GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

People are becoming more and more aware of physical fitness and activities that keep them healthy. Fitness has become a priority, and they are resorting to various measures like joining gyms, purchasing health insurance, joining yoga classes and engaging in other fitness routines to maintain their health.

One such outdoor activity that has garnered extreme popularity among the youngsters nowadays is cycling.

But before listing the advantages, you should know the required gear that is essential to enjoy cycling: -

● A good bike - The type of cycle you select to ride has a major effect on your experience. Therefore, do not compromise on the quality of the cycle.

●Cycling gear - A helmet, knee and elbow supports are important while riding a cycle as you never know when something unfortunate might happen. In such case, such gear can save you from major injuries.

●Insurance– A health insurance policy and bike insurance policy, both are necessary when you go out on your journey of fitness.

Cycling has countless benefits, and the following points advocate why taking up exercises like cycling can be helpful to you: -

●Weight loss - In order to lose weight, the number of calories you burn should be greater than the number you consume. This can be done through exercises. And just like any other exercise, cycling burns calories. Depending on the intensity, speed and weight of the rider, cycling can burn calories ranging anywhere from four hundred to one thousand calories.

●Reduced cancer risk - Cancer or other heart-related diseases can pose to be a very serious threat to any person. It doesn't matter if you have health insurance or renew health insurance online; nothing guarantees safety from diseases. But exercising does! And especially, cycling. As a result, the risk of diseases is reduced to a great extent.

● Improved health - Cycling improves the circulation of blood all around your body. You burn calories, thus the chances of being overweight and suffering from diseases due to obesity decrease to a significant level. Studies suggest that due to involvement in any sort of physical activity, a person's mental health also improves. You can free yourself from the psychological burdens as well.

●Saves time - This might sound a bit contradictory, but when you choose to travel to your work or any other place using your cycle, you actually save time. If you drive your car to work, you might get stuck in traffic and would have to wait for a long time before getting a way out of the crowd of vehicles. But if you ride on a cycle, you can easily filter through the traffic and reach your destination before time. There are no major parking hassles involved which only adds to the benefits.

●Better sleep - Cycling is a physical activity after all. If done for a long duration of time, it can tire you out, which eventually leads to a good night's sleep. Indirectly, exercise can also be done as a form of an outlet that relieves you of stress and reduces anxiety levels, thereby improving the quality of sleep.

●Muscle gain - The muscles of and around your thighs, hamstrings, glutes and calves are engaged intensively while cycling. Therefore, not only losing weight but gaining such muscles is also a plus point of taking up cycling. As muscle is leaner than fat, you can burn an even higher number of calories while cycling and develop a strong physique.

You should always have a comprehensive health insurance policy and make sure that you renew health insurance online before it expires so that you can enjoy continued protection

Yes, we understand your problems, and the struggle is real when it comes to cars that stop suddenly, giving no hints of starting.
It can be a real deal when your lovely ride stops in the middle of a road and deny your orders to start. Having a car that stops suddenly can lead you to grave danger, especially when you are outside and need to go somewhere.
Interestingly, as easy as it is for your car not to start, similarly, there might be a principal reason behind the same. Therefore, let’s have a look at four common reasons why your car is not starting.

● Your timing belt is the real problem:

For those of you who don’t know what a timing belt is, it is an essential part of the car that is responsible for its effective running and performance. Your timing belt inside the vehicle is the primary reason why it keeps running and adapts to speed. Yes, gears do play a significant role, but the timing belt is what ensures that the engine’s valves open and close at the proper interval.
Therefore, your timing belt can be one of the most common reasons why your car has become idle and fails to start. A significant reason behind the same can be that the valves inside the timing belt and the pistons are not meeting each other at a said interval, failing to give you efficient results and movement.
Moreover, your timing belt is the major part that you should look after whenever you go for servicing. Having a timing belt that fails to keep up with the systematic opening and closing of the valves can lead to harmful damage to the engine. It is always advisable for you to change your timing belt at a regular interval of every 60,000 miles or five years (whichever is earlier).

● Your alternator might be the cause:

An alternator is that essential part of your car that is responsible for the effective functioning of all the electrical pieces of equipment that function inside your car. Its most significant function is to start the spark plug and essentially provide it with the spark that is responsible for the running of your engine.
Besides the successful starting of your engine, a failed alternator can also be the cause behind the failure of other necessary parts of your car. It is also linked with the plugs that power the headlight and therefore, you need to keep a check on your alternator as well, in case your car fails to start.

● Your battery might be corroded:

It is no hidden fact that cars perform majorly due to the presence of a battery inside it. The battery is responsible for running all the electric-based components of your vehicle and also plays a significant role in igniting your engine.
Corrosion on your battery can be serious trouble for you as it is like rust and will ultimately end up waiting away your car’s battery beside the other significant parts that are developed out of iron. We suggest you always keep a check on the health of your battery and its corrosion, every time you take it to a service centre.

● Are you sure your air filter isn’t clogged?

