What to do when you need to claim

• Take all possible steps to minimise the loss.
• Inform the fire brigade immediately if relevant.
• Lodge a police complaint if the fire arose from rioting, striking workers, malicious damage by third parties, or terrorist damage.
• Inform the insurer as early as possible — in no case later than 24 hours.
• Co-operate with the surveyor appointed by the insurer.
• Obtain a meteorological report for loss due to cyclone, flood or inundation (an MRO report for a localised flood from a local water source).
• On a "reinstatement basis" policy, the claim is settled only after repairs/replacement are complete and bills are submitted.

The four steps to cashless facility:

• 1. Intimate in advance — obtain medical details from your treating doctor and give prior intimation to the TPA's 24-hour helpdesk before admission (48–72 hours ahead for planned/elective hospitalisation).
• 2. Send the request note — submit a cashless-admission request to the TPA via the network hospital, with investigation reports confirming diagnosis.
• 3. Get pre-authorisation — after verification, the TPA issues an Authorisation Letter guaranteeing payment to the hospital.
• 4. Avail cashless hospitalisation — approach the hospital's admission counter with the Authorisation Letter and your ID card.

Cashless can be denied if admission happens without prior TPA intimation, if required information is incomplete, or if eligibility can't be confirmed from the medical details given — this does not prevent you from seeking treatment or reimbursement afterward. TPA helpline and fax numbers are printed on your policy and ID card. For treatment at a non-network hospital, reimbursement is also processed through the TPA named in your policy.

• Notify the insurer immediately.
• File notice of claim and an estimated cost of repairs so the insurer can arrange inspection.
• For partial losses, no depreciation is charged unless the item is underinsured against its present-day replacement value — depreciation applies only to total-loss claims.
• A partially damaged appliance should be repaired (with insurer approval) before further use, otherwise subsequent loss isn't covered.

Death claim:

• The assignee under the policy should notify the policy-issuing office immediately.
• Submit the claim form with a death certificate, post-mortem report, police report and the original policy.

Injury claim:

• Notify the policy-issuing office immediately and submit a police report if any.
• Submit the claim form with a medical certificate confirming the disablement.
• Where medical-expenses extension applies, submit prescriptions with bills.

• Report to the police immediately and obtain a non-traceable certificate for the missing items.
• Notify the insurer as early as possible.
• You may need to provide a letter of undertaking (on stamp paper) — a letter of subrogation — for refunding the claim if the property is later recovered.
• Obtain a final report from the police.
• Provide the surveyor with complete books of accounts and bills substantiating the loss on the day it's reported.

At the time of delivery: examine goods for damage or shortage on arrival. Never give a clean receipt if damage is noted or even suspected — clause the delivery receipt instead.

Documents typically required:

• Original insurance policy / certificate
• Commercial invoice and packing list
• Bill of Lading or Air Waybill (original)
• Consignment note / delivery receipt, claused for damage or shortage
• Survey report, and (for theft) a police statement

Notify carriers promptly to protect recovery rights — as a guideline: shipping line within 3 days of delivery, airline within 14 days, road within 7 days. We recommend notifying the carrier immediately regardless of these limits, since a delay can affect your claim.

• Work / job profile and employment proof
• Wage proof for the last 12 months
• Age proof
• Injury details and medical certificate
• Disablement certificate
• Post-mortem report, in case of death

Under Act policies: report any accident involving third parties to the insurer. No claim should be admitted or compromise reached without insurer approval — every accident involving a third party must also be reported to the police, since an unreported accident can be treated as a policy violation.

Under comprehensive policies:

• File notice of the accident with the insurer; for major damage, report before the vehicle is moved so a spot inspection can be arranged.
• Move the vehicle to a workshop (preferably authorised) for a repair estimate.
• The insurer inspects the damage, verifies the registration certificate and driver's licence, and authorises repairs.
• Repair bills are settled directly with the garage or reimbursed to you; damaged parts may be collected as salvage.
• Theft of the vehicle or accessories must be reported to the police, with a final report submitted.

• Take steps to minimise the loss or damage.
• For fire, inform the fire brigade immediately; for theft or burglary, inform the police immediately with a list of stolen items and their approximate value.
• Inform the insurer by phone or fax, and in writing.
• Co-operate fully with the surveyor and provide documents substantiating the loss, along with the claim form.
• Any right of recovery against a third party is subrogated to the insurer once the claim is paid.

• Inform the insuring office by phone, letter or fax, and take all steps to minimise the loss.
• Obtain a repair estimate from a repairer of your choice.
• Submit the estimate and claim form to the surveyor deputed by the insurer.
• After surveyor clearance, proceed with repair or replacement as applicable.
• Submit actual repair/replacement bills with proof of payment to the surveyor.

Cashless settlement: inform the helpline as soon as possible while abroad — claims not reported while abroad may not be payable after return to India. For a financial emergency, contact the helpline with your policy details and a police report (with passport number and a written statement of the incident). The TPA validates the claim and settles directly with the hospital where possible.

Reimbursement settlement: the same prompt-intimation rule applies. Non-emergency claims are reimbursed once you're back in India, in Indian Rupees at the RBI exchange rate applicable on the billing date. Financial-emergency claims are settled directly with you while still abroad.

Typical documents: completed claim form, policy copy, air ticket/boarding pass, original medical bills and discharge summary, prescriptions, and — for baggage or passport loss — the airline's property irregularity report or a police report obtained within 24 hours.