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Car Accidents in Kolkata and Insurance Claim

Team AckoJan 17, 2024

Kolkata is a city overflowing with art, history, culture, and delicious food. It is also a pretty densely populated city. In fact, it is the third-most populous city in India. In a bid to help its massive population move about, Kolkata has developed a robust public transportation system, which ranks among the top 6 in the country. As a result, Kolkata has fewer privately owned vehicles when compared to other cities.

That being said, car accidents happen when you least expect them. If you are driving through this magnificent city and are ever involved in a car accident in Kolkata, this article will guide you through the process of filing a successful insurance claim.

Contents

Car Accidents in Kolkata
Number of Road Accident Cases Reported in Kolkata
Safety and Car Insurance for Protection against Car Accidents in Kolkata
Frequently asked questions

Car Accidents in Kolkata

Car accidents happen out of the blue - sometimes due to no fault of your own, and Kolkata is no stranger to the phenomenon. Even though Kolkata has a significantly lower number of personal vehicles compared to other major cities, accidents do happen here due to narrow streets and a relaxed attitude towards traffic rules.

When the monsoons hit, the condition of the roads deteriorates further. Add poor visibility to the equation, and the number of car accidents in Kolkata goes up significantly.

Number of Road Accident Cases Reported in Kolkata

Despite having fewer personal vehicles compared to other major cities in the country, Kolkata does see a significant number of accidents every year. The car accident rate in Kolkata for the past few years is as follows:

Road Accidents in Kolkata in 2018 - 2,663
Road Accidents in Kolkata in 2019 - 2,500
Road Accidents in Kolkata in 2020 - 1,683

Road accidents have been steadily declining over the years as road safety, awareness, and infrastructure have been improving steadily.

The West Bengal Police has listed these as the top causes of accidents in the city:

Overspeeding
Not wearing helmets and seatbelts
Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
Usage of mobile phones, especially when near road crossings
Overloading of heavy vehicles

Safety and Car Insurance for Protection against Car Accidents in Kolkata

Insurance policies are designed to protect you financially in the event of an accident. The Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 states that to be able to drive legally anywhere in India, each and every vehicle needs to have at least third-party insurance. As the name suggests, third-party insurance protects you from financial liabilities that may arise in the event you are involved in an accident with a third party. Here, the third-party liabilities refer to their vehicle, their property, or injury to themselves. It is important to note that damages to your vehicle are not covered under third-party insurance.

Many opt for this kind of insurance as their premiums are the lowest or because they are unaware of other car insurance policies that provide better coverage. If you are looking for better coverage, you should consider comprehensive insurance policies. These have all the benefits of a third-party insurance policy, and cover damages to your own vehicle as well.

These policies also cover you financially in the event your vehicle is stolen or if it has been destroyed by either natural or man-made disasters such as floods, earthquakes or fires. They have slightly higher premiums than third-party insurance policies, but the difference becomes insignificant in the level of coverage they provide. You can further improve your coverage by opting for certain add-ons to your insurance policies based on your needs.

Documents Required to Make a Car Accident Claim in Kolkata

Here is a list of documents you will need if you are involved in a car accident in Kolkata, and want to file a successful insurance claim:

Driving licence of the diver
Car registration certificate (copy)
Copy of insurance documents
Copy of FIR
Policyholder's proof of identity
Any other documents requested by the insurer.

It is always best to have all these documents handy as this will help get your claim faster.

How to Buy a Car Insurance Policy in Kolkata from ACKO?

ACKO is a leading provider of insurance services in India.We enable you to purchase a car insurance policy online, and renew the car insuranceonline as well.

We offer a variety of car insurance policies with varying levels of coverage:

Third-Party Plan - ACKO's third-party plan shields you from any and all third-party financial liabilities.
Comprehensive Insurance - Our comprehensive insurance plan includes everything a third-party plan does, as well as coverage for damage to your own vehicle. It also protects you against vehicle theft and damage caused by natural disasters.
Zero-Dep Plan - Our zero-dep plan has all of the benefits of a comprehensive plan but does not lose money due to depreciation.

ACKO also offers a host of add-ons that you can opt-in for to increase your insurance coverage, such as Roadside Assistance Cover, Key Replacement Cover, Outstation Emergency Cover and more.

Now that you know all about ACKO's insurance plans, head on over to acko.com and follow the steps below to purchase the insurance plan of your choice:

On the home page, enter your vehicle number and click on 'Get Quote'.
ACKO will automatically fetch the details of your vehicle for you.
Once you have verified that the details are correct, click on 'View Prices'.
You will then be provided with a host of options to choose from, such as the type of insurance policy you want, the tenure of the policy, etc. In the case of comprehensive insurance, you can select the IDV for your vehicle.
Once you have selected all the options, you can make the payment.
The moment the payment is confirmed, you will see an option to download your policy document on the screen.

Things to Remember

Car accidents can be harrowing experiences. Sometimes they can happen to you due to circumstances you had no control over. However, there are a few steps you can take to mitigate the risks of being involved in an accident:

Drive safe, and stick to the prescribed speed limits.
Do not use your cell phone or drink and drive.
Traffic lights exist for a reason. Slow down when the light turns yellow; do not try to speed up to avoid a red light.

In the unfortunate event you are involved in a car accident in Kolkata, keep the following points in mind to help your claim get settled successfully:

Inform the insurer about the accident as soon as possible.
Do not forget to file an FIR if a third party is involved.
Always keep all the important documents related to your vehicle handy. Any missing documents will increase the chances of your claim getting rejected.

Before heading out anywhere, ensure your insurance policy hasn't lapsed. If your insurance policy is about to expire, you can always switch to ACKO. We have a lot of different plans to choose from with competitively priced premiums.

Frequently asked questions

Here are the answers to some of the common questions about car accidents in Kolkata.

1. What should I do if I get into a car accident in Kolkata?

If you are involved in a car accident in Kolkata, do the following:

Administer first aid to anyone who needs it and call an ambulance if necessary.
If there is a third party involved, notify the police as well.
Call the insurer and notify them of the incident.
If the accident was caused due to the negligence of the other driver, take down their insurance details. You can file a claim against their insurance policy.

2. How soon should I notify the insurer of the accident?

Notify your insurer immediately. ACKO understands that emergencies can make it difficult to inform on time. However, be sure to inform us within 24 hours from the incident.

3. Can I claim car insurance without FIR?

If a third party is involved in the incident, you will require an FIR to file an insurance claim. In the event an insurance claim is being filed for a vehicle that has been stolen, you will be required to get a No Trace Certificate from the authorities as well.

4. Is a car accident in Kolkata a crime?

Under Section 80 of The Indian Penal Code, being involved in an accident is not a crime unless there was malicious intent behind causing the accident.

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