It is mandatory for all motor vehicles registered in the country to have insurance cover. This is laid down under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, making it a legal requirement to carry an insurance certificate and vehicle registration and pollution certificate for your vehicle.
When buying car insurance, you can either opt for third-party car insurance online or purchase comprehensive insurance. Coverage is limited for liabilities incurred to the other person under a third-party cover, whereas own damage along with third-party cover is a part of comprehensive coverage. Having own-damage cover benefits by attending coverage for unfortunate events that are otherwise not included in the liability-only cover.
Let’s understand what network garages are –
Network garages are those service stations that are affiliated with the insurance company. These affiliated service stations offer the facility of cashless car insurance repairs, thereby eliminating the need to pay for any repair costs from your pocket.
How do cashless garages work?
When you have a vehicle breakdown or in case of an accident, the first step is to inform your insurance company. This can be done using a round-the-clock helpline number that can help your lodge your claims.
Next, drive or tow your vehicle to the closest network garage. The insurance company will send a surveyor to assess the damage to your vehicle and submit a report to the insurance company. Once approval from the insurance company is received, then only the repairs to your vehicle are commenced.
After completion of the repairs, the insurer directly settles the insurance claim with the network garage. The insurance company only pays for the repairs that are covered by your policy. Any additional repairs that are not part of your policy coverage need to be borne by you.
Now that you know how a cashless claim works, here are some of the benefits of using a cashless policy at a network garage –
Convenience: The main advantage of a cashless facility is eliminating hassles involved in the reimbursement process. There is convenience where you no longer need to look after the invoices of repairs and their submission.
Top-notch service: Your insurance company first vets the network garages before making them available to you. This provides a badge of trust and ensures that you avail the best service while sending your precious vehicle for any repairs or replacements.
Direct claim settlement: With a network garage facility, the insurance company directly settled the cashless claims. You need not worry about submitting any documents except following the procedure laid out by your insurer.
These are some of the advantages of getting a cashless facility in your car insurance policy. While there are myriad policies to choose from, a comparison of the different features, including the presence of a wide network garage facility, will help select the right policy for you. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.
