It would not be wrong to say that documents play an integral role in car insurance. Thus, you cannot afford to lose them as there are a lot of repercussions arising out of it. Yes, without proper documents you cannot buy car insurance, won’t be able to renew your policy, unable to raise a claim, and also have to pay heavy fines, if caught. But many times either due to self-negligence or unfortunately car insurance documents can be lost.
So, what should one do in that situation? What are the necessary steps to be followed? Here’s what you need to do:
Ways to Recover Your Lost Car Insurance Documents
Step 1: Inform Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurer immediately after losing your documents. Your insurance company must be aware of this fact in the first place. There are various ways to reach out to your company. You can either dial a 24x7 toll-free number or send an email. Make sure to use your registered email address or phone number in the process.
In addition to this, always keep your Policy Number handy while informing your insurance company. And, in case you do not remember your policy number, your insurer asks for your registered email and mobile number to find the details of your policy document.
Soon after informing your company, your insurer will either send a soft copy or give you the provision to download the duplicate policy papers online.
Below are the steps that you need to follow to download the duplicate car policy documents online:
- Visit the official website of the company
- Select the option to download a copy of your policy
- Input your policy number and registered mobile number
- An OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number
- Enter the OTP in the portal for verification
- Provide your registered email ID
- A copy of your car insurance policy will be sent to your mail ID in PDF format
- Download the policy
However, for few insurance companies, the process does not end here. In that case, you may also need to follow the below steps:
Step 2: File an FIR
Many insurance companies do not offer a duplicate copy of documents unless you provide them a First Information Report (FIR). Thus, you have to visit the concerned Police Station in your area and report the loss of your policy documents.
Soon after filing an FIR, the next step is to request an FIR Copy from the police station. Once you get the copy of the FIR, submit the same to your insurance company along with a written application.
Step 3: Publish an Advertisement in Newspaper
In the event of loss of your car insurance documents, it is also required to publish an advertisement in the local newspaper, mentioning the document loss. The advertisement should include details such as the Name of the Policyholder, Policy Number, Name of Car insurance company, Vehicle Number, and Contact Number.
Well, the entire cost of the advertisement will be borne by you. Once the advertisement gets published, submit a copy of the same to your insurer.
Step 4: Sign an Indemnity Bond
You have to sign an indemnity bond in a non-judicial stamp paper for a duplicate policy request. This bond will assure that you will indemnify the company if apart from you or your nominee make any claim in the future. This bond includes your Name and Policy Number and will be signed by two other witnesses for transparency. To get this bond, you also have to pay the stamp fee charges. Once you get this document, submit the same to your insurance company.
Step 5: Submit an Application to Insurer
Once you have done all the formalities, your next step is to submit an application to your insurer for duplicate issuance of the policy document. Submit your application along with all the necessary documents such as a copy of FIR, copy of Advertisement, Indemnity Bond, and KYC details. While submitting an application, you also need to mention how and under what circumstances your policy papers got lost.
However, if it was a joint policy, a joint application has to be submitted, including the details of the other policyholder. Doing so will ensure that both the policyholders are aware of the incident and a request for a duplicate copy of documents has been raised with the consent of both.
Summary
Soon after completing all the formalities mentioned above, your insurance company will either send you the soft copy of your car insurance policy or allow you to download the same right after informing you. Thus, the exact process varies from company to company. So, get in touch with your insurer to have more clarity on this. But, it is always advisable to keep yourself out of these troubles by being extra careful about your documents. So, always keep your documents safe and protected for a hassle-free car insurance experience.
