New Delhi. About 10 people were burnt to death in the blast that took place near the Red Fort on Monday. Police have called it a terrorist attack. Now the question in the minds of vehicle owners is whether vehicles damaged in terrorist attacks get insurance coverage? In such cases, most people assume that claims for damages caused by terrorist incidents are not available, but the reality is different.
If you have a comprehensive motor insurance policy on your vehicle, then damage caused by incidents like terrorist attacks, blasts or riots is covered under this policy. These incidents fall under “man-made calamities” under the rules of IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India). This means that if you have only third-party insurance, you will not get a claim, but if you have a comprehensive policy or own-damage (OD) cover, you will get compensation. There is no need to take any extra “terrorism cover” for such cases. In India, terrorism cover is automatically included in all comprehensive policies under the Indian Market Terrorism Risk Insurance Pool (IMTRIP). Many vehicle claims were settled on this basis in Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks also.
Claim Process: 7 Easy Steps
1. Register an FIR
In case of a blast like situation, first of all lodge an FIR in the nearest police station. Terrorist attack is a criminal act, hence FIR copy is considered the most important document for insurance claim.
2. Inform the insurance company immediately
Inform your insurer within 24-48 hours after filing the FIR. You can give claim information through call, email or mobile app. It is important to inform the company about your policy number, location and loss.
3. Fill the claim form
Fill the claim form in online or offline mode, including incident information, vehicle details and policy number.
4. Submit necessary documents
For claim, you will have to submit FIR copy, policy document, RC, DL, PUC, photographs of the vehicle (from every angle) and repair estimate. The insurance company will also add the surveyor report later.
5. Wait for the surveyor visit
The insurer’s surveyor will go to the spot and evaluate the loss. Until the survey is done, do not move the vehicle or get it repaired.
6. Choose cashless or reimbursement option
If your car is in a network garage then the insurer will make direct payment. If not, then after repair you will get reimbursement by submitting the bill and documents.
7. Claim Settlement
After all the documents are verified, the claim is settled within 7 to 30 days. If the vehicle is completely damaged then you get the amount according to the Insured Declared Value (IDV). Note that the deductible under the terrorism pool rule can be around 0.5% or a minimum of ₹ 1 lakh.
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What to do if the claim is rejected?
Many times the reason for claim rejection is expiry of the policy, wrong information given or if the incident took place in a war-like situation. In such a situation, you should first complain to the grievance cell of the insurance company. If response is not received within 30 days, you can appeal to IRDAI Ombudsman (bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in) or go to consumer court.
