GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

If someone were to tell me in 2019 that many of us would be using a screen in 2020 as if our lives depended on it, I would dismiss them entirely. But with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing us to sit across a laptop or our cell phones for academics, work, or recreation, we seem to be headed towards the reality I initially dismissed.
We wake up to our social media notifications. Go about the day jumping from one online lecture or work meeting to another. Fall asleep to an episode of a web series or responding to personal messages. As you can see (pun intended), in this newfound reality, it is our eyes that undergo a considerable amount of agony, inhaling all of that blue light.
More and more individuals have realised the need to care for their eyes in this pandemic. So here are a few ways in which you can do the same as well:

1. Monitor Distance - Room Lightning - Eyewear

It will be ideal if you place a computer screen at an arm’s length and 20 degrees below your eye level. This position helps avoid eye strain. Make sure you have enough diffused lighting in your room. Too much or too less light can cause the eyes to experience stress. Lastly, it is highly recommended to wear anti-glare glasses or lens when working on a computer all day long.

2. 20 - 20 - 20 Rule

If your eyes are dear to you, you should continue showering them with some affection by observing the 20 - 20 - 20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from the screen and fix your gaze on an object 20 feet away for a total of 20 seconds.
Unless you have a measuring tape, it will be difficult to measure 20 feet accurately. Being sureshot about the distance is not the key. The idea is to stare at something far away - maybe a building across the street or a tree. It takes about 20 seconds for your eyes to relax. And you can set a reminder for every 20 minutes. This is how you perform the rule!

3. Sleep Well

One common mistake that some of us make while going to sleep is that we do not cover our rooms in enough darkness. Our bodies are known to sleep well due to the release of a specific hormone called melatonin. And this hormone is produced in response to darkness — the more the melatonin, the better the quality and quantity of our sleep. So make sure to pop an eye mask while inviting the ZzZs.

4. Avoid Rubbing

Your hands are covered in dust, germs, dirt and whatnot. And these can be easily transferred to your eyes each time you rub them. To avoid irritation or infection, avoid touching your eyes directly with your hands.

5. Limit Substance Use

You thought smoking could only affect your lungs and heart? Think again. Research shows that smoking can cause dry eyes - a condition causing them to feel itchy, stingy and red. It can also increase the risk of developing cataract.
Consuming too much alcohol can lead to a condition named optic atrophy, wherein the nerve endings of the optical system get damaged, resulting in low vision or complete loss of it.

Right from childhood apart from studies we are taught about being safe in general, there are numerous ways in which you could hurt yourself, and thus, it is essential to know the dos and don’ts in your daily life. Something quite likely to cause a lot of damage is fire; no wonder today people have become more concerned about finding the best fire insurance policy in India so that any costs incurred due to fire damage are covered.

Here are five things your parents would have surely taught you about fire safety:

• Know the Emergency Number: Regardless of whether you are a child or not, it is highly necessary always to remember the fire emergency helpline number, which happens to be 101 in India. While there are some steps you can take if there is a fire, it is always better to call the fire department to ensure that there is no trace of the fire left. Moreover, as a child, if there is no one around, you were most likely not able to do much, and calling them would be the only option.
• To leave immediately: If you see a fire, especially one which is growing, you should leave the premises immediately. There is no saying how the situation might escalate, and you might end up getting hurt or severely injured if you stay indoors or hide somewhere.
• Electrical fires: One of the most common reasons for a fire is electrical. Often, there is a shortage of power, or the wires might break, causing a fire. You must know never to try to put it out with water since you might get a shock.
• Don’t play with flammable objects: Every household has objects such as lighters, matchboxes, candles, and other flammable ones, which could potentially cause a fire. It is essential to explain to children what these objects are for, and what damage they could cause if played with, like fire can be harmful and how these objects make use of fire, instead of merely keeping them away, especially since children are curious by nature. Also, when cooking, children should not be allowed near a burning gas and should not be left alone in the kitchen.
• Keep heaters and other appliances away: Most people use heaters during the winters to keep warm, and they must take precautions to keep such appliances away from the reach of children. You must ensure that their toys are nowhere near the heater or that they don’t play around such appliances since there is always the possibility of knocking it over and causing a fire.

While it is very crucial to take all the precautions when it comes to fire and to teach children about its possible threats, it is also essential to have a fire insurance policy in place to cover any costs due to fire. You must make sure to choose only the best fire insurance policy in India to ensure that you would not have to pay a considerable amount to repair any damages.

