GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Having insurance is like having a safety deposit. That means if anything goes wrong, you would not be at a total loss. Insurance policies from the leading general insurance companies in India minimize loss and damage by reimbursing you for the expenses incurred during any unfortunate situations.

A wide range of insurance policies, ranging from life to non-life, are available in the market. Life insurance, as the name suggests, is about reimbursing your family members in case you lose your life due to specific reasons. Non-life insurance, on the other hand, is also known as general insurance, which is for automobiles, housing, commercial, travel and other similar purposes. If you suffer a loss from either of them, the insurance plan can help you in recovering from the same.

The process to check the claims online

While filing the claims correctly as per the terms and conditions of the insurance company is essential but it is equally essential that you track and check your claim online to know about the status of the claim and take corrective actions as and when necessary.

• When you file your claim with the insurance company or the TPA, they will provide you with the receipt number or file number along with an acknowledgement of filing of the claim.

• Usually, the insurance company or the TPA specify at the time of filing the claim as to how much time they will take in processing the claim. This is usually capped at 90 days but can vary according to the company policies.

• To track your health insurance or life insurance claim, you need to register your updated contact details with your health insurance company or the TPA. Once you have filed the claim, the TPA will send you the updates regularly on your mobile number or email.

• Alternatively, you can log-on to the website or mobile app of the TPA or the insurance company and track the status of your claim. To retrieve your claim details, you must have the following details with you: -

· Policy number

● Claim number

● Date of birth of the insured person

Once you enter all the details and submit them, you will be able to check the status of your claims online.

Different claim status and the steps to be taken

Depending on the status of your claim, either of the following status messages would be displayed on the screen. You must take the necessary steps according to the requirements.

Under process: -If your claim is under process, then you need to wait for a few more days and then check the status online again.

• Issues/Details required: - If there are any issues with the claim, then it will be mentioned on the status page. You must get in touch with the insurance company or the TPA. They will be able to explain the problem in the processing of the claim. If any documents are required or any further details are required, you must provide the same to them at the earliest.

• Approved: - If your claim has been approved, then you need not do anything else. The payment shall be credited into your account within a few working days.

• Rejected: - If the claim has been rejected, you need to get in touch with the insurance company or the TPA to enquire about more details. If required, you will need to file your claim again.

Life is precious, and so are your belongings. It is the best to secure each of them right after purchasing as many general insurance companies in India provide covers for such belongings, thereby preventing you from being in a huge loss.

Do you travel a lot by road? Are you tired of waiting for your turn at toll plazas on the interstate highways or expressways? Do you wish to get done with it as quickly as possible? If yes, then you must get a FASTag! As the name suggests, a FASTag is a tag which is a mean to ensure faster transit across toll plazas. The tag is placed on the windshield of the car and uses Radio Frequency Identification Technology. The tag is scanned by the tag readers placed at toll booths who then deduct the toll amount from the FASTag account. All toll plazas placed along the national highways are now using FASTag for payment of toll as per the guidelines of the government of India.

As the balance in FASTag reduces, the user needs to reload the balance in the linked wallet account or the linked bank account. By eliminating the need for cash payments at toll plazas, FASTag ensures a quicker and smoother flow of traffic.

The following reasons highlight how using a FASTag can help you save time on your journey: -

● Quick payment- As there is a FASTag affixed to your car, you wouldn't have to search your wallet for cash which ultimately reduces the duration of the transaction and your time is saved.

● Less fuel wastage - As you do not need to stop and restart your vehicle, less petrol or diesel is burned, which saves your fuel tank from draining quickly.

● Hassle-free recharge - You can easily recharge your FASTag using various methods like Internet banking, mobile wallet apps, NEFT, RTGS or even your credit and debit cards.

● Message alerts - Every time your FASTag is used, you get an alert SMS on the mobile number registered with the card which ensures the prevention of its misuse.

● Long validity - A FASTag is valid for five years, which means you need not worry about changing it frequently.

● No requirement of cash - The work of cash is taken over by the FASTag. Therefore, it eliminates the necessity of carrying cash for toll payments.

● Online portals - You can check the transactions made using your FASTag whenever you wish using specific web portals meant for the same.

Now, onto some Frequently Asked Questions: -

How to get a FASTag?

To buy a FASTag, you can ask the toll plaza employee for their sales department, or contact authorized agencies or banks that sell them. Many platforms offer car insurance quotes online and sell FASTag as well.

How much does a FASTag cost?

Generally, a FASTag can cost you around two hundred rupees for the purchase, which excludes recharge expenses.

Where is it placed?

FASTags are affixed on the windshield of the car in a very specific manner that allows the scanners placed at the toll plaza to scan it.

How to know if your card has been used?

As stated in the above benefits, a text message is delivered to the registered mobile phone when the FASTag is used. This is a sort of confirmation to the owner that payment has been made.

Do you need to maintain a certain balance?

