GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

What do you think personal accident insurance is? A policy that will take care of your monetary needs if you ever get into an accident or a tool with economic benefit?

Here’s the answer: A personal accident policy is a tool that serves you beyond economic gains. It insures you against death and / or different disabilities, in case of an accident.

In layman’s term, a personal accident insurance policy is a safeguard against any expenses or losses that may incur due to an accident. These expenses can be of the victim or the compensation given to the third party for the losses incurred due to the accident.

Sound important, right? Now that you understand its significance, we’re sure you would want to understand more about how this tool works for you and its benefits. Let’s get started!

What are the types of Personal Accident Policy?

There are two main categories of accidental insurance policy:

a. Individual accident insurance: This policy covers the insurer under circumstances like loss of limbs, vision, or accidental demise of an individual due to accident.

b. Group accident insurance: Group accident insurance is the plan normally offered by organizations to their employees. These insurance claims have limited features and are very basic in nature.

What coverage do you get under this policy?

ccidental Death: A The total sum assured goes to the name of the nominee, in case of accidental death of the policyholder.

Permanent Disability: In case of a permanent disability caused by an accident, the policyholder is entitled to receive a pre-agreed amount.

Permanent Partial Disability: If the accident causes either partial or permanent damage to the insured, the policyholder is entitled to receive 100% benefit of the sum assured.

Temporary Total Disability: If the policyholder meets an accident that causes them to be bedridden for a short span, a pre-agreed amount will be paid to the policyholder.

How does a personal life insurance policy work?

When you buy an accident insurance policy, you will be informed of the procedural aspects of how the claim is to be made for the policy whenever any accident or mishap happens. The procedure explained below is the basic procedure of making claims. There are going to be certain discrepancies in each of the companies’ claim processes. They are not universal.

1. Right after any mishap occurs the first thing you need to do is inform your insurance provider’s customer service. You need to give them the necessary details of the accident.

2. The next thing that will take place is that they will ask for your insurance documents; any family member of yours can provide them. After verifying the documents, the company will immediately carry out an initial inquiry about the accident.

3. They will ask for your claim form after their preliminary inquiry.

4. The rest of the documents like identification, disability certificate (in case of any), next of kin details, etc., are to be submitted to the agent handling your claim.

5. The primary inquiry and scrutiny about the accident are done at this stage. After completing all the paper formalities, the agent conducts a detailed investigation regarding the accident.

6. The final decision of the claim depends on the previous step.

Benefits of personal accident insurance policy-

1. Monetary- Kind of obvious! The major benefit of a personal accident insurance Personal Accident Insurance policy is in monetary terms. This policy covers your hospital expenses to third-party damages. Other perks of having a personal accident insurance policy are disability compensation, vehicle modification, and even family transportation! This is just basic. Truly speaking you cannot even imagine the advantages best personal accident policy in India provides.

2. Psychological- When the personal accident insurance policy covers your huge hospital bills, you are tension-free. Accept it or not! You are relieved at some level, at least psychologically. The perks in monetary terms directly affect the psychological state of the victim and his family.

Final Words

Remember, Insurance policies are not just any decision in your life. It is the decision that will have a huge impact on your as well as your family’s future. Make sure that you choose the option of the best personal accident policy in India. All the best!

Health insurance policies provide financial coverage for most of the medical expenses that an insurance holder generates while the policy is in effect. One should always invest in health insurance to get subsidized medical care in times of need or health emergencies.

What to Expect From This Article

Everything you need to know about health insurance in India and policy renewal. Nowadays, renewal happens online. You can now buy a new policy and renew it through the company website. You can also use the internet to get price quotes from different companies and compare which policy offers the maximum value for money. You can compare the features, the sum assured and a host of other benefits provided to choose the policy that fits your criteria and budget the best.

Being Responsible

Most health-related expenses are unexpected, and therefore, it is crucial to have a financial cover during such adverse time. A health insurance policy is supposed to be renewed periodically for it to be functional. The renewal period is mostly a year.

Characteristics of a Good Health Insurance Policy

Adequate health insurance ideally covers all possible medical expenses. Health insurance comes in various versions. Depending upon what kind of policy you have, you can avail different types of medical costs ranging from surgeries to post-hospitalization care.

Interestingly, some companies also allow policyholders to add other options to customize the policy and make it even better suited to their needs.

