Keep Your Car Safe Against Fire This Diwali With Car Insurance

The growing number of cars on the Indian roads is not only the reason for increasing pollution levels and traffic jams but also for the increased chances of fire incidents in recent years. Since Diwali is round the corner, the thought that comes to mind after lights, sweets and gifts, is related to fire incidents. Every year, despite practicing a number of precautions, we come to know about unfortunate fire incidents especially crackers blasts causing damage to cars and other properties during Diwali.

Since the happening of fire incidents can only be minimized and not eliminated, we must all keep ourselves insured against potential losses with the help of car insurance. By owning a car insurance policy, you can insure your car against damages incurred by your car in a fire incident or explosion during the time of Diwali.

Is My Car Insured For Fire Under All Types of Car Insurance Policies?

There are three types of car insurance policies - third-party car insurance, comprehensive car insurance and standalone own-damage car insurance policy. Damage incurred by your car in a fire or explosion is covered only under comprehensive and standalone own-damage car insurance policies and not under third party/liability only car insurance policies.

How To Make For A Car Insurance Claim For Fire Incident?

Follow the steps mentioned below to raise a claim for fire damage of your car with your car insurance company:

1. Intimate The Insurer

The first thing you should do is to report the incident to the insurance company. Quick reporting of the occurrence helps the insurer to make an arrangement for a spot survey.

2. Filing An FIR

File an FIR with the police for the incident. In case of fire damage, insurance companies generally ask for an FIR as it helps them know details like date, time, place, and precise description of the incident. With the help of the FIR, the insurer executes its own investigation procedure.

3. Documentation

If the inspection process confirms the validity of your claim, the insurer will begin with the documentation for the claim process.

4. Claim Settlement

Upon completion of the documentation process, the insurer will disburse the claim amount to you.

Can My Car Insurance Claim Get Rejected?

A car insurance claim made by you can get rejected for the following reasons:

• If the car catches fire due to sparks from the battery or damage to the electric wiring system, then the claim will be rejected.
• If the fire accident happens due to a mistake while replacing or installing an AC or LPG gas kit, the insurer will reject the claim.
• Mechanical defects like fuel seepage, oil leakage, overheating of the engine are some other common reasons for the rejection of a claim.

Precautions Which Keep Your Car Safe Against Fire

A car insurance plan is definitely a proactive way to insure yourself for potential financial obligations which may arise due to a fire incident during Diwali. Even after safeguarding yourself with a car insurance policy, we recommend the following precautions for your car’s better safety:

1. Park your car in a garage, if you do not have one, try to find a safe place where there is no chance of it catching fire due to crackers or other fireworks. You can also try for a commercial parking lot at the time of Diwali, as there are guards who keep a watch on your vehicle.
2. Carry a portable fire extinguisher to keep yourself safe during a fire incident.

For further reading:

How to Purchase a Car Insurance Policy Online?

Disclaimer: This article is issued in general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.