Similar to the other necessary elements of your car, the air filter might also be the cause that is failing your vehicle to start. An air filter plays a significant role in keeping up with the excellent health of the drivetrain of the car. It filters out all the harmful elements like dust particles to keep up with the smooth functioning of your vehicle.
An air filter is essential for your car to your car 'breathe'. A clogged air filter might also pose serious damage to the blockage of the exhaust pipe, leaving your vehicle to fail from the start.

There are thousands of tourists in India at any given point of time. While many stays in one city or area for the entire duration of their stay, others choose to move around and explore. One of the most common ways of discovering new places is renting a car. As someone visiting another country, you would love to see all that you possibly can in the short time that you are there and driving around is great to do that. However, it is essential to keep in mind the necessity of car insurance. Here are five reasons why tourists make it a point to get car insurance: -

• Covers the Costs of Repairs: As someone coming from outside the country, there are high chances that you don’t know how to drive on the right side of the car. While it is possible to learn how to do so, there can be an accident. If that happens, having car insurance in place helps because it’ll cover the cost of repairs. Depending on how severe the damages are, having the costs covered can be of great help, since they can be quite expensive.
• Provides Extensive Financial Protection: Again, the costs to be covered would depend mainly upon how severe the accident and so, having insurance would protect you from significant expenses. Whether there is vehicular damage, minor injuries, loss of sight, disablement, or even death, car insurance would cover the costs or provide compensation. You would not have to pay a lot out of your pocket since the insurance would take care of medical bills or repairs.
• Reduces Liability: If there is an accident, there are chances that someone else was affected as well, whether it is damage to their vehicle or whether they were physically hurt. By taking Third Party Liability, you would not only be saved from having to pay for their damages but also from the legal ramifications; the insurance would cover all that. Getting Third Party Liability is mandatory in India. By getting car insurance, tourists can avoid getting involved in legal procedures while visiting.
• Covers the Cost of Treatment of Passengers:
• By opting for the best car insurance policy in India, you would protect yourself from extensive costs due to a car accident (either medical bills or repair costs). There are high chances that your co-passengers would be protected. If during an accident, not just you but your co-passengers get hurt, the insurance policy would also compensate for their damages; it would cover hospital visits, medical bills, any surgeries or operations, etc.
• Compensation after Death: Unfortunately, driving cars can lead to not just accidents, but, the accident can cause death as well. In this case, the car insurance policy you have chosen could provide compensation to the family, depending upon its terms or coverage. The demise might seriously affect the daily life of the family, and the insurance policy might help pay for their expenses.

Whether you are a tourist or a native, finding the best car insurance policy in India is no longer a difficult task since there are hundreds in the market. All you need to do is thorough research and choose the plan which offers maximum coverage and compensation in the event of a car accident.

Cars become a second home to those who love travelling and driving. Be it driving long distance or shorter ones, before we start off to any destination we need to ensure that we are stocked up on essential things that will come handy in emergency situations. As goes the saying, precaution is better than the solution, it’s better to be well equipped than to wait for help.
Still feeling unsure of what should be the essential things that you should keep in your car?
Well, we bring to you the 5 most important things that your car must have.

● Documents-

These are the things that should be your topmost priority. Documents like registration papers, the license and insurance papers, are a vital and most crucial thing that should always be in your car in a safe place. In case of any emergency like an accident, these papers are essential and required for any legal procedures. Also make sure to include the car manual, your emergency contact numbers, health cards with your medical records. Emergency contact numbers would help someone to call and reach out to your near and dear ones when you are in need and are unable to do so.

● Safety kit-

Before heading out anywhere, you should always carry the first aid kit with you at all times. A safety kit includes band aids, antibiotic creams, pain-relievers, tweezers, cottons, and many more. It is not only important but also crucial to ensure you do not need to wait for the first aid to arrive when in need. You can administer it to your fellow travellers or even yourself when required. A safety kit provides you with the immediate medical aid that is indispensable and very essential in saving lives. A safety kit does not only include the medical aid, but also includes the survival tool kit.

● Dry food-

Every time you drive, the other most essential thing to be stocked upon is the non-perishable food items. These can be anything starting from energy bars to the dry fruits and nuts. Dry foods ensure you do not end up being hangry when driving.

● Spare parts and tools-

Spare parts and tools like duct tape, match sticks or lighter, window breaker, flashlights, etc, are another list of important things that you should make sure to carry before you drive any car. When driving, there are times you end up with road emergencies like a flat tire and having a spare part and knowing how to change the tire makes it easier and quicker for you to reach your destination.
Not only do the spare tools and parts facilitate a smooth drive, they also ensure you do not need to run and search when having an emergency.

● Health essentials-

Every person has their share of health emergencies. Especially when you are a woman driver, you need to maintain your health hygiene whether you are on the roads or anywhere in the world. Keep a health essential kit to make sure your health does not take a back seat when driving and travelling. Clean microfiber cloths, packs of ‘lady’ products, sunscreen, your kit of prescribed medicines that you might need incase of any health emergency and tissues.