GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

While driving on the Indian roads, the possibility of an accident can never be ruled out. Whether due to a momentary lapse on your part or due to oversight on the part of someone else, accidents can take place anytime and anywhere. But the damages/losses incurred due to it can be mitigated with the help of personal accident insurance in India.

What is Personal Accident Insurance

Personal accident insurance is offered in combination with Third-party policy. Insurance companies charge a nominal fee for offering this coverage. Under this policy, you will be reimbursed by the insurance company for injuries suffered while driving your vehicle.

Is it mandatory to get personal accident insurance in India?

As per the latest insurance regulations introduced by the government, it is mandatory to get personal accident insurance in India for a vehicle owner. The current regulations by IRDAI state that the car owners, as well as bike owners, will now get a mandatory personal accident cover of Rs. 15 Lacs as per their motor insurance policies. Previously, this cover was capped at Rs. 2 Lacs for car owners and Rs. 1 Lac for two-wheeler owners against a premium of Rs. 100 and Rs. 50 respectively.

Now the premium has been increased to Rs. 750 for a cover of Rs 15 Lacs. This premium is payable over and above the mandatory third party insurance cover. If the insured person wants a higher cover, then the same can be availed by paying a higher premium, which is to be decided by the insurance company. The coverage of the policy extends to the owners of the vehicle as well as the drivers of the vehicle, provided the availability of a valid driving license.

This improvement in the personal accident insurance in India was introduced after a judgement by the Madras High Court in the year 2017. While passing the judgement, the court noted that enhancing the personal accident cover will act as some kind of solace to the victim as well as survivors of the accident.

Though there are some exceptions applicable wherein the owner can opt-out of this mandatory personal accident cover i.e.

• If the vehicle owner already has a valid personal accident cover policy with a sum insured of more than Rs. 15 Lacs.
• If the owner already has a motor insurance policy with a compulsory personal accident cover with a sum insured of more than Rs. 15 Lacs for another vehicle owned by him/her.
• If the vehicle owner already has a separate compulsory personal accident policy.

Benefits of Personal Accident Insurance

Some of the standout benefits of subscribing to personal accident insurance in India have been listed here: -

• The policy covers in the case of the unfortunate death of the insured. The nominee is entitled to the entire sum.
• The cover is even provided for total permanent disability, permanent total disability, permanent partial disability and temporary total disablement.
• Some policies even cover hospitalization due to an accident and the cost of transportation for mortal remains in case of death.
• The dismemberment of any kind is also covered in some policies. Certain companies have also given said ratio and benefits for certain kinds of injuries that will then be paid to the policyholders
• Very few companies also provide optional coverage in case of burns. This can also be considered before personal accident insurance is taken into action.
• The treatment for the burns is also covered by some insurance companies.

With such extensive benefits on offer, availing personal accident insurance in India is a necessity for the vehicle owners.

Accidents are always unfortunate, and you can never foresee when you might face such a circumstance, but it is always better to protect yourself from such unfortunate situations by getting a Personal Accident Insurance. You can easily buy personal accident insurance online by visiting the website of the insurance provider under which you want to get insured. If you have a Personal Accident Insurance, you will be able to protect yourself from huge inpatient hospitalization expenses and corresponding medical bills that can spend all your life savings in case you are met with an accident. You need to keep in mind certain things when you buy a Personal Accident Insurance: -

• Buy personal accident insurance online with a premium amount that covers your needs while not putting heavy stress on your financial stability.
• Compare the different Personal Accident Policies provided by different insurance companies and choose the one that fits your requirements the best.
• Select a policy that can be renewed online easily without having to visit the insurance company’s office.
• Personal Accident Insurance policies can provide you safety from sudden financial mishaps that can occur if you face an accident. Along with this, some of the reasons you should consider buying a Personal Accident Insurance are:
• You have any disability taken care of - If you have a Personal Accident Cover, you will be able to claim compensation for any kind of disability that you may face in the aftermath of an accident. The insurer will get appropriate compensation from the insurance provider if they suffer the loss of income due to their disability. You can avail compensation for Permanent Total Disability as well as Permanent Partial Disability.
• Accidental Death Benefit - This is one of the major advantages and the most important reason why you should get a Personal Accident Insurance. In case of accidental death of the insured, the insurance company is liable to 100% of the insured amount to the nominee which are generally Class I legal heirs such as a spouse, son, daughter, mother or father.
• Medical Expenses are taken care of - If you suffer an accident, medical expenses cost can be very high and can finish up all your life savings in a very short span of time. A Personal Accident Insurance will provide you protection from such expenses as the insurance company will take care of the medical expenses of the insured. In case of demise of the insured, the company will also take care of the funeral expenses of the deceased.
• Family Security - In case the accident leads to the death or permanent disability of the person and that person is the sole earner for the whole family, a Personal Accident Insurance will provide security to the insured’s family. This will not only provide the family with funds to support them but also shield them from any hospital expenses that will be incurred if the person is hospitalized.
• Child Education Benefit - Some insurance companies also cover the educational expenses of children under child education cover in case of death or total disablement of the person insured. Under this cover, the company will be liable to pay some amount per child, to a maximum of two children for their educational expenses.

Buying personal accident insurance online not only protects the insured but also guarantees protection and security to the family of the insured in case the person is faced with permanent disability leading to loss of income. It is always a good idea to get a Personal Accident Cover, whether individually or along with your other insurance policies for your car or bike.