Things to keep in mind while renewing your policy

Health insurance in India has an annual renewal period. Following are the five most important things to keep in mind while periodically renewing your health insurance policy:

1. Re-examining the health insurance requirements

2. Scrutinizing for any changes in the health insurance policy and its terms and conditions

3. Changing the insurance provider (if required) under the portability clause

4. Mentioning any new illnesses or allergies

5. Checking to see if a top-up plan is required

Let us now look at these requirements in detail:

• Re-examining the health insurance requirements

While renewing your health insurance policy, you must review the requirements to see if anything has changed. You should repeat the reviewing process for yourself and your family and make sure to stay on top of everything. This is necessary in the case of expanding families (childbirth) or the addition of a disease. This process also becomes necessary when you are changing jobs since a change in jobs entails a change in health insurance coverage.

• Scrutinizing for any changes in the health insurance policy and its terms and conditions:

Many changes could come about in the company policy and standard terms and conditions within a year. The policyholders are usually made aware of these changes through notices. It is necessary, therefore, to read all the notices before policy renewal.

• Changing the insurance provider (if required) under the portability clause:

If you feel dissatisfied with your current policy providers, you could always change your service provider under the Insurance Regulator and Development Authority (IRDA) provisions. This clause ensures a seamless shift to another insurance provider should you require it.

It is a useful clause since the process of changing occurs without losing any benefits. However, it is important to keep in mind that this change can only occur during the period of renewal. Further, it requires a 45-day notice to be reviewed by your existing insurance provider, to effectively make the changes.

• Mentioning any new illnesses or allergies:

Make sure you disclose all illness-related details at the time of renewal, to get appropriate medical claims.

• Checking to see if a top-up plan is required:

This move takes into account future health-based needs.

Conclusion

While your Health Insurance, policy has you covered over medical expenses, don’t forget to keep up with an active lifestyle. Remember, your insurance policy is just a tool to cover your costs in a critical situation but preventing such situation itself depends completely on how much you care about your health.

Accidents are uncertain and can come uninvited, leaving behind an inevitable financial loss. Thanks to tools like car insurance, it becomes easier for us to safeguard our vehicle from such unforeseen circumstances. Car insurance covers repairs, damages, third-party liabilities, and other kinds of coverages related to your vehicles.

While multiple car insurance companies in the market will promise you premium services, you need to understand the factors that weigh-in for an ideal product. Yes, numerous companies offer multiple benefits; but not all services might be useful for your car. Further, availing of such benefits could cost you extra premium. Therefore, you must understand the factors that need to be weighed before buying a private car insurance in India.

Following are some of those factors:

1. Type of cover:

There are mainly two types of car insurance namely comprehensive plans and third-party insurance. In comprehensive plans, both, the insured vehicles’ damages, repairs, or anything else that may arise due to any unforeseen circumstances and also the third party liabilities will be covered. In third-party insurance, only the third-party liabilities and damages will be covered. Thus, a comprehensive plan for private car insurance in India attracts more insurance premium as compared to third-party insurance.

2. Safety features present in your vehicle:

What the insurers look for is the safety mechanism installed in your car. Safety equipment like air-bag, GPS, alarms, central lock, etc. If you have installed a suitable safety mechanism, your premium rates will be less and vice versa. The rationale behind this is that the insurers believe the safer the car, the lesser the chances of mishap. A good safety toolkit installed will be greatly beneficial for you in terms of buying an insurance plan.

3. Geographical orientation:

The kind of terrain you reside in has a major impact on your premium. If you live in risky terrain where there are more chances of accidents, your premium will be high because of the attached risk and lower in case of lower risk.

4. Type of powertrain:

If your car has a diesel engine, then the premium will be high because of the higher prices of diesel vehicles. The factor of Insured Declared Value comes into play here. It means the pricing of your car in the market during the purchase of your car. You will notice that the premium segment cars have higher premiums than their less luxurious counterparts, which might be due to the same principle.

5. Deductibles and Limits:

Your policy’s limit is the maximum amount paid towards the covered loss against your premium amount. Typically, individual coverage has its own limit, allowing you to customize it according to your needs. Further, the more coverage you opt, the more premium you pay.

6. Your Profession:

Interestingly, your profession also has a part to play in your insurance premium. If you are involved in a profession that requires regular usage of your vehicle, chances are that you will have to pay a higher premium. The reason being that here the vehicle depreciates at a faster rate when compared to the other cars covered under a policy.

Final Words

It doesn’t matter whether you Buy Car Insurance Online or offline. What matters is that you look into these factors before purchasing it. Remember, the factors mentioned above are some primary reasons that affect your premium. There can be other numerous factors and not all of them can be estimated. Thus, it is always in your favor to buy insurance only after comparing the benefits from a host of insurers available in the market.

