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Insurance Claim Singapore | Car Insurance Claim Process

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5 stages of a car insurance claim process

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Nowadays buying car insurance is quick and easy. You select a plan that fits your budget, get a quote, and check out within minutes! However, it can be a tedious process when it comes to car insurance claims – in the unfortunate event of an accident – if you don’t understand the processes and what to do.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned while driving and calamity may strike. Next thing you know, you are part of a car accident. What’s next? Who do you call? What must you do? Damages and losses caused by accidents are stressful, but they shouldn’t be confusing. At DirectAsia, you have your claims specialists to help you through the entire process. In this article, we walk you through the 5 stages of a car insurance claim process from start to finish.

When do you need to file a car insurance claim?

Raising a car insurance claim is the process of requesting your auto insurer to compensate you for the cost of damage to the insured vehicle. This could be damages incurred due to an accident, theft, explosion, or any natural disaster. Even if no one was injured or if it's unclear whose fault it was, you should absolutely file an insurance claim, to ensure you start off the process immediately.

Car repairs can be expensive, so it pays to understand the processes of the insurance claim. It typically involves five main stages; from the moment you report your loss to the resolution of your claim. You can prepare for the process by recording the incident in detail, gathering the relevant documents (i.e. receipts, original invoices, and proof of ownership), and familiarizing yourself with the steps below.

Connect with your claims specialist.

Your primary contact should be your insurer’s claims specialist when it comes to claiming car insurance in light of an untoward incident – they will be able to advise you on how to proceed. It is also your responsibility to report all accidents to your insurer’s Approved Reporting Centres within 24 hours or by the next working day, even when no claims are made on your own insurance or when there is no damage to your car. If you do not do so, your No Claim Discount (NCD) may be affected. Provide all evidence that you have recorded of the incident and necessary documents once you convey a detailed list of all the items that were damaged or lost. Photos or videos are crucial to help state your case and ensure your car insurance claim goes through the rest of the stages successfully.

The investigation begins.      

After your car insurance claim has been reported, the claims specialist will also identify any liable parties involved in the incident and speak with them to match your statement with theirs. You can help the process by providing information about witnesses or other parties involved. Failure to report the important details of the accident can delay this part of the process or cause your insurance claim to be denied.

Inspection of your policy.

Once the investigation is complete, the insurer will go through your car insurance policy to determine what is and isn’t covered. DirectAsia provides three main cover types; Comprehensive, Third Party Fire & Theft (TPFT), and Third Party Only (TPO); in the event of a third-party car accident, car crash, theft, damaged windscreen, or damages caused by fire, flood or other natural disasters. If you have optional benefits added on, you will be able to claim for the towing of your car and medical expenses as well. Once this is confirmed, the claims specialist will inform you of any deductibles that may apply to your case and car insurance claim.

Damage evaluation is done. 

To accurately evaluate the extent of the damage and further process your car insurance claim, your insurance provider may hire appraisers for their expert advice. If there are damages to fix, DirectAsia will provide a list of approved workshops that comes with a Lifetime Repair Guarantee. You are not obligated to send your car

to these workshops, but they also assure quality and timeliness in repairs.

Your insurance payout is processed.

Once repairs are completed, your car insurance claims specialist or workshop personnel will contact you regarding the settlement of your insurance claim and payment. The time it takes to receive the payout depends on the complexity and severity of the accident and the damages caused.

Summing up the car insurance claim process

Bear in mind that car insurance claims vary according to your policy coverage, claims history, vehicle ownership status, and nature of the accident or loss. But the biggest factor in determining a car insurance claim in Singapore is the company you decide to go with. DirectAsia has an open claims line that you can call for immediate assistance from a Claims Specialist

that’ll guide you through the entire car insurance claim process. What’s more, they provide SOS Car Insurance for drivers that have had previous accidents. Like the other regular policies, you’ll be able to choose from the optional benefits like Loss of Use, 24 Hour Breakdown Assistance, and My Workshop too. So, choose wisely and stay safe on the roads!