You don't need to maintain a balance for sure, but yes there is a minimum value for a top-up of the tag which amounts to a hundred rupees.

Where is a FASTag valid?

Throughout the country, a FASTag can be used to make payments at toll plazas regardless of the city or state.

While getting FASTag will help you zoom seamlessly on the highways, do remember to check car insurance quotes online to get protection against possible accidents and incidents while on the road.

For a lot of us, learning how to ride a two-wheeler involved tripping and falling, messing up the gears, and what not! Initially, it required someone to sit behind us to make sure that we do not accelerate much and that the bike does not go astray. The day you realized that you learned to ride was the day when you kissed freedom. The feeling was new, enthralling. A single, gentle twist at the accelerator could send you roaring. Learning how to ride can be challenging. However, before you begin your learning endeavors, it is essential to make sure that you have got your bike insurance in place. Having two-wheeler insurance online in India can save you much trouble as you maneuver your way with your first bike, trying to master its control. Here, we will look at a few hacks for new two-wheeler learners so that their learning curve is smooth and hassle-free.

Don’t put weight on the handle

It is easy to assume that a tight grip on the handle will make riding more comfortable, but it is not quite so. When you have a tight grip on the handle, it becomes hard to steer the bike. The trick here is to have a loose grip on the bike’s handle. Most of the time, you don’t even have to turn the handle. When you are cruising at a moderate speed, a little bit of weight-leaning through the handle does the job of steering.

Watch out on your brake technique

There is one rule which goes with putting on the brakes: when you brake your bike, do not brake all of a sudden, unless of course there’s a bovine in front of you, which could be highly likely while driving around Indian towns. Make it a point to practice braking on both the front and rear wheel together — this will make the bike slow down more smoothly.Also, remember that you should avoid using the clutch while braking, as the chances are that your bike might skid and fall. Holding on to the clutch while putting on the breaks can have disastrous consequences on slippery roads.

Accelerate gently

Do not accelerate your bike all of a sudden. It will just waste fuel and work up your engine for no good. Besides, a sudden increase in speed could make the bike go out of hand. The ideal way around it is accelerating slowly, gently. Moreover, it will also help you maintain that balance as the bike slowly gains speed.

Before you set out on the road, it is essential to make sure that you have good insurance at hand. Magma HDI two-wheeler insurance online in India comes with long-term insurance plans that can help you stay away from any legal trouble while you master your riding skills. A Magma HDI bike insurance stands out as it has support for anti-theft devices and. Among other features, you also get access to personal accident cover, which ensures your financial safety as well.

While choosing an insurance policy, the claim settlement ratio of the insurer is a major factor to consider. An insurance claim is filed to get coverage for the losses or damages you sustain due to the occurrence of an event as specified in the policy. Hence, proper claim settlement is an essential pre-requisite in your risk management system. When selecting an insurance company, you must check if it provides timely and easy settlement of valid claims.

Process to file claims

Step 1: Reporting the incident

When an event occurs, the claimant should submit a written intimation to the insurer for initiating the claim process. The faster you set the ball rolling; the sooner will be the settlement. Here, you should also make sure that your policy covers the event for which you’re filing the claim.

Step 2: Complete the documentation

For a smooth claims process, you need to submit the right documents within the stipulated timelines. Most of the insurance companies have online claim filing system where you can send the forms and upload images for ratification.

Step 3: Evaluation process

Before settlement of the claim, the insurance company will evaluate the veracity of your claim through an external investigation. Hence, you should be clear about the facts when filing the claim.

Step 4: Settlement of claim

As per the regulations of IRDA, the insurer has to settle a claim within 30 days after receiving documents and verification or pay interest. If any claim requires further investigation, the process should be completed within 6 months from the date of the written filing of the claim.

Technicalities that may occur when filing a claim

When filing your claim, you should be aware of common problems and technicalities that may impede the process. That includes:

If there’s any pre-existing ailment

Any ailments that a policyholder had before the issuance of the first policy are called pre-existing ailments. These conditions and diseases must be declared when buying the policy. If the company discovers them during claim settlement, it can restrict the entire process.

If nominee details aren’t updated

The legal battle between the nominee and an heir can be prolonged due to incorrect nominee details. You should update the nominee information as it changes over the term of your policy.

If the policy lapses

When you fail to pay premiums on time, the policy will lapse automatically. Some insurance companies give a grace period for payment of premiums beyond the due dates but your vehicle is not covered for that period of time. So, you should adhere to your payment schedule, or else it can lead to repudiation of your claim later on.

The right insurer

An insurance policy is an excellent financial product, and claim settlement is the main component of this product. Hence, you should select the right insurer after checking their claim settlement ratio.

Remember, the claim settlement ratio represents the total number of claims made by the customers against the total claims settled by the company. Compare the top insurers on this factor to make so you can pick the best car insurance in India.

Thus, you can use claims as an effective tool to determine the performance and reliability of an insurer.