Introduction

Do you own a two-wheeler? Do you use it frequently? Do you commute every day to get to work using your two-wheeler? If yes, then this article is meant specifically for you. Keeping in mind the rise in the rate of road accidents, the Indian government has introduced a clause in the motor vehicle act that necessitates third-party motor insurance for every two-wheeler owner.

Implementation of the Motor Vehicle Act

This is a welcome step in the right direction. Its implementation, however, is dismal. According to studies conducted by various insurance organizations, 60 percent of two-wheelers in India are not insured. It means that 60 percent of Indian two-wheeler owners face substantial financial risk, every time they use their vehicle.

Supreme Court Mandate

The Supreme Court has also made it mandatory for the two-wheeler owners to have a 5-year insurance plan for new vehicles. The existing owners, however, should also get their vehicles insured, given the immense risk. Two-wheeler insurance in India

 is a service that provides several benefits to policyholders. Some of the benefits will be explained in the course of this article. The Supreme Court’s mandate only states a 5-year plan. We advise you to invest in long-term two-wheeler insurance so that you receive the maximum benefits while minimizing financial risk.

The Need for a Long Term Vehicle Insurance

Since insurance for new two-wheelers has become mandatory, people have started to buy yearly plans just for the sake of avoiding hefty fines by the traffic police. They usually forget about it after the policy period’s termination and do not renew it, owing to the immense paperwork.

In such cases, if your vehicle sustains severe damages, there will be no help from your insurance company. Long-term insurance, in this case, would’ve had less paperwork, same premium, and would provide damage cover. Two Wheeler Insurance in India is fairly new. It is important, therefore, to understand how a basic two-wheeler insurance policy works.

Types of Two-Wheeler Insurance Policies

Most two-wheeler insurance policies are of two types, namely:

● Third-party insurance also known as liability-only policy

● The comprehensive two-wheeler insurance plan also known as package policy

Third-party insurance or a liability-only policy covers costs in case of a liability to the third party’s property or life. It covers cases of death or injuries but damages to the vehicle are not covered. In a comprehensive two-wheeler insurance plan, vehicular damage and liability to the body and life of the third party are also covered.

Benefits of Long Term Two Wheeler Vehicle Insurance

• Savings on premiums
• No policy renewal
• No early policy expiration
• Accumulation of the No Claim Bonus (NCB)
• No hassle of Break-in policies
• Option of policy termination at any time

Let us look at some of these benefits in detail:

• Savings on premiums: The IRDAI regulates long-term third-party two-wheeler insurance premium rates. The insurance premiums are capped at a fixed rate if the plan purchased is a long-term plan. A regulated premium rate means spending less on insurance along with maximum benefits. Great, isn’t it!
• No policy renewal: Insurance renewal happens annually. It is required for the policy to be valid. Most people find it inconvenient and let their policies lapse due to this. In case of a long-term plan, online modes of renewal are hassle-free, quick, and can be completed within minutes. Moreover, long-term insurance only has one-time paperwork, and you do not have to continually think about the tedious renewal process.
• No early policy expiration: A long-term policy, as the name indicates, remains in force for several years and does not expire early. So, even if you have forgotten about it, the chances are that it is still pretty much valid and functioning. It also saves you from committing an offense (riding without valid insurance is a punishable offense).
• Accumulation of the No Claim Bonus (NCB): NCB accumulation enables you to get discounted rates on premiums if you haven’t filed any claims in the past year.

Conclusion

Different types of insurance policies serve you differently. However, when you opt for long term insurance policies, you are at a better chance of receiving a lump sum discount and several other added benefits, when compared to short-term policies. Select wisely!

Why do you need comprehensive motor insurance even after having third-party insurance cover? What is the significance of having motor insurance from a motor insurance company in India? You might be wondering about the facilities being provided by an insurance company. Yes, there will be a variety of more such questions around comprehensive policy in your mind. Well, this piece is your one-stop solution to all those questions. Let’s get started.

What is a Comprehensive Policy?

A comprehensive motor insurance policy assists the insured person in case of accident or any third-party damage. It handles all the damage done to the vehicle due to an accident. However, you will have to renew the insurance policy timely to ensure the vehicle’s security. A motor insurance company in India provides full assistance to the insured person and the third-party.

To assure that your vehicle is risk-free and would get enough repairing facilities, India’s motor insurance companies offers various deals. Motor insurance would keep your vehicle secured and help you repair the damage in case of an accident, if you purchase one.

