The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted rainfall to hit India within a week. The rains are coming, which means that we will see a quick respite from the heat. While the moisture in the air will be a welcome change from the current boiling temperature, driving in the rains can be a tiresome affair, especially, with wheels stuck in the slush or water logging into the car engine, thus, posing an unwanted risk to your vehicle.
Such incidents of your car engine being damaged or getting stuck on the road cannot be avoided, though expenses on the same can be passed on to the insurance company only if you have the necessary insurance coverage. This explains why you must buy a comprehensive car insurance policy and not restrict yourself to buying a third-party insurance plan. The former also allows you to seek a pre-monsoon maintenance of your vehicle apart from a few add-on covers taken for its overall protection.
Why buy an engine protection cover?
Many people are not aware that simply buying a comprehensive insurance cover does not secure them against the damage to the car’s engine or gearbox. This can be damaging, especially, for car owners living in areas prone to heavy rains, frequent waterlogging and floods. War enters the engine and damages it. Replacing the engine or repairing it can cause you to spend thousands of rupees. Seeking an engine protection add-on cover means that the cost of repairing the engine is covered even if it is damaged due to water entering it while driving in a water-choked region.
You can avail of this add-on cover at a nominal premium equal to 0.15-0.2 per cent of the insured declared value (IDV) of the vehicle, thus, saving you a lot of money on the payment towards engine repair.
Despite having paid for this add-on cover, many people complain about their claims being rejected. This is because most of those insured fail to realize that they must not try to start the vehicle once it has stalled. Switching on the engine forcefully will only cause it to guzzle in more water, thus, damaging it. However, starting the engine despite water logging amounts to an act of negligence. Failing to do so gives enough leverage to the insurers to reject the payout.
Availing roadside assistance
This is another much-needed add-on cover that you cannot afford to ignore. Available with a comprehensive car insurance policy, this cover is of much use to the policyholders facing hassles when their vehicles break down all of a sudden while driving. Imagine yourself in a situation wherein your car stops suddenly in the middle of nowhere with no automobile repair shop nearby. This is possible as water logging can be an impediment to many vehicles plying on the roads. How many times have we found ourselves stuck in such situations wherein we have sought help from passers-by for repair or requested them to lug our vehicles to the repair centre?
This cover ensures that we do not have to go seeking help in case of an unforeseen vehicle breakdown. The insurance company ensures that you receive professional help in the event of your vehicle breakdown during the middle of your journey. Not all breakdowns may be major. Sometimes, your car may need some minor adjustments or repairs. The customer then gets assistance over the phone from technicians allocated by the insurer.
If the car has stopped due to a mechanical or electrical fault or has met with a major accident, proper steps are taken for the car to be towed away to the nearest garage for necessary servicing. In case of battery breakdown, professional help is availed to the customer for battery replacement or repairs. Many people complain about how their keys have either been stolen or they are unable to start their vehicles owing to damaged or deformed keys. The insurance service provider then sends someone with a spare set of keys to your place.
Not always your car would break down in your city, which means that the insurance company must be adept to provide you with the desired and promised services even at other locations. This explains why some insurance companies help their customers seek hotel accommodation in case of a major car breakdown that would need major repairs. Along with the hotel accommodation, the insurer also arranges for the much-needed transport facility to take you to the hotel or accommodation.
Added covers
Inundation due to heavy floods may cause your car to be completely damaged. If you are driving an expensive car whose repair costs equally run in thousands of rupees, you may as well opt for a “Return to Invoice” cover. Think of what becomes of your expensive car when it is damaged beyond repair or is completely dysfunctional under the impact of heavy rains and flash floods.
Having this add-on cover gives you receive compensation equal to the car’s invoice value, i.e., the original amount you paid for the vehicle when you had bought it. However, for this cover to be active, the insurance company must be convinced that the car is completely damaged or destroyed and there is no way to revive its functioning.
You may also opt for the “Zero Depreciation Car Insurance” cover, which means that the insurance company will not deduct the depreciation amount while adhering to your insurance claims. Not many realize that without this cover, they will receive an amount much less than they claimed in insurance. This is because the insurers will pay the claim after lessening the depreciation amount, thus, explaining the need to opt for this add-on cover.
Flood damage is common with some parts of the country already reeling under its effects. Heavy rains tend to hamper the functioning of many vehicles on road or render them completely useless. Without a comprehensive car insurance cover in place, you might find yourself in a soup with the car stopping or being stuck midway due to the water damaging the engine and slush getting into its intricately designed parts.
