While driving your own car in the UAE can be thrilling there is no guarantee accidents won’t happen because accidents can happen to the best. Damages to your car can come in any form – a road accident, theft of car or parts, a natural calamity or even a building/tree crashing on the vehicle while parked. In the event of a road accident, many car owners abhor the car insurance rigmarole -your insurance broker is the best person to step in on your behalf and acquaint you with the DOs and DONTs to help you file the claim.
Do’s
- Call the police and file an FIR
In the event of a road accident, or whoever is at fault, the cardinal rule is to be present at the accident scene,inform the matter to the police and file an FIR (First Information Report) first. An FIR is a necessary document to initiate claims or if there is injury of the third party or death. However, not all accidents (those with minor dents and scratches) require an FIR necessarily.
- Call the insurer and inform about the accident
After the FIR, you must contact your car insurance provider to assess damages and claims within the stipulated window – anywhere from 48-hours to a week to avoid any rejection of the claim. This is also the time when you can make the best of policy inclusions and benefits with your insurance provider like roadside assistance, pick up and towing of the vehicle.
- Click pictures as evidence and proof
It is very important that you click as many pictures of the damage at the accident scene to submit as valid proof to strengthen and support your claim towards settlement. Alongwith pictures, take extensive details of the witnesses around, their names and contact details which come in handy at the time of investigation to expedite any car insurance claims process.
- Call in medical aid to tend to injury
As important are calls to the police and the insurance company, so is calling in medical services to take stock of any bodily injury to self or third party and death in unfortunate situations.
- Read policy document and forward required documents to the insurance provider
To initiate the claims process, your insurance broker can help you with understanding the clauses of the policy document, the process and time to be taken, extent of coverage, standard inclusions and exclusions and exceptions if any. Your insurance broker will also help in arranging documents like filling out the claim form, a copy of the insurance policy of the incumbent, a copy of the RC (Registration Certificate) and a copy of the valid DL (Driving License).
Don’ts
- Not to run away from the accident scene
It is criminal to run away from the accident scene. The investigation team from the insurance provider will want to assess the situation and damage.One must avoid driving the car after the accident as any extra damage outside the accident may reduce your claim coverage or rejection of the same. No repair works should be initiated in the interim unless initiated/approved by your car insurance provider.
- Not to conceal any facts
One must resist hiding any accident related details with the police or the car insurance provider at the time of investigation as it can lead to rejection of the claim on the grounds of insufficient data or unclear information and render the policy invalid.
- Not to settle outside of insurance settlement
One must avoid any third party offers trying to settle any damages caused to you without involving and informing the concerned authorities or your car insurance provider. Doing this makes the accident illegal and any claims process will be rejected with no compensation.
- Not to sign any papers in haste
One must not sign any car insurance related form or paper without having gone through the fine print of inclusions, exclusions, exceptions and discounts like no-claim bonus. Your insurance broker and legal expert should help navigate you through this process.
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