The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, states that every two-wheeler on Indian roads should have an insurance policy attached to it. That is why two-wheeler insurance plans are bought by all bike owners. This mandatory cover protects the financial liability which arises if your bike injures someone or damages someone’s property.
Types of two-wheeler plans in India
In India, there are three types of bike insurance plans available in the market. These are as follows –
- Third party liability policy – this policy is mandated by law. It covers your financial liability if any third party dies or is injured due to your bike. It also covers your liability for damaging any third party property.
- Comprehensive bike insurance – this insurance policy provides a wider coverage. Besides covering the mandatory third party liability you also get coverage for the damages suffered by your bike.
- Long-term two-wheeler plans – this is a new addition to the types of bike insurance plans. This plan covers your bike for a continuous period of either 2 or 3 years. Thus, you don’t have to renew your bike insurance policy every year. Both comprehensive and third party liability plans are available as long-term bike insurance plans.
Which policy should you buy?
Though a third party policy fulfils the legal requirement, a comprehensive bike insurance policy is always recommended. It has a wider scope of coverage and covers the expenses incurred when your bike is damaged. You should choose long-term comprehensive bike insurance plans. You can forget about annual renewals, your premiums would be lower and you can also enjoy a no claim discount even if you make a claim.
How to buy two-wheeler insurance?
Two-wheeler insurance plans can be bought online or offline. Here’s how –
- Offline – you can buy a two-wheeler insurance plan by visiting the insurance company’s branches or through an insurance agent.
- Online – you can also buy two-wheeler insurance online through online insurance aggregators and brokers. Moreover, you can also choose the insurance company’s website for buying a plan directly.
Which is better?
Buying two-wheeler insurance online is always better because it is convenient and hassle-free. You can buy a policy easily from your home or office. Moreover, the online medium allows you to research a policy before buying. You can compare the different bike insurance plans and then buy the best policy online.
Comparing and buying two-wheeler insurance online
When buying two-wheeler insurance online, comparison is always recommended. There are dozens of bike insurance plans available in the market. Each plan offers different benefits and is priced differently. To be able to buy the best policy you should compare bike insurance plans online before buying. Along with the features, the bike insurance price list should also be compared across various plans.
Why and how to compare bike insurance plans?
Comparing is advantageous if you want to have the best bike insurance plan for your two-wheeler. Who doesn’t want the best, right? So, let’s understand the whys and hows of comparing two-wheeler insurance plans –
- Why compare
- When you compare you can find a plan which gives you the best coverage features. Since different bike insurance plans have different coverage features comparing makes you able to choose a plan which has the most comprehensive coverage features.
- Comparing also lets you choose a policy with the highest Insured Declared Value (IDV). IDV is the maximum liability taken by the insurance company to compensate you in case of theft of your bike or total loss. A higher IDV is always advised which you can choose when you compare.
- You can also save on premium costs when you compare bike insurance plans online. Different insurers price their policies differently. You can find the lowest premium without compromising the coverage through comparing.
How to compare bike insuranceTo compare the different two-wheeler insurance plans, you should factor in the following parameters –
- IDV – Look at the Insured Declared Value (IDV) promised by the different plans. Choose a plan which promises the highest IDV so that you can enjoy the highest possible coverage for your bike.
- Coverage – look at the coverage features promised. While majority of the coverage would be similar across plans, there are additional inbuilt coverage features which make the plans different. Compare the coverage features and choose a plan with the most exhaustive list.
- Premium – the next thing to see is the premium rate charged. Always compare the premium along with the coverage features. The best plan would be the one which has the maximum coverage benefits at the lowest possible rate.
- Add–ons available – add-ons are additional coverage benefits which enhance the scope of coverage. Compare the different add-ons available with different plans and choose a plan which promises the add-ons you require.
- Discounts – there are different types of premium discounts available with two-wheeler insurance plans. Compare the plans with respect to the discounts offered. Higher the discounts the better the deal you can get.
Two-wheeler insurance renewal
Every two-wheeler insurance policy comes with a specified tenure of 1/2/3 years. Once the tenure is over you have to renew two wheeler insurance online. This renewal is done by paying the premium within the due date. It is very important to renew bike insurance in India. Here’s why –
- You can save your accumulated No Claim Bonus (NCB)
Every year when no claim is made in a two-wheeler insurance policy, a No Claim Bonus (NCB) is promised. This bonus is a discount in the next year’s premium. This discount also increases every subsequent claim-free year. However, if the policy lapses, the accumulated NCB is lost. If you renew bike insurance on time you can, therefore, protect your NCB from being lost.
- You can avoid legal hassles
Driving without a valid two-wheeler insurance policy is a legal offence. If caught you face penalty and even imprisonment. That is why it is important to renew two wheeler insurance online on time. You can avoid any legal complications which arise if you are caught without an active insurance policy on your bike.
- There is no need of inspections
If a two-wheeler insurance policy lapses, renewal is allowed only after the vehicle is inspected by the insurer’s executive. This inspection is bad because of two reasons. One, it creates unnecessary hassles and takes time. Two, renewal after inspection reduces the IDV. If you do renew two wheeler insurance online timely you can avoid inspections and the associated disadvantages.
- You save premium
The premium charged on renewing lapsed policies is higher than premiums on a policy which is renewed timely. So, if you want to save premium renew on time.
- You enjoy continuous coverage
Lastly, with timely renewals you can enjoy a continuous coverage under your two-wheeler insurance policy. This gives you financial security against contingencies which might arise any time when using your bike.
How to renew bike insurance online?
You can easily renew bike insurance policies online through different portals available for the purpose. You can visit your insurer’s website and renew your existing plan. Alternatively, you can visit an online aggregator, compare bike insurance plans available, choose the best plan and renew two wheeler insurance online. The online medium of renewing bike insurance is simple, safe, convenient and fast. You just have to provide the details of your bike and existing insurance policy and you policy would be renewed in an instant. Moreover, you can also renew lapsed bike insurance policy online.
How Turtlemint helps in comparing and renewing bike insurance policies?
Turtlemint is an online platform where you can find the two-wheeler insurance plans of all leading general insurance companies. You just have to enter your bike details and the plans would be displayed with their coverage features and premium rates. You can even modify the coverage by choosing the required add-ons. Your bike insurance renewal process becomes very easy with Turtlemint’s interface. Once you select the plan you want to buy you can pay premiums online and your bike insurance policy is renewed. If you face any queries or difficulties you can get in touch with Turtlemint’s representative who would guide you with the renewal process. Thus, Turtlemint gives you personalized services to renew bike insurance in India.
Apart from bike insurance renewals you also get assistance at the time of claim. Turtlemint has a dedicated claim management team which helps in getting your bike insurance claims settled quickly and smoothly.
Lastly, Turtlemint also provides you with a bike insurance premium calculator. You can calculate the premium of your two-wheeler insurance policy using Turtlemint’s online premium calculator. The calculation is easy and is done using the details entered by you.
Thus, at Turtlemint you get a complete solution to compare and renew bike insurance plans.
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