GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

As the owner and user of your vehicle, you need to understand the importance of cleaning your car regularly to save money and ensure that your vehicle is safe and hygienic for other passengers.

The vehicle's trunk can become the dirtiest place due to the stuff we put there. It could be the dust from the roller bags and carry-ons, stains from the fruits and vegetables, baby items, liquids, and more. So, it is essential to deep clean the trunk of your car to keep the atmosphere in the vehicle healthy and avoid any smells, decaying, and dust that could be harmful to the health of the people sitting inside.

This blog will teach you how to deep clean your car’s trunk. Without any further delay, let us get started!

1. Identify the suitable materials:
For deep cleaning, you need to identify the suitable materials you must use to ensure that it does not cause any adverse effects like bad odour, staining the carpet or the rag in the trunk, damaging the surface inside the trunk, etc. Removing the stains and cleaning the trunk is essential, but the right kinds of detergents, liquids, and cleaning cloth helps you make the process easier and show effective results.

2. Remove the lint:
You often store your furry coats, jackets, sweaters, trench coats, etc., in the trunk. Such clothes generally leave particular woollen shreds called lint on the surface of the trunk, which should be removed properly. If not, they tend to stick to interiors and lose their colour when they come in contact with chemicals in cleaning liquids, soaps, or detergents causing irremovable stains.

3. Vacuuming efficiently:
Deep cleaning involves cleaning the surfaces, the trunk, and the carpet-rolled interiors. However, do not stop just at the cleaning but also vacuum the trunk to get rid of those tiny pieces of paper, leaves from the vegetable stems, or fruit peels. Clean everything that is not easily visible to the naked eye while cleaning. The trunk of your car can be a complex surface to maintain if you do not deep clean regularly and follow the complete routine and methods.

4. Cleaning the carpet:
While the surfaces are supposed to be clean, do not just leave the carpet and vacuum it regularly. Occasionally, remove the carpet from the trunk and wash it well by shampooing and conditioning it. You need to dry it completely before putting it back in the trunk. Even a slightly wet carpet can cause damage by giving rise to bacteria, thus making it unhealthy and unhygienic for you and the people in your car.

Adding to this list, remember to clean the lid of your trunk. A dirty top of the trunk of your car might make your entire effort of deep cleaning your car’s trunk go to waste due to the dirt and dust sitting on it.

We hope you found this blog valuable and effective in maintaining cleanliness and pleasing odour inside your car. Moreover, it is always a good idea to get car insurance and protect your vehicle from any damages which might be caused during unfortunate circumstances. Explore your options and purchase the best car insurance India that optimally caters to your needs.

Click HERE to learn more about 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.

Summers are here, and by now, you've probably made plans to detach from the routine life and plan an exotic vacation for the perfect summer. Overworking may lead to fatigue, stress, and significant health hazards. Taking a break is highly demanded by your body to unwind all the stress and rejuvenate to get back to work with a new positivity.

Whether you're flying across the nation or going on a road trip for a few days, there are a few travel essentials you should pick up before leaving your home. In today’s topic, we bring a helpful checklist of travel essentials that are a must to carry while planning a holiday this summer.

1. Sunscreen:
The scorching heat of summers invites tanning and burns that adversely affect the body. You should apply sunscreen before heading outside in the harsh sun. A sunscreen with an SPF35 or plus will block out around 95% of Ultraviolet radiation, which causes sunburns and raises the risk of skin cancer.

2. Hat and Sunglasses:
A hat will provide some relief from the heat by avoiding the direct contact of your head with the sunrays. Although a hat will provide some shade, it's also crucial to protect your eyes and ensure you carry your sunglasses.

3. Backpack:
One of the most pleasing aspects of an active holiday is the possibility of discovery. Invest in a good backpack to enjoy it. It should be light and with a waistband to relieve back pressure. We advise that you choose a rainproof rucksack with many safe and secure compartments.

4. Water bottle:
Hydration is crucial, especially in summers. We recommend getting a bottle with water level marking on it so that you can keep track of the amount of water you consume in a day. Regular sipping of water will help you stay active and keep your body engaged.

5. Comfortable clothes:
Most summer vacations are spent at the beach or poolside. Carry your swimwear and comfortable beachwear.

6. Footwear:
Flip flops are ideal in summers. Along with your flip flops, also carry a pair of hiking shoes. They will help you when you set out on a hike.

7. Quick-drying towel:
It's helpful to have a quick-drying towel to avoid soaking other things in your suitcase on the way home.

8. Dry-wet bag:
Separating wet and dry stuff is useful when on a summer vacation at the beachside. A bag with two separate compartments will do the job for you.

9. First aid kit:
There is always a risk of scrapes, bruises, bug bites, and even an upset stomach. It's usually a good idea to keep a modest first aid kit with the essentials. This contains bug repellent, bandages, essential medicines, antiseptics, pain relievers etc.

10. General Insurance:
General Insurance should always be on your checklist no matter where you go. It will protect your travel, and you can enjoy the vacation with complete peace of mind. Invest in the best general insurance India and be rest assured of a safe and memorable trip.

The best part about any vacation is to forget the worries of everyday life and be in the moment at your favourite beach or mountain resort. Summer is probably the best time for family vacations, and with the restrictions getting eased out, the opportunities for planning trips will increase.

Also, don’t forget to carry your masks and hand sanitizers wherever you go because the pandemic has not ended yet. Take all the necessary precautions and make the above essentials a part of your travel checklist to set off on an exciting, adventurous summer holiday.

Visit HERE to explore plans of general 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.

