GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

The feeling of riding a motorcycle in the morning is otherworldly. But it's not only the early morning atmosphere that gives this ethereal feeling to the rider. It's also the smooth functioning of the engine and the swift and excellent acceleration of the motorbike in the morning. Many people experience this but do not pay much heed to why this happens.

This blog aims to make this phenomenon more understandable for curious bike fanatics.

1. Reduced friction:

The smooth ride that the engine provides in the morning and the minimum noise directly result from the engine's internal temperature. However, other parts of the engine maintain their temperature even when kept at rest throughout the night. Due to the thermal expansion of metals, there needs to be a proper gap between various working parts of the engine.
For example, to permit the expansion of the piston, there is a gap within the block of the engine. There is less friction, resulting in less noise in the morning due to this gap between the piston and the cylinder wall in the morning. This occurrence applies to almost every moving part of the engine.

2. Viscosity:

Another reason the engine feels smooth in the morning is the oil's viscosity. Viscosity is inversely proportional to temperature. In the early morning, the engine oil is cold, making it denser in volume. This higher viscosity accounts for maximum lubrication in the engine, which results in the smooth running of the bike.

3. Fuel management systems:

As far as better crisp acceleration in the morning is concerned, the fuel management system of the bike is the most responsible. The bike's fueling is divided into two- either fuel and air can be mixed proportionally by a carburettor, or the fuel is atomised at high pressure, mixed with clean air, eventually entering the engine's combustion chamber.
Carburettors give you a crisper throttle response due to the richer mixture between fuel and air. But nowadays, these are slowly being phased out due to the increasing pollution by carburettors.

So, do you really need to warm the bike up before starting it? This is another question that greatly puzzles bike enthusiasts.

There's no real need to warm up an engine for more than a minute before starting it. For a long time, all bikes used a carburettor for combustion. This type of engine tends to run poorly until appropriately warmed.

So, there is still a misconception that you must let the engine warm up before you start riding it. But it would be best if you were careful about hammering the throttle before the engine has gotten all nice and warm.

Riding a motorcycle gently for the first few miles is a good idea because putting the engine under extreme pressure while still cold increases the chances of damage and breakdown.

This damage is dangerous and can result in the maintenance fees burning a hole in your pocket. The best solution to counter this is investing in a good bike insurance that pays great dividends.

Click HERE to know more about bike insurance plans.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Driving is an activity that requires extreme carefulness, responsibility, and special attention at all times. One tiny mistake can lead to significant damage to a person and property. Road accidents are frightening and can even prove to be fatal. Hence, being on your best behaviour when driving is recommended.

However, accidents while driving can take place due to a variety of reasons. One of them is the disturbance from your outer surroundings. This can also include the distractions that your passenger may create. It may induce driving concerns and cause road accidents or violations of road safety rules.

Apart from the driver, the passengers must also be highly responsible and dutiful while the car is in motion. They can play an essential role in maintaining peace inside the vehicle. If you're a co-passenger and want to contribute to the vehicle's safety, here are a few ways. Regardless, you should have private car insurance in India to protect yourself and your vehicle.

Let's discuss here how you can support your driver by being a responsible co-passenger.

1. Be attentive:
If your driver is getting distracted by texting or calling on the phone, call them out on their behaviour. It can be dangerous even if they talk with the passengers in the back seat. You must stay attentive to such situations and speak up whenever necessary. Politely request them to focus on the road.

2. Don't draw attention:
You can help your driver focus by not distracting them by any means. You should not talk to them unnecessarily or argue with them in the car. Emotional responses can distract the driver. Moreover, you should refrain from clicking pictures or showing them things on your cell phone. You should lay low and avoid all these activities.

3. Be careful of your surroundings:
You can easily be the co-driver for your driver by being extra cautious on the road. You can help them navigate busy streets by being their additional set of eyes. You can also help them read road signs, point out intersections, or alert them about possible hindrances they may fail to see.

4. Put on good music:
Good music can make the atmosphere inside your vehicle cheerful, serene, and lively. It can calm the nerves of your driver and help them focus better on the road. You should take control of the music in the car. You can put some of the driver's favourite tracks in a playlist on shuffle. This way, they need not constantly touch or operate the music system.

5. Keep quiet:
Small talk with the driver is alright, but you should refrain from having a full-fledged conversation that can distract the driver. You should not shout, yell, or sing loudly in the car. All these can make your driver lose focus completely. You should pause the music or stop talking when a congested road is approaching.

6. Stay out of sight:
You need to lay low and stop obstructing the view of your driver while driving. You should not physically block the driver from seeing the road well. They should also be able to see outside the windows. Apart from that, you should always be an adjusting and supportive co-passenger.

These are just some tips and tricks that you can use to be a good passenger inside the vehicle. It can lead to lesser accidents and mistakes on the road. A car journey becomes enjoyable and safe when the driver and co-passengers have a good understanding and coordination. The more focused the driver is, the better. Don't forget to buy private car insurance India and safeguard your finances against loss due to accidental damages to your car.

Click HERE to buy private car insurance India.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Driving a car without insurance is considered illegal in India. Automobile owners weigh the pros and cons of different options available in the policy market. Before buying car insurance, people consider various factors such as covers, add-ons, services, premiums, etc. In this article, we will be talking about premiums and how they can vary depending upon the kind and size of your car.

What is a premium?

A premium is an amount you pay your insurer to keep your policy valid. The duration of payment can vary from monthly to quarterly to annual payments.

What factors affect the premium?

1. Model and make of your vehicle
2. Engine capacity
3. The driving experience of the policyholder
4. Age
5. Location

Besides the points mentioned above, previous claims and traffic violations can also affect your insurance premium.

