Category hub
Motor Insurance
The law mandates third-party cover; the economics usually mandate comprehensive. Here is everything a car or bike owner in India should understand before renewal.
Motor insurance in India has two distinct parts under a single policy — a statutory third-party liability component (regulated tariff, mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988) and a market-priced own-damage component (competitive, with add-ons). Since 2020, IRDAI has decoupled the two so that you can buy a standalone annual own-damage cover alongside a long-term third-party policy for a new vehicle.
This hub covers the mechanics that matter at renewal (IDV, no-claim bonus, add-ons) and the claim process that matters when something goes wrong (surveyor, workshop, cashless network, FIR). We also dig into the add-ons that are worth paying for — zero depreciation, engine protection, return to invoice — and the ones that are usually fluff.
What you'll learn on this hub
- Why third-party alone is legally sufficient but financially insufficient
- How IDV is calculated under the IRDAI depreciation schedule
- The 20 / 25 / 35 / 45 / 50 percent NCB ladder and how to transfer it
- When to pay out of pocket instead of claiming (to preserve NCB)
- Which add-ons are worth paying for on a car under five years old
- The motor claim process — own damage, theft, third-party injury
Guides
- Comprehensive vs third-party
What you need legally versus what you need financially.
- IDV explained
IRDAI depreciation schedule and why IDV caps your total-loss payout.
- No-claim bonus guide
The ladder, transfer rules, protection add-ons, and claim-or-not thresholds.
- How to file a motor insurance claim
Intimation, surveyor, FIR, cashless workshop, reimbursement.
Calculators
- No-Claim Bonus Calculator
Track accumulated NCB on your motor policy, the effective own-damage premium, and the cross-over where claiming small is worse than paying out of pocket.
- IDV Calculator
Estimate the Insured Declared Value (IDV) of your car or two-wheeler using the IRDAI depreciation schedule. Indicative only, not a quote.
Claim guides
- Motor own-damage claim filing
Intimation, surveyor visit, estimate approval, cashless network repair, and what to do if the workshop and insurer disagree.
- Motor theft claim
FIR, final non-traceable report, document checklist, and the 90-day timeline.
- Motor third-party injury claim
MACT jurisdiction, compensation heads, the Lok Adalat route, and the insurer's defence strategy.