Motivated employees are the biggest asset of any company or organisation. They not only increase the overall productivity of the company but also generate better output. But the question arises, how to keep the employees motivated?

By implementing and following certain practices in the workplace, you can ensure that your employees give their best and develop both as a staff member as well as an individual. Given is a detailed explanation of the best practices to be followed in a corporate office:

• State your expectations clearly - Many times, bottom level workers feel crushed under the expectations of the middle-level managers or employees. Therefore, as an executive, is utmost important for you to be very clear about what you expect from your employees. You should elaborate on the quality of work you expect from them, timelines, personnel role is in a certain project, and so on. This way, they do not feel the burden of work or meeting deadlines at the very last moment. Build a strong foundation of communication and mutual support.
• Involve the employees - A surefire way to make any employee feel important is by involving him/her in the important decisions of the company. By taking their advice or opinions, you establish a feeling of trust and authority. For example, managers can ask their subordinates for their views on marketing strategies. This is bound to be successful as the employee gets motivated to work harder thinking of your company as his own!
• Encourage feedback - Employers tend to establish dominance over their staff members. If that is the case in your organization, it needs to be changed! As an employee, you wouldn't want your superior to ignore all the suggestions and feedback you provide, then why should you neglect those of your team? A great way of building strong relationships with your employees is encouraging them to provide feedback after every meeting and respond to any issues or queries they have.
• Fulfil their individual goals If you wish that your employees work for the betterment of your business, you must think of their personal goals. In many ways, you can add to their individual growth - for example, you can give regular bonuses, you can periodically increase their salaries. This way, they develop a stronger relationship with you as well as your company.
• Use their talent : Any employee can develop a feeling of boredom or monotony if they work in an area which doesn't utilize their skills or talent. This not only results in dissatisfaction amongst the employees but also leads to a counterproductive routine in the organization. It is best to recognize the specialization of an employee and hire him on a suitable designation as well as assign him to work accordingly. This way, the tasks allocated to him will be done in the best possible manner and reduces the chances of that employee leaving your company.
• Be open to errors: Humans tend to commit errors. Your employees too might make some of the other mistakes at some point in time. In such situations, it is best to take necessary corrective measures and guide them to not commit such mistakes in the future. Rather than   scolding them or making them feel bad about what happened, you must accept the mistake and be open towards it.

You can also make them aware of beneficial insurance policies and can help them in buying home insurance online if they moved to the city for working in your company. This way you can earn their trust as an employer and can expect the same from them.

With so many options in the market today, it is no longer a difficult task finding the best personal accident insurance policy in India still, before you buy one it's essential to know a few things.

First and foremost, what is accident insurance? It is a type of insurance that provides the insurance holder with compensation, in the event of an accident, death, dismemberment, loss of sight or other senses, medical expenses, etc. It is important to understand that it is not the same as health insurance but is complementary to it. Since choosing accident insurance is a significant decision, here are some points to consider: -

• What Does the Policy Cover: One of the most important factors to take into consideration when choosing accident insurance is what all does it cover. It must include all the daily activities(mode of commute, work environment, residential locality, cause of calamity such as fire, water, etc.) which could lead to an accident, at home or elsewhere. The more it covers, the better.
• What are the Benefits of the Policy: Accidents or injuries is a broad category, and it is imperative to know what the benefits are that come with the insurance policy. It would be best if you found out whether it includes permanent/temporary and total/partial disablement, loss of senses (eyesight, hearing, etc.,), accidental death, and others, along with whether there is an ambulance facility and it covers hospital bills. The nature of your daily activities will largely determine the benefits that come under the policy.
• What are the Benefits to the Family: It is not enough to find out about the benefits that are provided to the insurance holder; you also need to know about the benefits being offered to the family. In case, there is a death, permanent disablement or loss of income, the policy which provides the maximum benefits to the family and promises to cover major costs is the one to buy.
• Find Out About the Company: Something vital that you need to take into consideration is the insurance company's reputation. Make sure to go with one which has managed to build its standing in the market for years and has a solid background. Since accident insurance has a lot to do with your life and health, you must do all the necessary research and take the time to choose a well-reputed company.
• The Premium that Needs to be Paid: A very crucial aspect of any insurance is the premium that you need to pay, and it is the same with accident insurance. Premium is the amount that needs to be paid regularly to maintain the insurance's validity. You must select a plan wherein the premium is well within your budget, and there is a balance between the premium being paid and the benefits provided.