We better understand what premium is and how they can be affected. Let's look at premiums for SUVs and sedans.

1. The make and model:

Car insurance can vary significantly depending upon your car's size, make, and model. If you intend to buy an SUV or a sedan, remember that these models are charged the highest premiums. Putting in ample research into the car model and the respective insurance premium is essential.

2. Driving record:

Another crucial factor that decides the total cost of your premium is the driving experience. If you have no records of accidents, then the premium rates can be significantly lower. Even a minor skip such as running a red light or speeding ticket can affect the premium rates too. Insurance companies analyse your driving records to understand the risk associated with your driving and how likely you are to get into accidents. The more the chances of accidents, the higher the premium rates.

3. Location:

If you live in an area with high crime rates, the insurers tend to charge higher premiums.
The premium amounts can be excessive if your locality is prone to crime and vandalism.

4. Coverage and add-ons:

Coverage and add-ons are the services insurance companies provide when you buy an insurance policy from them. If you opt for the basic package and maintain a good driving record, the insurer will likely settle for a lower premium.

5. Age of the vehicle:

The age of your vehicle is another factor that insurance providers consider when offering insurance. The depreciation value of your vehicle increases with time. Adding to that is the wear and tear that the vehicle went through over the years, reducing the value of the car. Therefore, older cars will have a lesser premium.

6. Engine capacity:

The CC or the engine capacity affects the premium and higher the CC, higher the premium. And since SUVs and sedans have higher CC, their premiums are also higher.

7. Engine type:

Cars running on petrol have lesser premiums than cars running on diesel. A vehicle running on CNG has a higher premium than diesel engines. If you intend on adding a CNG unit to your sedan or SUV, keep in mind that the premium costs will increase significantly.

8. Modifications:

Modifications that alter the look or performance of your car will have a higher market value. This, in turn, will increase the cost of the premium on the vehicle. The look and feel of the car is a lesser talked about factor when it comes to insurance prices.

These are some factors that affect the premium of your insurance coverage. Irrespective of the kind of vehicle you buy, the points mentioned above determine the overall cost of your insurance. Before finalising your car insurance renewal, do not forget to look through various insurance providers and their services for a price best suited for your needs.

Click HERE to know more about car insurance renewal.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

OneHealth, Magma HDI’s flagship health insurance is an all-encompassing solution with five plans tailormade to suit a customer’s needs. With state-of-the-art features and a bucket of add-ons, OneHealth provides a solid financial shield in case of a health exigency.

What is zone-wise pricing in health insurance?

Insurers offer zone-wise pricing to strike a fair balance in health insurance premiums, especially for customers in smaller cities. Hence, it may so happen that premium for a similar health plan differs as per cities, especially between metros and non-metros. There can be multiple reasons for this.

a) Hospitalization costs are relatively lower in smaller cities vis-à-vis metros
b) In most instances, the insured will opt for treatment only in their home city / town
c) Moreover, it may be assumed that people living in metros or tier 1 cities could be more susceptible to lifestyle diseases, and thus the higher premium

Hence, insurers try to pass on the benefit of lower cost of hospitalization to customers hailing from smaller cities. Having said that, most of the insurers offering zone-wise premiums have a co-pay clause for policyholders who want to avail treatment from a higher zone, which they bear during their claim settlement.

Zone-wise Co-pay Waiver Optional Cover

In Magma HDI’s OneHealth insurance, the zones are classified into Zone 1, 2 and 3:

• Zone 1: Delhi including National Capital Region, Mumbai including Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Bangalore, and Gujarat
• Zone 2: Coimbatore, Pune, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kolkata, and Kerala
• Zone 3: Rest of India

One of the latest optional covers added in OneHealth is the Zone-wise Co-pay Waiver. As mentioned above, the premium rates of a health insurance product are fixed as per the zone opted for in the policy (Zone 1, 2 or 3). Zone 1 calls for the highest premium, followed by Zone 2 and Zone 3. If the insured undergoes a treatment in a zone higher than the one opted for in the policy, he must pay an additional co-pay amount which is charged as a fixed percentage of the claim amount. The existing OneHealth insurance plan has the following co-pay:

Now, with the Zone-wise Co-pay Waiver Optional Cover, the insured can get this co-pay amount waived off if their treatment occurs in a zone higher than the one opted for in the policy. The cover is available across all plans and sum insureds.

Let us understand with an example.

• Mr. Parag, a 40-year-old from Amritsar plans to buy the OneHealth Secure plan for himself, his wife and two children, with a sum insured of INR 10 lakh.

• As Amritsar falls in Zone 3, Mr. Parag would have to pay INR 12,997 + GST as premium but would have to bear 35% co-pay on his claim amount if he ever gets a medical treatment done in Delhi (which falls in Zone 1).

• To avoid this, Mr. Parag can also opt for a Zone 1 premium i.e., INR 16,154 + GST for any eventuality. However, even this is 24% higher than the Zone 3 premium.

• Thanks to the Zone-wise Co-pay Waiver optional cover, Mr. Parag would only have to pay INR 14,362 + GST and get a Pan India coverage.

An insured can also opt for this optional cover at the time of renewal. However, a waiting period of 1 year shall be applicable for renewed policies. No waiting period is applicable for this optional cover, if opted while buying OneHealth for the first time as fresh or portability policy. In case this cover is discontinued by the customer, and again opted for subsequently, the 1-year waiting period shall start afresh.

Know more about Magma HDI’s OneHealth on WWW.MAGMAHDI.COM/ONEHEALTH-INSURANCE