Repairing a vehicle can be expensive, but with comprehensive two-wheeler insurance, you can get your bike repaired or replaced in case of theft or damage without putting up all the money yourself. However, before you sign on the dotted line, it's important to know what you’re actually covered for. It will help you get adequate claims and prevent unnecessary claim rejections. Checking the comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy wordings showing the features & benefits, the terms & conditions for availing of the same, etc., becomes crucial for a policyholder. The idea is to gain maximum benefits by raising a legitimate two-wheeler insurance claim.
Let's take a look at the components of a comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy's wordings.
Third-party Liability Component
Your comprehensive bike insurance policy will always have a third-party liability component. It protects you if you injure someone or damage his/her property while riding your bike. Understanding the coverage limits and ensuring you are comfortable with them before purchasing the bike insurance policy is important. It is mandated by law to have this type of coverage.
Personal Accident Cover for Owner-driver
A personal accident cover for the owner-driver is one of the most important components of a comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy. This cover provides financial protection in case of death or disablement due to an accident. You can also avail of this cover on a part payment basis, where you will have to pay the premium proportionate to your risk level and not the total premium payable. You will need to buy a personal accident owner-driver add-on cover with your comprehensive insurance policy. It's a mandatory cover to have.
The cost of such policies may vary from company to company, depending on factors like exclusions, sub-limits, etc. If you are buying your policy online, ensure that these details are available before purchasing it.
Grievance Redressal Section of the Insurance Policy
It is important to clearly understand your insurance policy wordings before you make a purchase. The grievance redressal section of the policy outlines the process to follow if you need to file a complaint with the bike insurance company. In some cases, the complaints process may take longer than six months, which means if something goes wrong, it could take more than half a year for an issue to be resolved.
Many things could go wrong, and this waiting period can lead to severe consequences. One thing you should always do when signing up for any coverage is read all documents carefully and understand exactly what you are signing up for.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Inclusions are the events or perils that are covered under an insurance policy. On the other hand, exclusions are the events not covered. They form an important part of your insurance policy wordings, and you must understand them before purchasing a policy. Read every line carefully to understand the inclusions and exclusions of your insurance policy.
Terms and Conditions
This tends to be the most overlooked aspect of the policy, but it is absolutely important to read it thoroughly and know what you are getting into before signing on the dotted line. You should also ensure that all your personal information is correct because that could impact the coverage in case of a claim.
Sometimes the policyholders do not read their policy's terms and conditions carefully, which creates a lot of misunderstanding during the bike insurance claim settlement. So, it is always best to avoid that confusion and stay clear.
Different Types of Add-on Covers Available Under Comprehensive Two-wheeler Insurance Policy
Read the policy wordings to know the different types of add-on covers offered by your two-wheeler insurance company. It will help you enhance the protection of your vehicle. Some of the most common types of bike insurance add-on covers are:
Engine Protection Cover: Engine Protection bike insurance add-on covers your engine if it incurs some damage.
Zero Depreciation Cover: Zero Depreciation bike insurance add on covers the cost of the depreciation of your vehicle, which is bound to happen over time.
Roadside Assistance Cover: Roadside assistance bike insurance add on cover offers you roadside assistance if your bike ever breaks down in the middle of a highway or any road.
Consumables Cover: Consumable bike insurance add-on covers all consumable items such as nuts and bolts, screws, grease, oil filters, brake oil, lubricant clips, bearings, etc.
Loss of Personal Belongings: This add-on covers the loss of your personal belongings in case your vehicle gets stolen or lost.
Passenger Assistance Cover: Passenger assistance bike insurance add-on is for the pillion rider that offers cover against any disability or death of the pillion rider in case of an accident.
Key Loss Cover: This add-on offers cover for your lost key and provides you with a spare key as soon as possible.
Return to Invoice Cover: Return to invoice bike insurance add-on covers the full price of your vehicle in case of theft or constructive total loss.
The Bottom Line
Owning a two-wheeler means taking care of its maintenance and repairs and ensuring it’s covered under an effective bike insurance policy. Your comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy should have sufficient coverage to handle damages to the bike or even theft in some cases. More importantly, you need to read the fine print of your policy to be aware of all the limitations in terms of insurance coverages.