When it comes to a matter of life and health, there is no room for complacency. You need to make sure to choose only the best personal accident insurance policy in India if you want expenses to be covered and relief to be provided in the event of an accident or calamity.

Carrying out activities such as phone recharges, bill payments, grocery shopping, clothes shopping, etc. has become very common. All the activities are getting digitalized now, and so is the case with general insurance policies. There are various platforms where you can generate an instant general insurance online quote as well as purchase a new policy.

In present times, a lot of people prefer to buy insurance policy online. Although the online purchase of insurance policies may not be everyone’s cup of tea, yet there are some significant advantages of buying an insurance policy online after generating a general insurance online quote.

In case you are wondering why people buy insurance policy online, here are the reasons which encourage them to do so: -

•Time-saving: - You do not have to go through the hectic processes of going to the company’s office and get the process completed. The offline process lasts several days whereas, through the online process, everything is just a few clicks away.

•Lower premiums: - The premiums to be paid are quite higher for the insurance policies purchased offline than the policies that are purchased online. Thus, the online method is pocket-friendly as well.

•Easy comparison: - When looking for an insurance policy online, comparing becomes easier. You can compare general insurance online quote from all the companies at once without having to go through any trouble. You can look for yourself and choose the company that suits you the most.

•Freedom to decide: - Everything is done on your own, so you are the one making the decisions. There is no manipulation or pressure from the company when you purchase an insurance policy online. You are the sole decision-maker without any external influence.

•Less paperwork: -Purchasing an insurance policy online reduces the amount of paperwork to be completed. The offline method involves a lot of paperwork which can be quite troublesome. The online saves you from it, and the entire experience becomes hassle-free.

•Informed decision making: - You can also view the customer reviews for the policy that you are going to buy. Before finally buying the policy, you can search for the reviews of other customers to check if you can trust the company and the policy.

•Fewer chances of rejection: - The chance of rejection due to incorrect or incomplete details becomes negligible under the online mode. This is probably where the offline method becomes troublesome, where the forms can be rejected multiple times for some trivial issues.

•Easy and convenient: - The processes of purchasing a new policy and paying the premiums can be completed with just a few clicks in case of the online mode. In the older times, buying policies was all about personal interaction and a buildup of trust following the interaction. The customer was convinced by the representative of the insurance

•Informed decision making: - You can also view the customer reviews for the policy that you are going to buy. Before finally buying the policy, you can search for the reviews of other customers to check if you can trust the company and the policy.

company and after various processes, the final buying of the insurance policy took place. However, in the online purchase procedure, everything is digitalized and available on your device with an internet connection.

Though, the digitalized ways of selling and buying insurances policies online lack the old ways of building up a sense of trust in the customer. The customers do everything on their own in such cases through the online portals of insurance companies, based on their brand image and terms and conditions.

The new method is not appreciated by all sections of the public, and many of them still prefer traditional methods. So, if you are looking to buy insurance policy then you should weigh all the pros and cons of both the methods and choose the one which suits you and your ideas the most.

Almost everyone today owns a car, which means they would most probably either already have a car insurance policy or would be looking to buy one soon.

For those who plan to buy one, there are many things to consider. Since the policy would provide financial cover in the event of an accident, either for the repairs/ any bodily harm, or both, hence, you must do all the necessary research. One should choose an insurance policy that not only suits your needs the best but also offers maximum coverage.

Here are five mistakes that most people tend to make when buying car insurance: -

• Opting for a low premium: The premium is the amount you regularly pay to the insurance company towards the policy, and often, many people choose a policy that comes with a lower premium.
• Comparing policies only based on price: Car insurance prices in India vary from company to company, and while paying a low premium might seem easy on the pocket, but you may not get a lot of benefits or the needed coverage out of it. Before you pay any amount, make sure to go over different policies, compare them, and then choose the one which offers maximum coverage.
• Not registering the vehicle: As a car owner, you must register the car or transfer the ownership to yourself since that is the only way to make the insurance claims when needed. While many forget to do so, others purposefully avoid it, to not pay the taxes, and end up not benefiting from the insurance policy.
• Not doing enough research: While asking friends and family or the car dealership about suitable car insurance is always a good idea, it would be stupid not to do the research yourself. You must make sure to go over different car insurance policies and compare their terms and benefits before you choose the one that suits you best. If you do not do so, you might end up paying higher than necessary or might opt for a policy that does not offer optimum coverage.
• Not reading the policy: Whether you are yet to select a car insurance policy or are about to sign on one, one of the worst mistake that you can commit is not reading the terms, conditions, and coverage of the policy. Unless you read it thoroughly, you will not know what it does and doesn’t cover, how much you need to pay, when and how much you would need to pay out of your pocket in some cases, etc.
• Not updating the policy: There are always changes in your everyday life, which in turn influence the kind of car insurance you would need (it could be related to where you live or work, where you drive most often, the rate of theft around your area, etc.). When you choose an insurance policy, you will go with the one whose terms and coverage align with your lifestyle, and thus, it makes sense to update your policy if there are any changes in your everyday life.

