Your car is a major financial investment. Meaning any losses or damages incurred to the vehicle can significantly affect you. This includes instances like theft, where there is either a partial or total vehicular loss.
Moreover, a stolen car insurance claim process can be complex if you are unfamiliar with it, as it needs extensive documentation and proof of theft, even for online paperless claims.
Hence, we have explained all the steps involved in a car theft and insurance claim process so that you know exactly what to do if your car ever gets stolen. But before all else, you must have a valid car insurance or do your car insurance renewal before it expires.
Starting Your Car Theft Insurance Claim Process
If your car or your car’s components get stolen, you must file a claim to get compensated for your losses, and your insurer will reimburse you up to the IDV (Insured Declared Value) of your car. Sounds simple enough. However, a car theft insurance claim involves multiple steps.
Moreover, much like a car insurance renewal, your car theft insurance claim must be filed within a specific time frame to get approved and processed. This period will vary across insurers, but it should be submitted as soon as possible to ensure timely approval.
Follow the 5 easy steps below when filing your car theft and insurance claim to ensure you are properly compensated for your loss.
Step 1: File an FIR
Once you realise your car has been stolen, you must first inform your local police station and file an FIR (First Information Report). Once you have provided them with relevant details, you will get a copy of the FIR that you must keep to submit to your insurer.
Step 2: Contact Your Insurer
The next step would be to inform your insurer of the theft. This can be done online through their official website or in person.
To initiate a claim, you must fill out and submit a claim form and provide details like your policy number, car details, etc.
Step 3: Inform Your RTO
After notifying your insurer, you must notify your registered RTO (Regional Transport Office) about the car theft.
You must fill out a few forms with your signature, which the RTO officer will then sign. After which, you will be given your transfer papers, which must be submitted to your insurer.
Step 4: Submit the Required Documents to Your Insurer
Your insurer will ask for a set of documents to submit to process your initiated claim:
- Original FIR copy.
- Copy of insurance documents (policy certificate, endorsement forms, etc.).
- The filled and signed claim form.
- Driving license copy.
- RC book copy.
- RTO transfer papers and other relevant RTO forms.
Apart from documentation, you must also submit your original car keys (two sets) to the insurer.
Step 5: Collect the No-Trace Report from the Police
The police will begin their investigation once your FIR has been filed. If they cannot trace your car to a location within a particular time frame, you will be given a no-trace report from the police station.
This document is mandatory to get the car theft insurance claim settlement from your insurer.
How Long Does A Stolen Car Insurance Claim Take To Get Settled?
A no-trace report is generated after 30 days or more from registering your police complaint. Apart from this, it can take up to 60 – 90 days for your insurer to generate the IDV of your car.
Accounting for all of these procedures, the whole stolen car insurance claim process can easily take 3 – 4 months.
What To Do If Your Stolen Car Insurance Claim is Rejected?
Your claim may get rejected for any number of reasons, including:
- The claim was not filed on time.
- Neglect or Carelessness. If your insurer believes you have not taken adequate steps to protect your car.
- Mismatch in the documents submitted or if they were not submitted on time.
- If you were using a personal vehicle for commercial use.
- You can not present two sets of your car keys to the insurer.
If you are not happy about your claim getting rejected, you can approach the insurer ombudsman to get the issue settled.
Conclusion
Claims settlement processes often have strict guidelines that you and the insurer must adhere to to ensure proper reimbursement during vehicle theft. Always ensure you submit the required documents to your insurer as soon as possible and follow the stated guidelines to avoid delays.
Most reputable insurers have hassle-free stolen car insurance claim processes that ensure quick reimbursements. Tata AIG’s car insurance claim process, for example, is fully digitised and has a claims tracking feature so you can keep track of the whole process.
