the insurance premium according to the distance your car covers. Be sure to check and read all the terms and conditions before finalising.

3. Installation of the telematics device:
As your insurance company may have told you, you may need to put a telematics device in your vehicle. The telematics devices help record the kilometres driven by your car. You can easily install the application on your smartphone and keep a record of how much total distance you have covered.
The insurance company can also use this application to remind you about the exhaustion of the chosen kilometre slab. They can also inform you about easy top-up and renewal notifications.
In addition to tracking how far a car has gone, the device provides information about average speed, how the brakes are used, etc. With all this information, the premium is calculated by analysing the collected data.

Initially, purchasing such a new insurance policy may seem risky. Over time, you'll realise that it is an excellent way to protect your car if you're an infrequent driver. Research more about the pay-as-you-drive insurance policy and consider purchasing the policy from the best car insurance company in India to ensure complete protection for your car.

Click HERE to buy car insurance to safeguard your car from mishaps.

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.

The number of vehicles on Indian roads is witnessing an ever-increasing trend. This graph simultaneously shows a sharp rise in online motor insurance policyholders. This is primarily due to the increase in the disposable incomes of families and the changing lifestyle. However, this has also resulted in a drastic increase in road accidents and road rage cases.

It is the need of the hour to promote safe driving on the roads so that people feel protected while using the streets. Providing various incentives for policyholders by online motor insurance companies may encourage safe driving on the roads. Let us see how.

1. Telematics:
Driver telematics is gaining popularity and is an important tool to study and alter irresponsible driver behaviour on the roads. It can also be used as a data analysis tool to provide insights into driving behaviour and reward or penalise a driver.
Telematics in insurance can be app-based or black-box based. It can be useful in tracking driver behaviour, speed, acceleration style, clutch use, braking pattern, etc. Motor insurers can develop a point-based system and reward safe driving on roads with positive points. This means you will be rewarded with positive points if you maintain a good average speed, do not jump traffic signals, and are not involved in any accidents.
On the other hand, you can be penalised by providing negative points if you overspeed, jump traffic signals, or indulge in rash driving and accidents.
The drivers with positive points at the end of the insurance term get a discount on their renewal premium as an incentive. Drivers with net negative points at the end of the year will be charged a higher premium as a punishment. This can provide drivers, especially beginners, a great incentive to drive safely and responsibly to lower their premiums.

2. No-claim Bonus:
Most online motor insurance companies already provide a no-claim bonus or NCB to incentivise safe driving under a comprehensive car insurance policy. You get discounts of up to 50% of the insurance premium at the time of renewal if you have yet to make any claim throughout the year.
NCB is a great incentive for policyholders to encourage safe driving on roads. It encourages driving responsibly and safely, thereby preventing accidents. NCB ranges from a 20% discount in the first year of renewal to 50% for the fifth or higher claim-free year.

3. Damages and dents:
Motor insurance companies can provide incentives such as discounts on renewal premiums to the drivers to keep their cars free from scratches, external damages, and dents. They can check for such external damages during insurance renewal and reward the customers with minimal or nil external damage. This will motivate the drivers to drive safely on the roads so that they do not engage in any collision or accident with other vehicles or property.

Providing incentives for policyholders to encourage safe driving on the roads is paramount and the need of the hour. The number of accidents and loss of lives and property due to them will decrease significantly. Moreover, this will benefit online motor insurance companies, as safe driving will mean fewer claims resulting in higher profits.

Online motor insurance companies highlight the incentives they plan to provide on their websites and all the portals providing online motor insurance services. Potential policy buyers should go through these incentives and policy details to choose the best online motor insurance policy. Irrespective of the incentives and benefits, drivers must always have the mindset of safe driving.

Click HERE to buy online motor 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.