Lockdown can be pretty tough, thereby restricting people movement across the city. Now if the thought of driving on empty roads to procure both essentials and non-essentials could make you feel any better from staying locked indoors for long, insurance companies have posed another hurdle, a move that will make you rethink twice before venturing out during the lockdown.
Lockdown rules: Do you have an e-pass before you hit the road?
Considering the lockdown has not been withdrawn completely yet, the drivers are required to procure e-pass before they get going on roads. Now if you do not have an e-pass and in case of an accident on the road, or if a vehicle gets lost, the chances of motor insurance companies rejecting your claims are much higher as an unauthorised movement during lockdown will be treated as an unlawful activity.
So if your vehicle meets with an accident during the lockdown period, then one of the documents the insurance companies will ask to process claims is the permission to travel or E-pass for the driver. Further, the e-pass is issued only for a certain route, destination, and for a limited time period only. In case, you do not hold an e-pass for the route you're driving, and the vehicle meets with a breakdown, then there are chances the insurance company will reject the claim in such cases.
To remind you once again of the T&Cs of Motor Insurance is that a claim can be rejected if the licensee is involved in any unlawful activity. While there are always exceptions to the norm. In case of those providing emergency services during the lockdown, such as frontline workers and medical professionals, their movement on specific routes has been allowed only with E-passes.
Why reason it out with insurance companies without delay?
The date and time of the incident (in case of a theft or an accident) would determine if a pass was required or not as per the rules and regulations from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Order on the date is legally tenable.
While lockdown restrictions are slowly getting eased and MHA has allowed for inter-state and intra-state travel, it is important for the insured to mandatorily provide justifications and reason for travel amidst lockdown rules still active in certain containment zones. This rule is only applicable for private vehicles, commercial vehicles are excluded.
Claims by insurance companies for unfortunate incidents during lockdown continue to be processed depending on the practical aspects and facts of the claim. Insured vehicle owners are questioned in case of a delay in submitting the necessary documents as required of the insurance companies.
In order to ensure that the insured aren't harassed for documentation requirements during these trying times, the General Insurance Council has assured the insured that stringent quick actions will be taken against the insurance companies in case of harassment.