Whether you buy a four-wheeler or a two-wheeler, you can easily buy bike insurance or private car insurance in India. All such insurances come with certain add-ons offered by insurers to supplement the comprehensive insurance policy and make it more valuable for the buyer. Some of the Add-ons provided are the basic add-ons while some other add-ons can be purchased by the insured at a higher premium. Each Additional Cover will cost some extra and that cost will be adjusted in the premium. Some of the basic and most common Add-ons that are available for two-wheelers and must be taken while buying insurance are: -

• Zero Depreciation Cover - Depreciation occurs due to the reduction in the price of the vehicle over time due to natural wear and tear while using the vehicle. The rate of depreciation depends on the age of the respective parts of the bike. Generally, this depreciation is required to be paid by the customer as deductible during the claim process. However, if you buy a Zero Depreciation Cover, the insurer will not deduct this amount from the claim, and you will receive a comparatively higher percentage of the claim. You should opt for this cover if your bike is new and ideally less than 3 years old. If you have this cover, you will be able to make a maximum of two claims in a policy period but if your vehicle is damaged beyond repair, you won’t be eligible for this cover.
• Accessories Cover - If you are someone who likes to have additional accessories attached to your bike and have your bike studded with additional high-end electrical and non-electrical accessories, you should buy an Accessories cover to insure those accessories as well from damages in case of accidents. To get this cover, you need to submit the total cost of these accessories while buying an insurance policy for your bike.
• Return to Invoice - With an increased premium, this cover will protect your bike from theft or irreparable damage, and the insurer will compensate you by providing the Insured Declared Value of the vehicle to you. The Insured Declared Value or IDV is less than the invoice value of the bike because it is calculated by taking into account the depreciation rate of the bike, the road tax, registration charges, etc. The IDV of a two-wheeler can reduce to 80% of its value in a span of only 2 years and if you have this cover, you won’t have to spend too much extra money to get a new bike in case of theft or irreparable damage.
• Medical Cover - This cover will provide you coverage from medical expenses that can be very high in case your two-wheeler meets an accident because there is no protection for the driver driving the two-wheeler. Taking this Add-on will help you cover the costs related to medical treatments in case you meet an accident.
• Pillion Rider Cover - There is no protection for the pillion rider on the bike as well if the vehicle meets an accident. It can be argued that in most cases, the pillion rider is at more risk of getting hurt than the driver of the bike. In most insurance policies, the rider will be covered against death or any resultant disability in case of an accident, but there is no cover for the passenger. This Add-on will provide cover to the pillion rider in case of an accident resulting in the death or disability of the passenger.
• NCB Protect - Most of the insurance companies provide a No-claim Bonus to the insured in case they raise no claims during the policy period. But, if a claim is raised the NCB is reset to zero, and to prevent that from happening you can buy the NCB Protect Cover. This will protect the NCB from resetting to zero and your accumulated bonus won’t lapse in case you raise a claim..

These were some of the Add-ons that you must consider while buying a new insurance policy for your two-wheeler as well as private car insurance in India.

Liability insurance provides the insured party protection against claims resulting from damage or harm to people or property. Intentional damage and contractual liabilities are not covered, but legal costs and payouts are generally attended to and paid. This type of insurance is also called third party insurance.

If an insured party damages someone else's property or harms someone else by mistake, liability insurance comes to place. These policies can be taken by anyone who drives a car, owns a business, practices law or medicine or just anyone who can be sued for damages or injuries. Following is a brief guide on the public liability insurance policy and all that it covers.

Due to various kinds of liability insurance available, almost anybody can get liability insurance for products, employees etc. below are the main types of liability insurance-

• Employer’s liability and workers’ compensation- This is a mandatory coverage in case employees are harmed or injured in the process of work, and this protects business accordingly.
• Product liability insurance- This insurance is for businesses that manufacture products that are sold in the market. In this case, business is protected against any lawsuit arising from an injury or death resulting from their products.
• Indemnity insurance- This insurance protects the company from negligence claims due to financial harm resulting from failure to perform.
• Umbrella Liability Policies - These usually come handy when liability limits of other insurances are reached. These liabilities are designed to protect against catastrophic events.
• Commercial General Liability- Also known as commercial liability insurance, it provides an insurance cover against various kinds of lawsuits including those that may arise from an unforeseen event with an employee, any public property damage or injuries caused by the negligence of an employee.
• Comprehensive General Liability- These kinds of Liability insurances are tailor-made for small and large businesses, typically include bodily injury, property damage, personal and advertising injury, medical payments, and operations liability. In this, compensatory and general damages on losses are paid, but punitive damages are not paid usually. However, it covers the charges of investigation or defending a lawsuit.
• The premium amount for these public liability insurance policies is based on the needs of your company and your company's priorities. For example, a real estate company or a makeup company may have more risks than an organic grain company. This is also because the bigger the size of the company, the greater is the risk. A good public liability insurance policy will take into consideration these factors.

Here are a few rights and duties of the insurer:

• The insurer investigates an event that has resulted in a liability claim.
• The injured can defend the insured in any lawsuit related to a covered type of injury.
• The insurer may settle a lawsuit at his discretion.
• Cost of providing defense is handled by the insurer.

The following are advantages of a public liability insurance policy:

• Protected against unexpected circumstances- Even after taking precautions and managing operations, there are unexpected circumstances that may cause more harm than imagined. Having public liability insurance ensures that you've selected a liability to cover for such unexpected inconveniences.
• You could get more deals - It is easier for large businesses and firms to trust your company and find it reliable if they are aware of the liability insurances in place. This gives you an edge over other competitors and could also be your saving grace.
• You may be covered against a data breach - With which data like important information about employees, products, deals, social security data, etc. data security becomes increasingly important. It is a must for every company to have a liability to cover hacking and other data breaches.

Having considered the above factors, your public liability insurance policy will not be complete if you do not personally understand the needs of your company and find public liability insurance according to that.