GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

India faced the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2022. During these two years of resilience, we have controlled the spread of the virus with effective public health protocols. National and state lockdowns, social distancing, and mandatory face masks have contained the infection rate. Last year, introducing the various COVID-19 vaccines tremendously helped build strong immunity against the deadly virus.

Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus has proved to be an essential tool in helping effectively manage the pandemic. Fully vaccinated people are relatively well-protected against a severe coronavirus infection, complications, and mortality. However, even effective vaccines become less viable over time. Intensive research suggests that vaccinations lose some of their power over time. It has been found that eventually receiving another vaccine shot after a few months can help highly boost the vaccine's effectiveness. This additional shot is called the booster shot.

Receiving both vaccine doses is the first and foremost integral step to building a strong enough immunity to control the infection rate. While the vaccines are deemed safe and effective, and everyone has been advised to get the jab at the earliest, several members of the Indian population have still not been vaccinated. Before considering the booster shot, the goal is to vaccinate the country's entire population to build herd immunity.

Here is some information to know before getting your booster shot:

1. The booster doses have been rolled out from Jan 10th, 2022. They will initially be administered to the front-line workers and adults aged 60 and above with comorbidities.

2. The booster is given 9 months or 39 weeks after administering the second dose of COVID Vaccine as per the guidelines.

3. The vaccine's side effects are reportedly similar to the previous doses, including fever, body and muscle pains, headache, pain, or swelling at the injection site.

4. Unlike other countries, Indians are advised to get the booster from the company as their previous vaccine doses and not mix any other. Citizens who have taken two shots of Covishield must take the Covishield booster shot only, and those who have taken Covaxin should go for the Covaxin booster shot. Do not take the alternate vaccine as it might create a complication.

5. The first two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine boost our body's immune system. With these shots, memory cells that remember the virus are produced to help in case of an infection. The number of these cells increases with the second dose and helps fight the infection.

When these memory cells are challenged with a booster, they induce a robust immune response. As a result, the booster shot produces more antibodies that have an increased potency to fight the virus.

While taking the vaccines is integral to stay safe from the virus, one must remain vigilant and follow the safety protocol. Vaccination alone is not enough to fight the pandemic and the constantly emerging variants. In these challenging times, prioritising health is paramount. Remember to renew health insurance online or simply contact your insurance company to ensure your safe future.

Apart from maintaining your health insurance, you must indulge in healthy activities like yoga and vigorously consume a nourishing diet to combat any health ailment or infection.

Click HERE to renew health insurance online.

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.

The Government of India presented the union budget on 1st February 2023. It has provided incentives for the people to move from the old tax regime consisting of deductions and rebates to the new tax regime. This, in turn, will affect the insurance sector as well.

While there were a few surprises here and there, it has proposed a significant change by taxing maturity proceeds of insurance policies commanding an aggregate premium of over Rs.5 lakhs in a financial year. Such high premiums usually occur in the case of money-back insurance plans that require one-time premium payments or endowment plans.

Here are some of the key recommendations that would impact life insurance sector.

1. No change in Section 80C and 80D:
Insurance premium amounts paid for insuring the life of self, spouse, or child are presently eligible for deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act up to Rs.1.5 lakhs per annum. This is irrespective of whether our child is minor or major, dependent or independent. Also, individuals, as well as Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), are both eligible for claiming this deduction.
Similarly, Section 80D allows a person to claim a deduction for health insurance premiums and expenses incurred towards preventive health check-ups for self, spouse, children, and even parents up to Rs.65000/- per annum, subject to certain conditions.
The budget of 2023 could have been better for the insurance sector of the limits under Sections 80C and 80D. The industry expected a raise in the limits under these sections to boost consumer savings and investment. However, these limits have been left untouched in the budget of 2023.

2. The choice between the old-tax regime and the new-tax regime:
Till now, there was an option to choose between the old-tax regime that allows for several deductions and rebates and the new tax regime that taxes your income at a flat rate. You could choose either of the two and enjoy the above deductions under Sections 80C and 80D by choosing the old-tax regime.
There has been a shift in policy in this regard in the budget of 2023. The new tax regime is the default setting for individuals, under which you cannot enjoy these rebates. If you still want to enjoy deductions under Sections 80C and 80D, you will have to choose the old-tax regime specifically.

