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How to change the address in your car insurance policy?

Team AckoJan 17, 2024

It’s best to keep all compliance-related documents updated, including your car insurance policy. If you have permanently shifted to a different location, then you should make the relevant change in the car insurance policy at the earliest. Changes in your PIN code can have major consequences with respect to premium payment and claim settlement. Read ahead to know how to change the address in your car insurance policy along with other related details.

Contents

How to modify the residential address mentioned in the car insurance policy?
Does changing the address affect the car insurance premium?
- Possible scenarios
Importance of updating the address
Frequently asked questions

How to modify the residential address mentioned in the car insurance policy?

To change the address in your car insurance policy, you need to get in touch with us and request policy endorsement. This is a process by which we can make changes in your active policy document.

But, hold on! There’s no need to panic. Your car insurance policy will be valid anywhere in the country as per the terms and conditions. However, there’s a possibility that your claim application process might be affected due to discrepancies regarding the address. Therefore, you should not delay the task of getting the address changed in your policy. Consider it as just another task that you need to take care of while moving cities.

ACKO is a digital-first insurer. Therefore, there’s no need for paperwork to make changes to your policy — the policy itself is in a digital format! If you are an ACKO customer and are looking for how to change the address in your car insurance policy document, then here’s the answer.

Step 1: Visit www.acko.com and log in to your account using One-time Password (OTP) verification.

Step 2: Select ‘Edit Policy’.

Step 3: Select ‘Change Address’.

Step 4: Update the address.

Step 5: New address will be reflected in the policy document.

Step 6: Download your updated policy.

Note that if there are any changes to the insurance premium, you will be notified about the required process before the changes are reflected in the policy document. Also, if the updated RC is needed, it shall be communicated accordingly.

The process can also be initiated via the ACKO app, which is available for both Android and iOS users. There can be changes in the process on a case-by-case basis or because of updates in the process. In case of any concerns, please write to [email protected].

Does changing the address affect the car insurance premium?

Yes, a change in your residential address can impact the insurance premium, provided the change is reflected in the vehicle’s Registration Certificate (RC).

As a Third-party Liability Car Insurance premium is based on its engine capacity, a change in the address will not affect the premium calculation. However, you must get the address changed for compliance/legal reasons. For example, third-party claims might involve legal notices that need to be delivered in a physical form at the registered address.

The location where your car is registered matters a lot while calculating the car insurance premium for a Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy. The location is necessary to ascertain the risk associated with insuring the vehicle. The higher the risk, the higher the premium.

Possible scenarios

Here are three possible scenarios while changing the address.

1. Increase in premium

If the location you are moving to is prone to flooding during the rainy season, has a high rate of car theft, or has witnessed several car accidents, then the risk quotient of the location increases. Consequently, the premium also increases.

2. Decrease in premium

If the location where you have moved is less risk-prone than your original location, then the premium can reduce.

3. Static premium

If there’s not much of a difference between the risk profiles of the location you have moved to and the previous location, then the premium shall remain unchanged.

Importance of updating the address

Here’s why keeping your car insurance policy updated regarding the address is important apart from the impact on premium mentioned above.

Official communication

Although there are different ways to contact policyholders (email, phone, etc.), sending official communication via post/courier might be a legal requirement in certain cases. Therefore, you should keep your address updated so that you don’t miss out on any official communication.

Address proof

While a car insurance policy might not be your preferred document when it comes to submitting it as address proof, it certainly can be used as one under some circumstances. It’s good to have multiple address proofs handy. You never know which one might prove helpful.

Avoid claim-related issues

In certain situations, major inconsistencies in the address can be a huge hindrance while settling claims. It is unlikely but there is a possibility that the claim might be delayed because of such a trivial concern. It is better to be on the safe side and update the policy with the current permanent address to avoid issues during claim settlement.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the frequently asked questions related to a change of address in a car insurance policy. The answers mentioned are generic. For specific queries and detailed answers, please email us at [email protected].

FAQs

Can I insure my car from a different address than the one I am residing at?

Car’s need to be registered at an RTO; that’s how they get their RC and the number that is displayed on the plate. While insuring the vehicle with a Comprehensive Policy, the insurer takes into consideration the RTO (and the area in its jurisdiction) to determine the risk and arrive at the premium. Thus, the residential address is not of much importance while insuring your car (for premium calculation). What matters more is the car’s registration location.

Do the addresses mentioned in the Driving Licence and the car insurance policy need to be the same?

The addresses mentioned in the Driving Licence and the car insurance policy can be different depending upon the circumstances. For example, a person might have passed the driving test from Delhi RTO, moved to Chennai and registered a new vehicle at Chennai RTO.

What can happen if I deliberately lie concerning the address stated in my car insurance policy?

Sharing false information with fraudulent intentions or to raise claims for making profits can warrant legal actions, which can lead to monetary penalties and even imprisonment in some cases.

Is it possible for a four-wheeler to be registered at one location and its policy document to feature an address falling under the jurisdiction of a different RTO?

Yes, for instance, there can be cases where the car is registered and used in Amritsar while the official address for communication mentioned by the owner might be in Ahmedabad. The point to note here is that the vehicle is registered at an RTO, not the vehicle owner. And the vehicle insurance policy document features the vehicle owner’s address, not the vehicle’s address.

What should I keep in mind while changing the address in my car insurance policy?

While updating your address in the car insurance policy, you must make sure that there are no errors. For example, cross-check the address for spelling mistakes, factual inaccuracies, etc. Also, one you receive the updated policy, make sure to glance through it one last time to verify if everything is in order.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on industry experience and several secondary sources on the internet; and is subject to changes. Please go through the applicable policy wordings for updated ACKO-centric content and before making any insurance-related decisions.

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