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When is a Car Inspection Required?

Neha Gadoo Neha Gadoo 25 October 2016

While renewing your car insurance policy, you would have always wondered, “Why is Car Inspection required?” Read on as we answer this!

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When your car insurance policy is about to complete an year, you need to make sure that it is renewed before the due date. If you miss the deadline even by a day, your policy will lapse. This means that instead of renewing your policy, you will need to buy a car insurance policy again.

This could mean you may have to pay a higher premium or face rejection from the insurance company.

Times When Car Inspection isn’t Required

If you are buying car insurance in India for just third party coverage, then an inspection is not required. An inspection may not be required in case of your car insurance renewal without a break in between.

Times When Car Inspection is Required

A car inspection is necessary when you are renewing your car insurance policy. Besides this, your insurance company may also require a car inspection at other times such as -

  1. While renewing your policy, and if there is a break in the car insurance policy. When we say ‘a break in the car insurance policy’, we refer to the time when you have not been able to renew your car policy in the stipulated renewal time leading to a lapse of coverage.

  2. If there is a change in the type of policy [from a third-party car insurance to a comprehensive car insurance].

  3. If there is a change in the policy ownership. For instance: if you sold your car to someone else, then the insurance policy of the sold car has to be also moved into the name of the new owner. Alternately the new owner of the car can also choose to cancel the existing policy and buy a fresh policy. In either case, the insurance company will send someone for inspection.

  4. In case you have added new accessories / equipment, such as LPG/CNG kit, electronic devices etc, in your car and you would like them to be covered.

  5. When you seek a claim for repair of damage that has happened to your car during an accident. In such a case, vehicle inspection is done by an authorized surveyor or the insurance company itself to appraise the approximate cost of repair and also gauge if the claim is genuine.

Important point: A few insurance companies in India provide free vehicle inspection done at your doorstep, while the others would get it done at your cost. Vehicle inspection may be done by the company official or an authorized agent.

Vehicle Inspection Process

  • The vehicle inspection process involves physical examination of the condition of your automobile. This is done to ensure two things – your vehicle actually exists or and the other is to ensure that you do not make claims for damages that are pre-existing.
  • As part of the process, the company official may need to note the vehicle registration number, chassis number and take photographs of your vehicle from different angles as a proof of your vehicle’s condition. If there are any existing damages/dents, those will be captured separately.
  • A car inspection also ensures that all the accessories that you are claiming to have are actually installed. Like if you have recently installed an anti-theft device, for which you want to claim a discount on your insurance policy premium (allowed by the Motor Insurance act), a vehicle inspection could be done to verify the same.

So, now if you are buying a vehicle insurance policy and your insurance provider asks you for car inspection, you know it is for your own good.

Tell us about your experience when you got your car inspected. Which troubles did you face during vehicle inspection?

Neha Gadoo
Written by Neha Gadoo