3. Aggregate premium clause:
According to the budget of 2023, if the aggregate premium paid by an individual is over Rs.5 lakhs in a financial year starting 1st April 2023, he will have to pay tax on their maturity proceeds. However, if such a policyholder dies, the nominee's maturity proceeds will be tax-free.
Maturity proceeds or income from insurance policies having an aggregate premium of less than Rs.5 lakhs in a financial year will be exempted from taxation. However, the introduction of this clause may discourage consumers such as High-Net-worth individuals (HNIs) from buying big-ticket insurance products to save taxes. As a result, the revenues or top-line of the insurance companies are bound to suffer and go down.

The Insurance industry plays a vital role in the overall financial growth of the country, and as such, the sector is undoubtedly not very encouraged with the budget for 2023. There was a general expectation of an extension of the Rs.1.5 lakhs deductions allowed under Sections 80C and 80D, which still needs to be met. Moreover, taxing the maturity proceeds of policies commanding an aggregate premium of Rs.5 lakhs or more in a financial year will further dampen the sales of high-value insurance policies.

However, insurance buyers need not be worried as the prevalent deduction limit is still the same and has not gone down. Also, a very small percentage of Indians buy high-value insurance policies, and the changed clause is unlikely to affect most Indian residents. Online general insurance policies continue to offer the same ease, protection, and security, and individuals can continue to enjoy its benefits.

Click HERE to buy online general insurance plan to safeguard your valuable assets.

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.

Indian celebrities, cricket players, and business tycoons have all made headlines for driving fancy foreign cars that they brought into India. It takes time and is complicated to import a foreign car into India. But if someone is willing to put in the time and money, they can import their dream car by following the rules and going through the process.

In this article, we'll go through the steps involved in bringing a foreign car into India and some crucial rules you must abide by.

India has stricter regulations than other nations regarding the import of foreign cars. Foreign cars will be permitted to drive on Indian roads only if they meet all requirements.

Guidelines for importing a new car.
To import a new car, the following prerequisites must be satisfied:

● The car must be built or assembled outside of India.

● The car must be brand new in every way, and you can only import it from the nation where it was made. It cannot have been registered, leased, sold, or loaned before being imported into India.

● A right-hand driver's car is required.

● Kilometres, not miles, should be displayed on the speedometer.

● You can use only the naval docks in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata to import cars. Therefore, you should use just one of these ports to transport the car to India.

Rules for importing a used car.
The procedures for importing a used car into India are complex and may take longer than expected. The rules are as follows:

● Imported used cars shouldn't have a manufacturing date older than three years.

● It must be a right-hand drive car.

● Kilometres, not miles, should be displayed on the speedometer.

● Again, only naval docks in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata are allowed to transport the car to India.

● The car should be financed, leased, registered, or sold.

● It must have a roadworthiness certificate with a minimum 5-year validity.

Who is authorised to bring commercial cars into India?
You must meet additional requirements before you can import commercial cars into India. Because people can travel in passenger cars, SUVs, and jeeps that were imported, the rules for commercial cars are strict. The following are the profiles that can bring such cars into the country:

1. An NRI who last lived in India at least two years before the import and owned a car for at least a year.

2. Relatives, i.e., the legitimate heirs or successors of a person who passed away overseas and left a car in their care.

3. Individuals with physical disabilities.

4. Companies with foreign equity participation that are already operating in India.

5. International corporations with a presence in India.

6. Trusts that are legally established for religious, missionary, or charitable purposes in India and abide by the regulations established by the state or central government.

7. Any honorary consuls that the Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs recommends.

8. Any journalist who possesses an accreditation certificate issued by the Bureau of the Indian government's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Things to take into account before bringing a car into India.
Before you start the time-consuming process of bringing a car into India, you need to think about a few essential things.

1. Import taxes on cars:
You might be required to pay an import duty of up to 116% of the car's CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value.

2. Registration:
The closest RTO in India must register the car. The import tariff does not include the fees for registration and road tax. These fees vary based on the kind and price of the car.

Insurance is essential to drive your car in India legally. You can conveniently buy car insurance online to financially protect you from paying for damages caused by an accident or third-party liabilities. Your car insurance can offer financial security against collision, fire, or other unavoidable natural or man-made disasters.

Click HERE to buy car insurance online.

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.

The Driving Licence (DL) and Registration Certificate (RC) are two crucial documents for any vehicle in the country. Without this, your vehicle is not registered under the law. It also means that you are not eligible to be a legal driver of your concerned vehicle.