Keep in mind that the car insurance prices in India will differ everywhere, as will the terms, thus making it very important to research thoroughly before buying such a policy.

When truth and transparency are the core of a general insurance company, you know you are in trustworthy hands. This is the way of life at Magma HDI, and the fundamental reason it has been able to sell 1 million policies in FY19, as on February 21, 2019.

Having started operations only in 2012, Magma HDI has managed to build a strong reputation as a key player in the Indian insurance industry in a short span of time. It has steadily climbed growth charts with close to 1,000 employees, 135+ branches and 5,000-plus partners from about 180 employees, 46 branches and 500 partners back in the year of its commencement.

So, what have been the key differentiators responsible for this success?

The foremost reason is the company's utmost focus on honesty and transparency. When you choose Magma HDI, you get exactly what you have signed up for.

What's more, your struggle with endless, incomprehensible TnCs is over. Magma HDI believes in minimal TnCs that have important clauses highlighted. There are no hidden charges, and all costs are revealed to you upfront.

The company has a wide range of retail and commercial products on offer that suit requirements of all kinds of buyers. It has over 50 products across categories to choose from and has issued more than 24 lakh general insurance policies till date.

The foundation on which Magma HDI has been able to build its standing is its high claim- settlement ratio. Magma HDI has settled 94.1% of claims generated in FY 17-18 compared to the industry average of 87.2%. Owing to this, Magma HDI has successfully settled more than 1.25 lakh general insurance claims till date.

Additionally, the claim settlement process is absolutely hassle-free. Almost 87.17% claims made in FY 17-18 were settled in less than 30 days compared to the industry average of 62.1%.

A good insurance provider must not only assure you and your loved ones of a safety net in times of need, but also offer you the much-needed peace of mind that the promises made to you will be kept. To check both these parameters off your list, go ahead with a trusted partner such as Magma HDI.

Health insurance is something that every single person should have at all times, so they are protected from any unnecessary or substantial expenses in case there is any harm to life or threat to health. However, before you go with a particular health insurance policy, you need to have all the necessary information about it, such as the premium to be paid, the coverage, the validity, exceptions, etc.

You need to make sure to choose only the best health insurance policy in India, not just for yourself but also your family. Here are five reliable sources to learn about health insurance; you end up making the right choice: -

• A Health Insurance Agent: One of the best sources to learn about health insurance is an agent. A health insurance agent is well aware of all the terms and conditions of the different policies and can provide you with all the information you need. Whether it is about the premium you need to pay, find out about all that it covers, and doesn’t, what fees you need to pay, what some other benefits are, etc. Agents know about the policies of their own company and can also give you some vital information about health insurance in general.
• Your doctor: Your general physician, or the doctor you have been going to for years and who has all your health records, is another excellent source of information when it comes to health insurance. Since they are quite involved in the health industry, they would be able to advise you on what the insurance policy must cover depending upon the condition of your health.
• Your place of work: It might not seem as if your employer would have information about health insurance, but that is not true. Many companies provide their employees with health insurance or pay for a significant part of it, and thus have a lot of information about health insurance in general. If you are seeking information about health insurance, your employer might be able to help, especially since companies keep detailed records of such policies. If you work in the healthcare industry, you have an added advantage.
• The Internet: With almost everything available on the internet, it is not difficult to find the best health insurance policy in India online, given the number of insurance company websites as well as general websites that compare different policies. You have the option of going through the websites of different health insurance companies and collecting information about the various policies, or you can read different articles that compare health insurance policies, and then find out more about some particular ones. The internet is an excellent source of information for everything, including health insurance.
• Your Family: Believe it or not, your family members can help you choose the best policy for you and your family. Since they have been through the process of finding a good insurance policy numerous times, they can help you understand the terms and conditions and can help you find one which suits your needs the best. However, be sure to verify it with an agent.

Having Health insurance is extremely important, and so, you must only consult with the most reliable sources when finding out about it; having inadequate or incorrect information can prove to be detrimental in the future.