Quick Steps to Stake a Claim for Auto Insurance in UAE

Making a claim for your automobile can be a nightmare if it’s your first time. The negotiations, the white sheets that you need to sign and the different terms that are mentioned in them can make you very stressed adding to the the stress of an auto accident you are already in.

Furthermore, you can also have issues with your Insurer whether they are doing the math right and not safeguarding their interest only. Before landing in such a situation, having some knowledge can help you get through it.

Here are some of the things you need to know before making a claim for auto insurance:

Know what’s covered:

It’s best to know what your policy covers. This gives you a whole idea of what can be claimed and what cannot be. Do go through the policy thoroughly (even the small print which everyone tends to ignore or skip as it is too fine a small print).

Next, the terms that you must be aware of:

Insured Declared Value (IDV) – which is the amount the insurer promises for your vehicle which changes every year at the time of renewal.

Zero Percent Depreciation Value – Check whether the insurance policy has this line, which means there will be no depreciation to your vehicle’s tires and alloys.

PA Cover – This specifies an amount that can be claimed if the person is injured or dead in an accident.

Required proofs and documents:

• The police report is mandatory after an accident

This is a mandatory document when you happen to be in an accident and there are any casualties from your side or to the other person who was involved. It is to be noted that in Dubai, a mobile application called the “Dubai police mobile app” can help you file a police report in a simple and easy way.

This report will be required by both the police and the insurer, as it covers the details about the accident as well as the exact information of the party/parties involved.

• Vehicle registration certificate:

This is one important proof which details about the vehicle from the purchase date to the engine number.

• Driver’s license:

As everyone knows, this document is the ideal proof which specifies whether a driver is legal to drive or not. The legal age for driving in UAE is 17.

Informing the Insurer as soon as possible:

Before making a claim, you need to inform the insurer about what exactly happened. This is the most important step before making a claim. This will make the insurer prepare documents necessary for the recovery. It would even better if you can take photos of the accident spot, the damages to your vehicle/other party and their vehicle thus ensuring there is a chain of evidence that is not mixed up.

You will be asked by the insurer to submit the police report and the policy number that can be found on your registration card. You will need to fill in a claim form provided by the insurer which will take care of the claims promised by them. After analyzing your policy and the damage that happened, the insurer would take the necessary steps.

The insurer would ask you to go to the nearest service center and give the vehicle for repair.

From this point onwards, the insurer would take care of the process.

Do not sign any documents without any prior knowledge:

Always clarify before signing, what the document is and what terms is being stated. You can approach the insurer for a better understanding of the document if in doubt.

Keep the documents for future reference:

Always keep proofs such as pictures and documents of the accident that took place in a safe place, as you might need them for future reference.

Though the Government makes every effort to ensure there is no mishap or accident involving vehicles or persons, it is unfortunate that these do take place and it is prudent to be safe than sorry. Be insured and be safe. Always