When filing an insurance claim, you need to produce these two documents before your insurance company. They are crucial in determining your ownership details. However, many circumstances result in the loss of these documents. What will you do then? Will you lose the 2 wheeler insurance claim?

If you're looking for the answers to the questions above, this article is definitely for you.

What is an add-on for 2 wheeler insurance?
Many unforeseen circumstances can cause the theft, loss, or damage of your driver's licence and registration certificate. Although this nullifies your vehicle ownership under the law, certain factors can help you.

In situations like these, the Registration Certificate add-on or Loss of Licence comes to your rescue. It is an additional cover for your 2 wheeler insurance. Under this, you need to pay a higher interest rate or premium. The add-on ensures that you experience additional benefits as the owner of your vehicle and insurance.

You can easily buy the add-on when applying for your 2 wheeler insurance. It can be done both online and offline without any hassles. This add-on is extremely helpful in situations when you lose your Driving License or Registration Certificate. It ensures that you still get your insurance claim.

Benefits of add-on:

● It enables you to apply for an insurance claim without a driver's licence or RC

● You are entitled to receive monetary support in case your driving licence and registration certificate are lost or stolen

● It will serve as a helper when the claim is settled

● The add-on comes with a very partial increase in the insurance premium

What to do when DL or RC is lost or stolen?

If your Driver's Licence or Registration Certificate is stolen or lost, you need to do the following things immediately:

● Go to the police station and file a complaint about the theft

● Make sure to get a copy of the FIR with you

● Go to the nearest RTO office and file for a duplicate copy of your DL or RC. Attach the photocopy of the FIR along with the required documents

● Pay the given fees

● For a DL, you need to complete the biometric process as well

● The documents will be safely delivered to your address

What to do while filling an insurance claim without a DL or RC?

If you're filing an insurance claim for your 2 wheeler insurance, then you should:

● Make sure that you apply for the claim within the specified time

● Fill out the form with the correct information. Check it twice

● Gather all the required document

● Initiate the claim

● You should provide all the proofs if you have lost your DL and Registration Certificate. If you have an add-on, this process is all the easier

● Before applying for the claim, read all the terms and conditions carefully

These are the simple yet effective things you should remember while filling a 2 wheeler insurance claim if you misplace your licence and RC. However, always ensure that you keep all your important documents in the right place and prevent them from being lost or stolen. This can cause you great distress otherwise.

Click HERE to buy the best 2 wheeler insurance.

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.

Several factors need to be considered while finalising your holiday destination. You need to think about the budget, hotels, amenities, safety, etc. But one of the essential elements which determine your vacation destination is food.

Street food has a huge fandom. People of all ages love the culture of street food and local cuisine. You not only get varieties of food, but street food is quite pocket-friendly and on-the-go. If you are a food enthusiast, then different street food tours in our country will give you an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

In this blog, we will be discussing five popular street food tours in India.

1. Street food crawl in Varanasi:
A food tasting tour of Varanasi's old town helps you explore the food culture, which still hints at the ancient palette of the city's long history. A part of this walking, street food tour is visiting the oldest shop in Kashi and seeing how the most famous delicacies are prepared and tasting them after a quick demonstration.

2. Food and Heritage walk in Old Delhi:
While New Delhi has seen fast-paced growth and development and is still advancing with time, Old Delhi holds the culture together and keeps it alive. It brings the generations together with heritage and food.
Mixing heritage walk with food in Old Delhi immerse you in the places from cultural depths and taste the local cuisines that carry the original flavours from the legacies of the Mughal Dynasty. Old Delhi is a tasty retreat especially for non-veg lovers to enjoy a few unique and mouth-watering delicacies at every stall.

3. The food lanes of Kolkata:
A food tour in Kolkata begins with a bit of street vendors and leads to exploring one spot followed by another. During your time in Kolkata, you will get to taste jumbo prawns in coconut milk curry, onion bhajis, a range of chicken curries, and different varieties of authentic Bengali sweets like rasgulla and cham-cham that will melt your heart.
The tour has the perfect ending- coffee at one of the oldest colonial coffee houses in Kolkata. You can explore many Bengali delicacies and drinks during your exploration of Kolkata food streets.