Now, let’s have a look at all the Primary Services that a motor insurance company in India has to offer:

• Damage caused by an accident.
• In case of theft or burglary, the insurance company will help you out. It will provide all possible instructions to minimize the loss and get back the asset.
• If your car gets damaged due to any fire accident, explosion, or self-ignition, the insurance company will help you repair the damaged car.
• Suppose someone attacks your vehicle or you come across any terrorist activity due to which your vehicle gets damaged. In that case, the insurance company will help you get the car repaired.
• The insurance company compensates any damage caused due to a natural calamity.
• If you get injured in an accident and need medical assistance, the insurance company will cover the medical costs but for an extra premium.
• Any third-party damage and injury are also covered in a motor insurance policy. Thus, any damage to a third-party is also compensated by the insurance company.

Benefits of Owning a Comprehensive Motor Insurance Policy:

• You’ll be entitled to a no-claim bonus: Get a no-claim bonus at the end of the year if you don't claim any insurance within the year. It is a reward to the clients for driving safely and responsibly and avoiding an accident. The bonus amount is deducted from the renewal fee that clients need to pay each year.
• Discounts become easy: You can obtain discounts on the comprehensive Car Insurance price if you own a motor insurance policy.
• Get it online: You can easily apply and buy a motor insurance policy online. This makes insurance available and accessible for all.
• You can go cashless and claim a cashless service: This makes the entire procedure smoother for the clients. You can claim insurance from anywhere at any time.
• Receive your claims over a few steps: Policy documentation is super-fast and convenient in the era of digital media. You can process all the information and documents in less time with less efforts. The systems are now updated and user-friendly to make motor insurance available for all.
• Real-time customer support: The best thing about the insurance by a motor insurance company in India
   is that it offers 24x7 support to the clients. Since an accident can happen anytime, anywhere, companies remain available round the clock for the clients.

Conclusion

Remember, almost all the losses are covered under a motor insurance policy. These services are very crucial when you face an accident. All these facilities come under motor insurance. It is therefore evident how vital motor insurance is for vehicle owners to secure their assets during a mishap.

Bikes are the most popular modes of transport on local roads. It is the best option for daily commuting to your workplace. Owning a two-wheeler comes with its own set of responsibilities. Two-wheelers are susceptible to high risks, which could sometimes be fatal. So, having two-wheeler insurance should be your priority after getting a bike.

It is necessary for you to get the right insurance for your bike to get instant claims and avoid hefty premiums. Factors such as mileage, price, and bike design contribute to what the premium amount of your insurance would be. The appropriate insurance for your bike is the one that is comprehensive and has a few add-on coverages to compensate for any unavoidable future situations.

Tips to Choose the Right Two-Wheeler Insurance:

1. Go for a Reputed Insurance Provider:

Choosing a well-known and trustworthy insurance company is the key to have a stress-free future. First, you need to make a list of the top-most insurance providers. After which, you need to research thoroughly and find the claim settlement ratios for each insurance company. You must also find out about each of the provider’s claim settlement processes. Finally, based on your research, you can choose the insurance provider with a record of smooth and easy claim settlements.

2. Coverage Requirement:

Usually, third-party coverage is enough for a decently-priced bike. But if you have got a high end model, you can also go for comprehensive coverage. All you need to know is about your requirements and the liabilities you have. You should also know how much you are willing to pay for the premium amount. Based on your preferences, you can choose the right amount of coverage.

3. Premium Amount:

As you might have found out by now, your insurance premium depends on several factors such as mileage, price, and design. The engine capacity of your bike also influences the premium amount. The premium amount is always high for those two-wheelers with a higher cubic capacity than those with a comparatively low one.

4. Know about Insured Declared Value (IDV):

IDV is simply known as the current market value of a given vehicle. It is the maximum amount of sum insured fixed when purchasing an insurance policy and the possible amount to be paid in case of complete loss of vehicle or theft. As depreciation increases with age, the value of IDV decreases. As a result, the premium amount will also begin to decrease every year. You must understand all the factors involved in IDV very well, as IDV decides the premium of your bike insurance.

5. Benefits of No-Claim Bonus (NCB):

You can Buy Two Wheeler Insurance Online after comparing the insurers and the benefits provided by them thoroughly. NCB is known as the discount made on your premium amount if you have not made a single claim during a year. It is almost like a reward for two-wheeler owners for maintaining safety on the road. These discounts can help you spend a lot less on your coverage than was previously expected.

6. Compare Insurance Companies Online:

Nowadays, you can apply for two-wheeler insurance sitting at the comfort of your home. To buy two wheeler insurance online, all you need to do is to look at the list of insurance providers available in your country. You can compare a policy based on the premium amount, inclusions, exclusions, and the number of coverages provided. Lastly, choose a policy that ticks all your criteria and is the most appropriate coverage for your bike.

