The purchase of a car is a big financial decision, and its insurance doesn’t come cheap either. It is critical to keep all insurance-related documents organised. Plus, it’s a great habit to store all your financial and personal documents in proper files so you can access them any time you need. However, this doesn’t mean you have to keep all those car insurance documents for eternity. Most of them will be irrelevant after a certain period, and there are some you will require in the future. This article will help you understand how long you should keep your car insurance records and why.
Car Insurance Documents: Which Ones are Important and for How Long?
It’s a common practice to store all the hard copies of car-related documents in a file and travel with them everywhere to ensure utmost safety. This practice has almost come to an end with the arrival of electronic documents. You can now access online car insurance documents you need using the mobile app or the website of the insurance company you’ve opted for.
This eases a lot of the hassle that goes along with finding the correct documents when the time comes. The most important document you must possess in your car when travelling is your car insurance policy. Make sure to retain documents related to the car insurance claim till it is all settled or until the next car insurance renewal. Also, keep a record of all the official emails, including renewal notifications, claims, approvals, etc., received from the insurance company.
Given below is a detailed list of all the important car documents and for how long you need to keep them.
| Document | Duration |
| Certificate of car insurance policy | Till the time you own a car. Once you sell the car, you can either cancel the policy or get it transferred to the new owner. |
| Emails related to claims | Till the claim gets settled and you are paid according to policy terms and conditions. |
| Notifications of payment receipt | For your future reference |
| Notifications related to policy renewal | As required |
| Communication mails from the insurance company | As required |
| FIR | In case an FIR gets registered under accident-related claims, you may use a copy of the document for future reference. |
| NTC | In case of claims for vehicle theft, you may use a copy of your NTC for future reference. |
How Long Should You Keep an Expired Auto Insurance Policy Document?
An expired car insurance policy document is considered void and null, but that doesn’t imply that they are of no importance. You can keep them with you to renew that policy successfully within 90 days from its expiration date. Doing so will ensure retention of coverage benefits without having to pay extra. If you fail to do so within 90 days, the policy will lapse, nullifying all the benefits you may have earned before. A new policy with an increased premium will need to be paid in that case.
What Does Your Car Insurance Company Look for in Your Policy Document?
Your insurer will see the details in the document, like the history of the claims, terms and conditions, add-ons, and exclusions during the settlement of the claim. Apart from that, your vehicle report summary will also be examined for the determination of the premium rate for the coverage of car insurance. The car insurance company will also assess your risk by reviewing the claims you have made previously to determine the premium rate. Your profile will be thoroughly evaluated before receiving an insurance coverage quote.
What Happens When You Shift to a New Car Insurer?
Everyone wants more coverage and benefits from their insurer, and it’s completely okay to change your insurer if others have more to offer based on your requirements. But what happens to the old car insurance policy when you make the switch? Usually, most applicants think it’s okay to completely discard the documents from the previous insurance. Here are two situations where you will need the old car insurance policy documents:
- If your car insurance policy gets cancelled before the expiry date, you may get a refund from the insurer if applicable. Therefore, it is recommended that you keep the old insurance policy documents until you get the refund.
- For the purchase of a new car insurance, you may be required to provide information about the old car insurance to get an NCB discount from the insurer.
Conclusion
Car insurance documents are crucial, but that doesn’t mean you keep the expired void and null documents that no longer serve you. You can consult with an expert or do some research online to understand more about necessary and non-necessary documents.
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