4. Explore Jaipur food trail:
A food tour of Jaipur offers you the experience of the culture of Jaipur through its food palette. In just a few hours during your trip around Hawa Mahal, you can taste the famous and authentic delicacies of Jaipur. You will get the opportunity to explore the traditional and historical places, eat Rajasthani dishes and shop in the street markets.

5. Eat where locals go in Old Mumbai:
This food adventure in Mumbai gets you to explore three different districts that offer distinct delicacies like curries with crispy papads, Chowpatty's chaat, snacks, kebabs, hand-churned ice creams, and much more. All this food paired with stories about the vibrant Old Bombay will make your visit a memorable one.

After the delicious discussion about these popular street food tours in India, you also need to understand the importance of your safety during the trip. These tours will take you through crowded streets and congested spaces. It would be wise to explore different insurance plans of the best general insurance company to ensure the safety of you and your belongings while travelling.

Click HERE to know more about the general insurance company and the plans that you can invest into.

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.

For every two-wheeler owner, it is imperative to know various driving and traffic rules and regulations that prevail in the country. One of the most important rules of riding a two-wheeler here is the mandate of having 2 wheeler insurance. However, just having two-wheeler insurance is not enough. You also need to maintain a clean riding record. Your insurance will not be affected when you have a clean riding record.

This article is for you if you are unaware of a clean riding record and how it impacts your insurance.

What is a clean riding record?

A clean riding record, in simple words, looks at all aspects of your two-wheeler. It considers how you drive, the accidents you've encountered, broken rules or any challans you received, and so on.
It provides the whole history of your two-wheeler. The official statement includes all the details of your vehicle and directly affects your 2 wheeler insurance as well. When your insurance premium is calculated, the accidents, traffic violations, and challans are considered part of your riding record.

How does it affect your two wheeler insurance?

Many factors are taken into account while calculating your 2 wheeler insurance. These are:

● History of claim

● Model of vehicle

● Location of your vehicle

● Riding record

● Type of Plan

● Year of two-wheeler manufacturing

Riders with a clean record will likely be blessed with the best insurance plans and discounted premiums. This may not be the case for others.

Factors affecting riding record.

1. Late payment of challans:
This directly shows your laid-back attitude and procrastination. It is advised not to violate traffic rules and get a challan. If you do, you should try to pay the fees for the same on time.

2. Accidents:
This is the most dangerous thing to affect your riding record. Your negligence or carelessness during driving can cause accidents and reflect badly on your profile.

3. Violation of traffic rules:
If you violate any traffic rules, it will reflect significantly on your riding record. It can involve over-speeding, overtaking, jumping traffic signals, etc. It is recommended to follow all traffic rules to eliminate the risks of accidents.

4. Intoxication:
If you've been caught riding your two-wheeler while drunk or under the influence of other intoxicants, your riding record can be tainted forever. It is advisable to avoid drinking and driving to remain safe on the roads.

How to maintain a good riding record?

You must maintain a clean riding record to claim your 2 wheeler insurance without any hassles. The steps are

1. Ride safely:
You must be responsible on the road and avoid riding recklessly. You should be respectful of everyone on the road and keep them safe.

2. Follow traffic rules:
It is advisable to follow all the traffic rules and regulations without fail. You should not over-speed or jump traffic lights. Avoid parking your vehicle in no-parking zones.

3. Pay penalties:
If you break any traffic rule by mistake and receive a challan in your name, immediately pay the fees. Do not wait till the last day.

Being safe on the road and maintaining a clean driving record is always advisable to avoid any mess up with your insurance claims. Make a smart move, follow the aforementioned steps, and reward yourself with a clean riding record and the seamless benefits of 2 wheeler insurance.

Click HERE to buy comprehensive 2 wheeler insurance.

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.

Having a car helps you manage your personal and professional lives with convenience and independence. While the whole process of purchasing a vehicle can be pretty extensive, it is equally important to take care of your vehicle to maintain its efficiency. Hence, it would be best to get it serviced regularly. Ensure that all the damages are repaired and replaced according to need.

But how do you ensure that your car stays up and running? There are several parts that require regular inspection. One of them is the gearbox. How can you detect and rectify problems with your gearbox? What happens if you don't get them checked by an expert?

This blog will discuss significant pointers about problems and the ways to resolve them.

1. Unexpected noise:
If you feel that your car is shaking, moving roughly, jerking or making grinding noises while operating, this indicates some underlying problem. And if you notice these noises when you shift the gear, it is an issue with the gearbox.