Conclusion

No matter how much we plan, we are never ready for any uncertainties that life brings. So, it is better to have precautions in place rather than finding a cure later. There is always some risk involved while riding a bike. Thus, getting your bike insured will help you conserve your savings during uncertainties.

Do you know the most significant factor that drives insurance purchases in India? It is not the services or the goodwill of the service provider but it is the affordability. Affordability matters to the customers in every type of insurances, be it life, personal accident, or as a matter of fact; car insurance. Whether you buy car insurance online or offline, you will always look at affordability

Important factors that affects affordability of the insurance policy:

1. Segment of the car: The segment of your car that you are insuring plays a crucial role in deciding whether the premium will be cheap or expensive. An expensive car is ought to attract costly premiums.

2.Facilities: The number of services you are trying to acquire in the insurance also directly affects the premium. You need to identify what services are highly crucial for you and then take an insurance plan accordingly.

3.Insured Declared Value: The IDV needs to be paid attention to before going for an issuance. The manufacturer’s price minus the depreciation is your IDV. It directly affects your insurance affordability as well.

4.Customization of plans: When you buy car insurance online or offline, there is an option for you to customize your plan. You can customize the services as per your requirements and needs. This mainly affects the plan’s pricing scheme; if you add more services to your plan, then it is obvious that your premium will increase. This directly changes the factor of affordability.

5.No claim bonus also affects affordability: You can receive the no-claim bonus in the next year only if you don’t claim in the current year. Sometimes what happens is that we tend to claim small amounts for our car repairs that lead to lapse of no claim bonus. The main losing factor here is that you lose the significant advantage of NCB in the long term for the petty short term expenses. NCB also affects the resale value of your car because it ultimately depicts the condition of your car.

6.Claim frequency: When providing you with the renewal premium of your car policy, the insurers look at the number of claims made. If the number of claims made is high, the premium amount is going to be high as well. They think that you tend to make claims even for very small repairs. This indirectly affects your affordability.

Wrapping up:

There can never be a fixed list of factors that will affect your plan’s affordability when it comes to insurance. But, you don’t have to worry as good companies will make your task simpler. However, all you need to clearly know is your requirement.

Here’s some highlights to add value to the piece:

● Try insuring your car with the same company that manages your other insurances. This way, you will be entitled to receive a discount.

● If you have more than one car, go for insuring them together as it will unlock bulk

car insurance

at discounted rates.

● Ultimately, drive safely and responsibly!

COVID-19 vaccines strengthen our immune system, and help it recognize and combat the coronavirus. The type and frequency of doses vary for different vaccines, however, beneficiaries are advised to take two shots of vaccines currently available in the country. Post vaccination, it generally takes a minimum of two weeks for anyone to build immunity against the virus.

Key Information and COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory:

• From 1st April 2021, all individuals over the age of 45 (irrespective of co-morbidities or pre-medical conditions) are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Beneficiaries are requested to complete all prescribed doses of the vaccine.
• As per medical experts, post-vaccination effects (nausea, mild fever being the most common) are normal.
• Even after vaccination, all safety measures for COVID-19 are to be strictly followed at all times, including social distancing and wearing masks.
• The duration for which the COVID-19 vaccines are effective and its efficacy against the new strains of the virus is still unknown. Hence, it is absolutely essential to not let our guards down.
• We urge you to not be misled by fake vaccine marketing / promotions, as it is not available in open markets yet.
• Do not attend a vaccination appointment if you are self-isolating, or awaiting COVID-19 test results, or are unwell.
• Research efforts are ongoing for knowing how many people should get vaccinated to attain herd immunity (which means enough people being vaccinated making it tough for coronavirus to spread from person to person). Hence, rumors about herd immunity being already attained, should strictly be ignored.
• To know more about the vaccines, please download the CoWIN App, or log on to www.cowin.gov.in. You can also visit the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) website (www.mohfw.gov.in) for regular updates about COVID-19.
• For any queries, call the Government helpline number 1075 or +91 11-23978046.

Cost and Availability of COVID-19 Vaccine:

• Vaccines are available at different government hospitals for free and at private hospitals at a price of INR 250 per dose.
• The COVID-19 vaccination providers cannot deny any individual above the age of 45 to get themselves vaccinated, except for reasons best known to medical practitioners.
• The government is currently working on making the vaccines widely available for everyone at no cost in the coming months.