Buying a car is a pragmatic and emotional decision. Hence, keeping it safe and insured is a wise choice. Picture this: you are driving down a soaked path during heavy rain. The water level rises rapidly, and before you know it, your car gets stuck in the middle of a waterlogged road. The engine fails to start due to water intake. You might think your car insurance policy will protect you against the damages.
Well, the chances are your insurance will be inadequate for such specific conditions. While the law mandates you to insure personal and commercial vehicles before you hit the road, basic car insurance can only cover a limited extent. That is why investing in add-ons is necessary to ensure entire coverage.
How do you pick suitable covers when there are numerous options available? This article will list the best add-ons you can consider.
Add-ons for Car Insurance
An add-on provides additional coverage you can leverage with car insurance plans. These extra coverage benefits offer enhanced protection to the insured car. It enables you to improve your coverage benefits for damages excluded from a standard car insurance policy.
1. Zero Depreciation
Car insurance typically requires the insurer to cover the cost of replacing damaged parts after considering depreciation. It often results in you having to pay some of the price yourself.
However, you can sidestep these out-of-pocket expenses like the ones occurring due to accidents, water related damages or others. Zero depreciation car insurance cover allows you to claim the entire cost of replacing these parts without having to pay anything extra.
Standard car insurance policies typically only reimburse the depreciated value of the car parts. Hence, the depreciation waiver cover can come in handy and facilitate higher claim amounts.
2. Full Invoice Cover
Comprehensive insurance comes with a limitation; the maximum payout is tied to the Insured Declared Value (IDV), which typically depreciates each year. Simply put, your car is insured for a fraction of its original price as it ages.
Full Invoice or Return to Invoice cover is an optional safeguard. It becomes useful in the unfortunate event of a total loss or theft of your vehicle. It helps you recoup the entire amount you initially paid for the car.
Say the insurer deems the car beyond repair or a total loss. Then, Return to Invoice cover ensures that you, as the policyholder, receive the original invoice value of the vehicle rather than its depreciated worth.
3. No Claims Bonus Protection
A no claim bonus cover of NCB protection cover helps protect the insured against losing No Claim Bonus even if the claim is made in the policy period. If you haven’t made any claims for past few years, then your NCB value will be higher, which means you will get higher discounts in premium.
However, if you make a claim without having NCB protection cover, you will lose all the benefits accumulated over the years in terms of No Claim Bonus.
4. Engine Protector
The engine, often described as the heart of a car, is the powerhouse that drives its functionality. Surprisingly, standard car insurance plans do not protect this crucial component from non-accidental damages.
It is where an add-on cover comes into play! An engine protector cover offers insurance against various issues like oil spills or water damage. Investing in it if your vehicle is under five years old is highly recommended.
5. Roadside Assistance
Car breakdowns can occur unexpectedly. While they are not uncommon, it can be highly inconvenient when they happen in the middle of a city street. Of course, preventing breakdowns is not in your hands, but receiving quick assistance can make the situation better.
Roadside assistance cover can be valuable when traveling in remote areas where locating a mechanic can be tough. It acts as your safety net and informs your insurance company about the situation. Thus, they quickly arrange the necessary service and mechanic for you.
Choosing a roadside assistance cover ensures you have access to support for fixing wheels, arranging a tow for your car, and more. It saves you from being left stranded for extended periods without any assistance.
6. Key Protection
Losing car keys to theft or an unfortunate mishap is disheartening. A standard car insurance policy would not help you replace them. But a key protection cover can!
The key protection cover is an add-on that steps in when you find yourself in a tight spot. It covers all expenses for replacing lost, stolen, or damaged car keys. Additionally, it even takes care of the cost of repairing the lock set if your keys are compromised.
In short, it is like having a safeguard for those unexpected key-related emergencies. The cover has an upper limit on how many times you can claim it, so be careful about misplacing your keys.
7. Medical Expenses Cover
Car accidents can be distressing and traumatic, resulting in injuries demanding medical attention. Medical expenses add-on shine as a reassuring aspect to ensure peace of mind and cover associated costs up to a specified limit.
Medical expenses add-on cover ambulance and medical costs, including ambulance fees and emergency treatment, for all on board. It protects you and your passengers who sustained injuries from the car accident.
You can also leverage this cover if another vehicle injures you while walking. It is essential to note that the coverage extent varies from one policy to another and location.
8. Daily Cash Allowance
A car breakdown can leave you reliant on public transportation. However, commuting daily via buses or taxis can be expensive, especially during peak hours. But what if you can travel without worrying about the costs while your vehicle gets fixed?
The daily allowance cover is an extra option that gives you an allowance for your daily travel costs when your insured car is in the shop for repairs. It helps reimburse your expenses when renting a vehicle or using public transportation while your car is at the repair shop.
Remember that this coverage only applies when your car is being fixed at the garage approved by the insurance company. Further, it is typically available when the repair takes over two days.
Conclusion
A car is more than a transport mode; it is a cherished investment and deserves protection from potential mishaps. Add-ons equip you with complete coverage to guard your automobile and you from financial losses in multiple ways. You can choose any of the mentioned supplementary covers or check various covers for car insurance online.
Also, car insurance add-ons are not free. You must pay the extra premium amount to purchase the required cover. Keep in mind to check the claim settlement ratio and read the terms and conditions carefully before investing.
