How to Claim Car Insurance After an Accident in India

The moments immediately after an accident determine how smoothly your claim will be processed. First, ensure everyone's safety - move to a safe area if possible and call emergency services (112) if anyone is injured. Do not panic about the vehicle while people need medical attention.

Photograph everything before moving the vehicles: the position of both cars, all visible damage, skid marks, road conditions, traffic signals, and the registration plates of all vehicles involved. These photos are your primary evidence. In India's claims process, surveyors and insurers heavily rely on photographic evidence from the scene.

Call your insurance company's 24-hour helpline immediately (available on your policy document and app). Inform them of the accident. Most insurers have a mobile app where you can log the claim in real time. Do not get your car repaired before the insurer's surveyor inspects it - starting repairs before inspection can lead to claim rejection.

An FIR (First Information Report) at the police station is mandatory in three situations: (1) theft of your vehicle - without an FIR, your theft claim will be rejected outright; (2) accidents involving third-party bodily injury or death - the Motor Vehicles Act requires police involvement; (3) hit-and-run accidents where the other vehicle fled the scene.

For minor accidents between two vehicles with no injuries and both parties agree to settle through insurance, an FIR is not mandatory. However, it is advisable to file one even in borderline cases, as it creates an official record that protects you from disputes later. Many network garages and some insurers now ask for the FIR copy or at least a police station acknowledgement even for minor claims.

For theft claims specifically, you will also need a Final Non-Traceable Report (Form 54) from the police - issued when the police formally declare they cannot find the vehicle. This is typically issued after 90 days of investigation and is required before the insurer will settle a total loss (theft) claim.

A cashless claim is the most convenient option. You take your car to one of your insurer's network garages (listed on their website/app). The garage directly bills the insurer for the covered repair amount. You only pay the deductible (compulsory excess), any non-covered items (consumables if you don't have the add-on), and any depreciation on parts (unless you have zero dep cover). You don't need to arrange funds upfront.

A reimbursement claim is used when you repair at a non-network garage - perhaps because the accident happened in a remote area or the network garage was too far. You pay the full repair bill out of pocket, submit the original invoices, bills, and payment receipts to your insurer, and the insurer reimburses the covered amount. Reimbursement takes 15–30 working days after document submission.

Choose cashless whenever possible: it's faster (5–7 working days for most repairs), simpler, and eliminates the risk of disputes over whether you overpaid for repairs. Reimbursement can be useful for emergencies but involves more paperwork and a longer wait.

For all accident claims, you need: duly filled claim form (available from insurer/app), copy of your driving licence, copy of RC (Registration Certificate), copy of the insurance policy, original repair bills and payment receipts (for reimbursement), photographs of the damage, and the surveyor's report (the insurer arranges the surveyor).

Additional documents for specific scenarios: FIR copy (for accidents with injury, theft, or major damage), police final report (for theft claims), medical bills if you are claiming personal accident benefit, and the third-party's details (name, licence, vehicle RC, insurer) if a third-party claim is also being made.

• Filled claim intimation form
• Copy of driving licence (DL)
• Copy of Registration Certificate (RC)
• Insurance policy copy / certificate
• Original repair invoice and payment receipt (reimbursement only)
• FIR copy (theft, injury, or hit-and-run cases)
• Photographs of damage and accident scene
• Non-Traceable Report from police (theft only)

After you intimate the claim, your insurer will assign a motor surveyor within 24–48 hours. The surveyor inspects the vehicle and prepares an assessment report. For cashless claims at a network garage, repair approval is typically given within 1–2 working days of survey. Repairs take as long as they take, but the insurer settles directly with the garage within 7 days of submission of the final invoice.

For reimbursement claims, after you submit all documents, the insurer has 30 days to settle the claim under IRDAI regulations. In practice, straightforward claims are settled in 15–20 working days. If your claim is rejected or you disagree with the settlement amount, you can raise a grievance with the insurer's Grievance Cell. Unresolved complaints can be escalated to the Insurance Ombudsman or IRDAI's Bima Bharosa portal.

For theft claims, the timeline is longer. After filing FIR, you must wait for the Non-Traceable Report (typically 90 days). After receiving it, submit to the insurer - they then have 30 days to settle. For stolen vehicles financed by a bank, the settlement goes to the bank (hypothecation holder) first to clear the loan balance, with any residual amount going to you.