‘Take precautions while claiming insurance of water logged vehicle’

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of people residing in the city and especially West Nagpur have suffered heavy losses to their vehicles due to water logging and flooding due to the recent heavy rains and as such they should take various precautions before submitting an insurance claim, said Prashant Dixit, General Secretary of General Insurance Employees Union (West Zone) while speaking to The Hitavada. Dixit further said that the first thing an owner of a water logged two-wheeler or four-wheeler is not to turn on the ignition of the vehicle. Furthermore, they should disconnect the negative cable of the battery this avoids chances of short circuit. To claim insurance take plenty of photos inside and outside of the vehicle to document the damage. Afterwards wait atleast 24 hours before one does anything, giving it time to drain. Dixit suggested that a vehicle would be in better shape if the water level has not risen above the centre line of the vehicle. Vehicle owners should get their vehicle towed to a service station or dealer to ascertain the damage.

 

Apart from this, Pradeep Dharamthok, President of General Insurance Employees Union (West Zone) said that if a vehicle owner of flooded vehicle wants to claim insurance claim has to intimate the general insurance company and give the estimate of repairs or loss provided by the workshop or dealer. The insurance company would provide a claim form to be completely filled in by the owner of the vehicle. The vehicle owner should write the reason for claiming insurance amount. In this case, he should write water logging or flood in premises due to heavy rains in Nagpur. Afterwhich, the insurance company will send a surveyor to ascertain the damage. The surveyor will inspect the vehicle and finalise the estimate of repairs or loss. After this process, the vehicle owner should go ahead with the repairs of the vehicle. If the vehicle owner has cashless claim facility the insurance company will give the claim amount after deducting the policy deduction charges directly to the dealer or workshop where the repairs are carried out. In this case, the vehicle owner should first intimate the insurance company before taking possession of the vehicle.

 

Otherwise, the claim amount will be given directly in the name of vehicle owner. Dharamthok further said that the vehicle owners having ‘Comprehensive on Damage plus Third Party Policy’ can only claim insurance for damages or losses. People with only third party insurance policy are not eligible for claims. Also, people with householder policy or fire policy can claim losses on appliances and electrical equipment due to water logging or flooding. As disaster has struck Nagpur due to the recent rains which is a natural calamity, the general insurance companies will be making settlements on a war footing, he added.