A car insurance surveyor is a person hired by the insurance company to measure the damages suffered by the vehicle during an accident or any other incident. When the surveyor submits a detailed assessment report with estimated damages to the insurance company, it discharges the insurance claim made by the insured. So, a car insurance survey is crucial during any car insurance claim settlement and will impact the overall claim value you will receive.
Given the criticality of the survey, the car insurance surveyor needs to perform inspections thoroughly and with complete fairness. In case of accidents and eventual claim settlements, the surveyor will follow the insurance company's standard procedure to inspect any damage or loss due to an accident, theft, or natural calamities.
Post the survey, the surveyor will create a report and submit it to the insurance company. The report will put out the eligible claim settlement amount based on the surveyor's analysis of the incident. Here's everything you should know about the surveyor and its role in the claim settlement process of car insurance.
When does the Insurance Company Employ an Insurance Surveyor?
Whenever there is damage to the vehicle due to an accident or any other incident, it is mandatory for you to first inform about it your insurance provider. Once you have informed the insurance company of the incident, it will send a surveyor to inspect the damages and causes of it. They will submit a detailed report, after which the insurance company will initiate the claim.
As per the law, whenever the insurance claim amount payable is less than INR 20,000, a company deploys a general surveyor. A general surveyor will do a routine check-up of the car and need not have detailed technical expertise.
However, a licensed surveyor is deployed if the insurance claim is more than INR 50,000. Since the amount is high, the car insurance surveyor will have to do a thorough check-up, including an engine inspection, damages to the exteriors, particular car parts, and more.
How to Inform and Communicate with the Car Insurance Surveyor?
In most cases, you will not be allowed to meet with the surveyor to keep the entire survey neutral. However, if the situation calls for a meeting with the surveyor, you can have decent and correct communication with the insurance surveyor. It will help ensure a smooth car insurance claim settlement. Here are a few things to remember when communicating with the car insurance surveyor.
Do Not Touch or Drive the Damaged Vehicle
After you have informed your car insurance company about the incident, do not touch, move or drive the vehicle. If the vehicle is used in a damaged condition, the insurance company can reject the insurance claim.
Also, do not get any repairs or fixes done before the survey. The car should be repaired only after the surveyor has completed his investigation of the damages caused by the accident and has submitted the report to the insurance company.
Disclose All the Incident-related Details
Describe the exact incident, which led to the accident, in the claim form. A detailed explanation of the scratches, dents and damages to the vehicle should be given with pictures, videos, and witnesses, if any, which help the surveyor understand exactly what has transpired.
Also, make sure to file an FIR in case of a crash, injuries, or damage done to a third party. This is important as you can provide strong evidence and documents to support your claim and let the surveyor get all the details required.
Differentiate Between New and Old Damages
While raising a claim, provide accurate information about the new and old scratches, dents, and damages to the car. The surveyor will note this in the claim report and validate it with you. If there are any discrepancies regarding the same, it can impact the final claim amount.
Keep All Communication Brief and on Record
When communicating with the surveyor, ensure you maintain all the records like emails, messages, or other communications. You may even request the surveyor and record your conversation if it happens in person, as it can act as strong evidence in case of any disputes in your claim.
Read the Claim Report Thoroughly Before Signing
When the claim report is created, it will require your signature to verify the authenticity of the information provided. Make sure to review this document thoroughly and ensure that it has all the details. After putting on your signature, you will receive a copy of the claim report.
Responsibilities of a Surveyor
The essential responsibility of a surveyor is to inspect the damaged vehicle and provide a detailed report to the insurance company, including all the damages, injuries, etc. Below are some of the roles and responsibilities of a surveyor you should be aware of during an insurance claim:
Attention to Detail
The surveyor will carry out an extensive evaluation of the damages caused to the vehicle. The officer will consider every minute detail of the damage before making the final report.
Being Unbiased with Both The Parties
The insurance surveyor is expected to be neutral with both parties to ensure that the report and the entire claim settlement process are unbiased.
Make a Proper Assessment of the Incident
An insurance surveyor should adequately investigate and inspect the damages and calculate the loss incurred to the vehicle. The officer needs to submit the report on time with all the facts and details.
Disclose Any Conflict of Interest
It is always advisable for the surveyor to disclose any relation or friendship with the policyholder to the insurance company. The disclosure should be made before the survey. Suppose there is some personal relationship with the policyholder. In that case, it can hamper the neutrality of the settlement process, and the insurance company can even reject the report prepared by this surveyor.
Timeliness
A surveyor should ensure a complete investigation of the incident before submitting a detailed report to the insurance company on time so that the policyholder receives a claim promptly.
Providing Feedback
The car insurance surveyor can make recommendations or provide feedback on the vehicle during the settlement process. This can include the damages, the impact of depreciation on the claim amount, etc.
Conclusion
Whenever there is damage to the vehicle due to an accident or other covered incidents, the insurance company provides the policyholder with the appropriate amount of insurance claim. The fairness is made possible by an accurate report created by the car insurance surveyor.
Since the survey will determine the amount you will get from the insurer, keep all insurance-related documents handy and provide accurate details to the surveyor to make this process smooth and fast. So, when you make any car insurance claim settlement, consider the points mentioned above and make it a hassle-free process for you and the surveyor.
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