India faced the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2022. During these two years of resilience, we have controlled the spread of the virus with effective public health protocols. National and state lockdowns, social distancing, and mandatory face masks have contained the infection rate. Last year, introducing the various COVID-19 vaccines tremendously helped build strong immunity against the deadly virus.

Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus has proved to be an essential tool in helping effectively manage the pandemic. Fully vaccinated people are relatively well-protected against a severe coronavirus infection, complications, and mortality. However, even effective vaccines become less viable over time. Intensive research suggests that vaccinations lose some of their power over time. It has been found that eventually receiving another vaccine shot after a few months can help highly boost the vaccine's effectiveness. This additional shot is called the booster shot.

Receiving both vaccine doses is the first and foremost integral step to building a strong enough immunity to control the infection rate. While the vaccines are deemed safe and effective, and everyone has been advised to get the jab at the earliest, several members of the Indian population have still not been vaccinated. Before considering the booster shot, the goal is to vaccinate the country's entire population to build herd immunity.

Here is some information to know before getting your booster shot:

1. The booster doses have been rolled out from Jan 10th, 2022. They will initially be administered to the front-line workers and adults aged 60 and above with comorbidities.

2. The booster is given 9 months or 39 weeks after administering the second dose of COVID Vaccine as per the guidelines.

3. The vaccine's side effects are reportedly similar to the previous doses, including fever, body and muscle pains, headache, pain, or swelling at the injection site.

4. Unlike other countries, Indians are advised to get the booster from the company as their previous vaccine doses and not mix any other. Citizens who have taken two shots of Covishield must take the Covishield booster shot only, and those who have taken Covaxin should go for the Covaxin booster shot. Do not take the alternate vaccine as it might create a complication.

5. The first two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine boost our body's immune system. With these shots, memory cells that remember the virus are produced to help in case of an infection. The number of these cells increases with the second dose and helps fight the infection.

When these memory cells are challenged with a booster, they induce a robust immune response. As a result, the booster shot produces more antibodies that have an increased potency to fight the virus.

While taking the vaccines is integral to stay safe from the virus, one must remain vigilant and follow the safety protocol. Vaccination alone is not enough to fight the pandemic and the constantly emerging variants. In these challenging times, prioritising health is paramount. Remember to renew health insurance online or simply contact your insurance company to ensure your safe future.

Apart from maintaining your health insurance, you must indulge in healthy activities like yoga and vigorously consume a nourishing diet to combat any health ailment or infection.

Click HERE to renew health 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.

The Government of India presented the union budget on 1st February 2023. It has provided incentives for the people to move from the old tax regime consisting of deductions and rebates to the new tax regime. This, in turn, will affect the insurance sector as well.

While there were a few surprises here and there, it has proposed a significant change by taxing maturity proceeds of insurance policies commanding an aggregate premium of over Rs.5 lakhs in a financial year. Such high premiums usually occur in the case of money-back insurance plans that require one-time premium payments or endowment plans.

Here are some of the key recommendations that would impact life insurance sector.

1. No change in Section 80C and 80D:
Insurance premium amounts paid for insuring the life of self, spouse, or child are presently eligible for deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act up to Rs.1.5 lakhs per annum. This is irrespective of whether our child is minor or major, dependent or independent. Also, individuals, as well as Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), are both eligible for claiming this deduction.
Similarly, Section 80D allows a person to claim a deduction for health insurance premiums and expenses incurred towards preventive health check-ups for self, spouse, children, and even parents up to Rs.65000/- per annum, subject to certain conditions.
The budget of 2023 could have been better for the insurance sector of the limits under Sections 80C and 80D. The industry expected a raise in the limits under these sections to boost consumer savings and investment. However, these limits have been left untouched in the budget of 2023.

2. The choice between the old-tax regime and the new-tax regime:
Till now, there was an option to choose between the old-tax regime that allows for several deductions and rebates and the new tax regime that taxes your income at a flat rate. You could choose either of the two and enjoy the above deductions under Sections 80C and 80D by choosing the old-tax regime.
There has been a shift in policy in this regard in the budget of 2023. The new tax regime is the default setting for individuals, under which you cannot enjoy these rebates. If you still want to enjoy deductions under Sections 80C and 80D, you will have to choose the old-tax regime specifically.

3. Aggregate premium clause:
According to the budget of 2023, if the aggregate premium paid by an individual is over Rs.5 lakhs in a financial year starting 1st April 2023, he will have to pay tax on their maturity proceeds. However, if such a policyholder dies, the nominee's maturity proceeds will be tax-free.
Maturity proceeds or income from insurance policies having an aggregate premium of less than Rs.5 lakhs in a financial year will be exempted from taxation. However, the introduction of this clause may discourage consumers such as High-Net-worth individuals (HNIs) from buying big-ticket insurance products to save taxes. As a result, the revenues or top-line of the insurance companies are bound to suffer and go down.

The Insurance industry plays a vital role in the overall financial growth of the country, and as such, the sector is undoubtedly not very encouraged with the budget for 2023. There was a general expectation of an extension of the Rs.1.5 lakhs deductions allowed under Sections 80C and 80D, which still needs to be met. Moreover, taxing the maturity proceeds of policies commanding an aggregate premium of Rs.5 lakhs or more in a financial year will further dampen the sales of high-value insurance policies.

However, insurance buyers need not be worried as the prevalent deduction limit is still the same and has not gone down. Also, a very small percentage of Indians buy high-value insurance policies, and the changed clause is unlikely to affect most Indian residents. Online general insurance policies continue to offer the same ease, protection, and security, and individuals can continue to enjoy its benefits.

Click HERE to buy online general insurance plan to safeguard your valuable assets.

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.