2. Laggy acceleration:
If you notice a slight delay (more than a second) in your vehicle's acceleration while you shift gears, this could suggest a problem with the gearbox. It could also be due to a faulty clutch part that finds it challenging to engage and disengage completely. Get this issue examined by an expert car mechanic to ensure proper repair and maintenance of the gearbox before the situation worsens.

3. Gear slipping:
The gearbox heavily depends on your actions and how you operate it unless it is automatic. Gear slipping is a phenomenon in which the car jerks and the gear shifts back when you accelerate. There are possibilities that it might change into neutral at times. And jumping to neutral gear while in motion can be risky and invite accidents as your car will halt suddenly.

4. Spilling of fuel:
The gearbox of your car is a crucial mechanical component. Since it moves in a rotational pattern, it needs fuel for lubrication. It is likely a transmission fluid leak if you detect bright orange-coloured liquid drops under your car. Get it fixed to avoid the gear from drying out.

5. Smell:
Overheating of the transmission fluid can cause improper gear shifts and a burning smell. Transmission fluid is essential in reducing the heat and cooling down the gearbox components.

Now that we have listed specific gearbox problems to look out for, the next question is how to resolve them. You can monitor the transmission fluid periodically, keep a check on the gears, make sure that the cooling system works efficiently, get your car serviced at regular intervals, drive with care and watch out for the signs we discussed above.

Another way to ensure that your car stays in good shape is to get it insured against unprecedented damages. You can safeguard your vehicle by purchasing the best car insurance in India and be relieved from the monetary stress involved in car maintenance and repair.

Click HERE to know more about how you can buy the best car insurance in 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.

Group trips are often a sort of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone. However, it is tough to set an itinerary that is convenient for all and pleases each one in the group. Differences may arise when choosing the mode of travel. Some may want to take a flight, some train, while others want a road trip. Further differences may arise with the choice of hotels, destinations covered, trip duration, etc. What to do now? Fret not!

We are here with our exclusive guide to enjoying a perfect group trip.

1. A group leader:
The first step for the success of any group trip is to appoint a group leader. He should be bold, knowledgeable, a good researcher, and a planner. He should also be a good team player as he will have to manage and deal with everyone in the group.
The appointment of a group leader will ensure a single point of contact for addressing the needs of all. He can finalise the travel dates, mode of travel, hotels, etc., after discussion with everyone in the group on a one-to-one basis.

2. Budget:
A group trip is about convenience for one and all. Some may want an international holiday, while others want to go within the country. Some may favour travelling by air and staying in a five-star hotel, while others may want to make it more budget-friendly, travel by train, and stay in less expensive hotels.
The group members should first decide on their budget and book accordingly. The trip should not put undue pressure on anyone financially and cause inconvenience.

3. Book in time:
A group trip involves a lot of bookings, be it for travel, accommodation, or sightseeing. Always make your bookings as soon as possible otherwise you will have to pay steep prices for your flight and hotel booking. There is also a chance that tickets or rooms become booked and unavailable for your travel dates. A delay in bookings can spoil your entire travel plan.

4. Plan beforehand:
A perfect group trip means planning possibly everything before you arrive at your destination. Local sightseeing and related bookings should be planned to avoid confusion and delays later. For example, you may consider booking cable cars in advance if you visit such a destination in a large group. Buying cable car tickets on the spot can take a lot of time. Also, there is a chance that there are no vacant seats left for you at the last moment.
You should also plan your meals well in advance. Everyone has a different food choice, and meeting their expectations can be daunting. Find good restaurants for meals, declare the menu/ available choices in advance and book them accordingly.

5. Do not make your trip hectic:
A perfect group trip will give everyone some personal space and time. Never make your travel itinerary very hectic and time-bound. Keep a comfortable gap between various activities so that people are not left exhausted at the end of the day.
You can also plan to keep an extra day in hand so that individuals can use their holiday time as they wish and do the activities of their choice. Remember that you are on holiday, not on a mission, to finish some tasks.

No trip can be as enjoyable as a group trip with family or friends. But it has to be planned well in advance and executed effectively. Similarly, you need to plan for your general insurance needs well in advance so that it provides adequate security coverage in times of emergencies. As there are several general insurance companies in India, always thoroughly research their policies and coverage and opt for the best one.

Click HERE to buy insurance from the reliable general insurance plan to make your group travel safe from mishaps.

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.