Do Personal Belongings Get Covered Under Car Insurance in Case of Vehicle Theft?
The theft of your car can
truly leave you shocked and worried. Fortunately, a comprehensive car insurance
policy will serve you well in such a situation by reimbursing you with the IDV
(insured declared value) of your vehicle. This compensation can help ease out
your stress; however, there still may be one question that looms over your
mind:
‘What about my personal belongings
left behind in the car? Does insurance cover those too?’
Let’s find out.
Personal belongings add-on
A Motor Insurance Policy will only offer coverage for the vehicle in question. This means that the payout will not compensate you for any things you might have left inside the car – such as items in the glove compartment or trunk. The good news is that you can take the right steps to ensure you do receive the value of these belongings in the unfortunate event that your car is stolen. You simply need to opt in for the personal belongings cover add-on in your car insurance policy.
A personal belongings cover
will compensate you for any items of personal value that unfortunately were
left behind in a stolen vehicle. These may generally include things such as a
laptop or a cell phone.
Looking at the exclusions
Now, it is important to note
that even a personal belongings cover comes with its own set of exclusions.
These exclusions help ensure that the overall
online vehicle insurance policy’s premium
stays affordable for the policyholder.
Generally, any claim under this add-on is invalid if:
·
The
vehicle was in the possession of someone else (friend/relative/any third party)
at the time of theft
·
The
items in the vehicle are not the personal property of the insured policyholder
·
The
insured party forgets to mention the list of personal belongings in their
police report
·
The
theft remains unreported within 24 hours of the insured party discovering it
Additionally, any documents left
in the car are not covered under this add-on. Some insurance policies may also
not accept the claim if the theft has happened as a result of carelessness on
the vehicle owner’s part. Each insurance provider will have their own list of
what is included or excluded under personal belongings cover so, be sure to
inquire into the details.
Process of filing claim
If your vehicle has
unfortunately been stolen, you need to immediately file an FIR at the police
station. After filing an FIR, make sure to contact your insurance provider so
that they can guide you on what you need to do to make a proper claim. Make
sure to complete both these steps within 24 hours of discovering the theft.
You will have to fill a theft
claim form and submit it along withthe documents that are needed by your
insurance provider such as the FIR report copy and report of police
investigation. Once you have duly completed the process of filing a claim, your
insurance provider will get in touch with you about further steps as per their
system. Also, do not forget to inform
the RTO about the theft of your vehicle.
A comprehensive car insurance
policy can truly help safeguard you from financial loss in the event of car
theft. Make sure to supplement your car insurance policy with add-ons
like personal belongings cover to increase the scope of reimbursement. Discuss
your needs in detail with an insurance advisor before signing up for a policy.
Finally, remember that insurance is mandatory for all motorists in India. We
hope this article has been helpful. Drive safe.
Comments
Post a Comment