Written by
Comprehensive vs standalone own damage: which suits your bike
Reviewed by
Your price in 2 minutes
Enter your car number to compare plans
Covers your own car
Kiwi Super NCB up to 90%
One Claims Specialist (industry first)
Introduction
Bike insurance in India gives you more than one option when it comes to protecting your own two-wheeler. A comprehensive plan bundles Third-Party cover and Own Damage cover together. A standalone Own Damage plan lets you hold Own Damage cover separately from your Third-Party policy. Knowing the difference between the two, and when each one makes sense, saves you from either over-paying for a plan you do not need or under-protecting a bike that deserves better cover.
In this blog, we are going to cover what each plan type actually includes, how the two differ side by side, which situations suit which plan, and what optional covers are available to extend whichever plan you choose.
Keep in mind
Third-Party bike insurance is compulsory under the Motor Vehicles Act, no plan comparison changes that requirement
A comprehensive plan bundles Third-Party and Own Damage cover in one policy, it covers damage to your own bike as well as your liability to others
A standalone Own Damage plan covers only damage to your own bike, it must be held alongside a separate Third-Party policy
Standalone Own Damage policies for bikes have been available since 1 September 2019, following an IRDAI circular
New bikes bought today carry a mandatory 5-year Third-Party bundle, the Own Damage decision is yours from the first renewal onwards
What the 3 bike insurance plan types mean
Before comparing comprehensive and standalone Own Damage cover, it helps to understand the 3 plan types available for bikes in India and what role each plays.
Third-Party only: This is the legal minimum under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act. It covers your liability for injury, death, or property damage caused to another person. It pays nothing toward damage to or theft of your own bike. Every bike on Indian roads must carry at least this cover.
Comprehensive: A comprehensive plan bundles Third-Party cover and Own Damage (OD) cover into one policy. You get the legal minimum plus protection for your own bike, from accidents, theft, fire, floods, and other covered events, in a single plan.
Standalone Own Damage: A standalone OD plan covers only damage to your own bike. It does not include Third-Party cover. To hold a standalone OD plan legally, you must have a separate Third-Party policy in place. This option became available to bike owners since 1 September 2019, when the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) permitted OD policies to be issued independently of Third-Party cover.
How a comprehensive bike insurance plan works
A comprehensive bike insurance plan is a single policy that covers both your Third-Party liability and your Own Damage in one place. You pay one combined premium and manage one renewal.
What it covers under Own Damage
- Accidents while riding, collision damage, a fall, or a skid
- Theft of the bike, the insurer pays the Insured Declared Value (IDV) if the bike is not recovered
- Fire damage, from a fuel leak, electrical fault, or external source
- Natural calamities, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and lightning
- Man-made events, riot damage, vandalism, and damage during a strike
- Transit damage, if the bike is damaged while being transported by road, rail, or inland waterway
What it covers under Third-Party
- Unlimited liability for injury or death caused to a third party under Section 147 of the Motor Vehicles Act
- Third-party property damage up to ₹1 lakh per incident
Personal Accident cover for the owner-rider
The compulsory Personal Accident (PA) cover of ₹15 lakhs for the owner-rider is included. This protects against death or permanent disability arising from a bike accident.
Who a comprehensive plan suits
A comprehensive plan suits most bike owners, especially those with newer bikes, higher-value bikes, or bikes ridden regularly in areas with flood risk or heavy traffic. It is also the simpler option: one policy, one premium, one renewal date.
New bikes carry a mandatory 5-year Third-Party bundle at purchase, along with 1, 2, or 3-year Own Damage cover. From the first renewal onwards, the Own Damage decision is entirely yours, and for most riders in the first 5 years of ownership, renewing the comprehensive cover is the right call given the bike's value.
How a standalone Own Damage plan works
A standalone Own Damage plan covers only damage to your own bike. It does not include Third-Party cover. To hold one legally, you must have a separate Third-Party policy active at the same time.
When standalone OD became available
Standalone OD policies for bikes became available since 1 September 2019 following an IRDAI circular. Before that date, Own Damage cover was only available as part of a comprehensive policy.
Why someone might choose standalone OD
The primary reason to hold a standalone OD policy is flexibility. If you are not satisfied with your comprehensive insurer's OD terms at renewal, the premium, the IDV they have set, or the optional covers available, you can move the OD component to a different insurer while keeping the Third-Party policy where it is.
This separation is particularly useful when:
You already have long-term Third-Party cover
For example, new bikes come with 5-year Third-Party cover, so you can choose a different insurer for your OD cover when it is time to renew.
Another insurer offers better OD cover
You may find a lower premium, a more suitable IDV or optional covers that better fit your needs.
You want to keep your Third-Party policy where it is
You can continue with your existing Third-Party insurer while choosing another insurer for your OD cover.
What standalone OD does not cover
A standalone OD policy covers none of the Third-Party liability events. If you injure a third party in an accident, your standalone OD policy pays nothing toward that liability. That is what the separate Third-Party policy is there for.
It also does not include the compulsory PA cover automatically, check whether your Third-Party policy or your standalone OD policy carries it, and make sure it is present in one of them.
The compulsory deductible
On every Own Damage claim, whether under a comprehensive plan or a standalone OD plan, the compulsory deductible applies. For bikes, this is roughly ₹100, as set by IRDAI. This amount is deducted from every OD claim payout regardless of the total repair cost.
Comprehensive vs standalone OD: a side-by-side look
Both Comprehensive and standalone OD can cover damage to your own bike, but they differ in what else they cover, how they work with Third-Party insurance, and what you pay for. Here’s how the two compare:
Which plan suits your situation
The right choice depends on your bike's age, current value and how much protection you want for your own bike.
You have just bought a new bike
A new bike comes with 5-year Third-Party cover as required by IRDAI. You can also choose 1, 2 or 3 years of Own Damage cover when you buy the bike.
When your OD cover expires, you can renew it with the same insurer or choose another insurer. If your Third-Party cover is still active separately, choose another insurer. If your Third-Party cover is still active separately, your OD cover can be bought as a standalone policy.
For most new bikes, keeping Own Damage cover makes sense because the bike is still worth a lot. A major accident, theft or other covered damage could otherwise leave you with a large expense.
You are renewing a bike that is 3 to 6 years old
By this stage, your bike's value and IDV have fallen. Check the IDV on your renewal notice and compare it with what you think your bike is currently worth.
If the premium and cover seem reasonable, you can continue with Comprehensive insurance. If you find a better premium, IDV or optional covers elsewhere, you can keep your existing Third-Party cover and buy standalone OD from another insurer.
You are renewing a bike that is over 6 years old
For an older bike, the value of Own Damage cover depends more on the bike's current IDV and the premium you pay for it.
Check both at renewal. If the OD premium feels high compared with the amount you could receive after applicable deductions, you may decide that Third-Party cover is enough.
Own Damage cover can still be useful if you ride regularly, park in an area with a higher theft risk or often travel through flood-prone areas.
You already hold a long-term Third-Party policy
If your Third-Party cover is active for several years, you do not need to buy Third-Party insurance again when your OD cover expires. You can simply renew or buy standalone OD cover for your own bike.
This lets you keep your existing Third-Party policy while choosing the insurer and OD cover that works best for you.
Optional covers available for bikes
Whichever plan you hold, comprehensive or standalone OD, you can add optional covers to the Own Damage component to extend your protection.
Optional covers available for bikes at Kiwi bike insurance:
Pillion Rider Cover
Extends Personal Accident protection to the pillion rider for death or permanent disability, the compulsory PA cover applies only to the owner-rider
Helmet Cover
Covers damage to or loss of your helmet up to a specified limit
Rider Gear Cover
Covers damage to riding gear, gloves, jacket, and boots, in an accident
Emergency Medical Expenses OPD
Covers out-of-pocket medical costs incurred immediately after a bike accident, without hospitalisation
Return to Invoice
If the bike is stolen or damaged beyond repair, this cover pays the full on-road price, including registration and road tax, rather than the depreciated IDV
The following optional covers are not available for bikes: Key Secure and Tyre Secure.
Check your policy document to confirm which optional covers are active on your plan before you raise a claim that depends on them.
What Kiwi Insurance does differently
Whether you hold a comprehensive plan or a standalone Own Damage policy, the moment you need to raise a claim is when the quality of your insurer becomes clear. Most insurers leave you to navigate the paperwork and follow up on your own.
- Only with Kiwi Insurance, once you register your claim, a dedicated Claims Specialist is assigned to you, one personal point of contact who explains the process.
- Your Claims Specialist stays reachable through the Kiwi app throughout. You do not have to repeat your situation to a different agent every time you follow up.
- The specialist guides you through what your policy covers in your specific case, so you know what to expect at every stage, not just at the end.
The Claims Specialist is assigned after you register a claim, not at the point of buying the policy.
Conclusion
The choice depends on your bike's age, existing Third-Party cover and how much flexibility you want at renewal. Comprehensive keeps both covers together, while standalone OD lets you choose a separate insurer for damage to your own bike. For most riders, Comprehensive is the simpler option. Standalone OD can be useful when you already have long-term Third-Party cover and want to choose your OD insurer separately. With Kiwi Insurance, a dedicated Claims Specialist guides you through the claims process once you register a claim.
Head to Kiwi Insurance to explore your bike insurance options and get the right cover in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
A comprehensive bike insurance plan bundles Third-Party cover and Own Damage cover in one policy. A standalone Own Damage plan covers only damage to your own bike and must be held alongside a separate Third-Party policy. Both include Own Damage protection, the difference is whether Third-Party cover comes with the same policy or sits in a separate one.