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What to do immediately after a bike accident or fall?
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Introduction
After a bike accident or fall, your first priority is safety. Once you are out of danger, documenting the incident, exchanging details, reporting it when required and notifying your insurer can help you handle the claim smoothly.
This blog covers what to do at the scene, what to document, your legal duties, when an FIR may be needed, how to notify the insurer, what to avoid, and what changes when a pillion rider or third party is involved.
Keep in mind
Check for injuries first and move yourself and the pillion rider away from traffic
Capture photos of the bike, damage and accident scene before moving anything
Assist injured people and report the accident to the police where required under Section 134 of the Motor Vehicles Act
Inform the insurer as soon as possible and wait for the required inspection before starting repairs
A valid licence for the bike is required for Own Damage cover under Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles Act
In the first 5 minutes: safety and injuries
The immediate priority is safety, for the rider, for the pillion rider if one was on the bike, for any third party involved, and for other road users.
Move to safety
If it is safe, move yourself and the pillion rider away from the bike and traffic.
Check for injuries
Check everyone involved for injuries. If someone may have a serious injury, avoid moving them and call 108 for an ambulance.
Do not remove an injured person's helmet
Leave it on unless there is an immediate life-threatening need to remove it.
Check others involved
If another vehicle is involved, check whether the rider, driver or passengers need medical help.
Secure the bike
If the bike is blocking traffic and can be moved safely, move it to the side. Otherwise, leave it in place and alert approaching traffic.
In the first 15 minutes: document the scene
Once immediate safety is addressed, documentation is the priority. The photographs and details collected in the first 15 minutes form the basis of the insurance claim.
Photograph the scene before moving anything
Take photographs of the bike's damage from multiple angles, the road surface, the position of all vehicles involved, any skid marks, the surrounding environment, and the location. Photographs taken before vehicles are moved are primary scene evidence. Photographs taken after vehicles have been repositioned are significantly less useful and may be questioned by the surveyor.
Photograph all number plates
Take clear photographs of every vehicle's number plate at the scene, your bike and any other vehicles involved.
Collect the other driver's details
Note their name, registration number, insurer and policy number, and contact number.
Collect witness details
Ask any bystanders, pedestrians, or nearby shopkeepers for their name and phone number. Witness accounts carry weight in disputed-fault situations.
Record the exact time, date, and location
Note the exact location, road name, landmark, GPS pin, or kilometre marker, along with the time and date. These details are required for the FIR and the claim registration.
Note the helmet status
Under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, both the rider and the pillion rider must wear helmets. If a claim is later raised where helmet non-compliance is relevant, particularly a Personal Accident claim for the pillion, the helmet status at the time of the incident may be cited during the claim assessment. Note it accurately.
Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act
Your legal duties at the scene, what the Motor Vehicles Act requires
Several post-accident actions are legal obligations under the Motor Vehicles Act, not discretionary choices.
Section 134, Duties of the driver after an accident:
Stop the vehicle
Leaving the scene of an accident where a person has been injured is an offence under Section 134. Stopping is mandatory.
Render assistance to the injured
The rider must take all reasonable steps to secure medical attention for any injured person, calling the emergency services, transporting the injured person to the nearest hospital if necessary. Leaving an injured person without assistance is a breach of Section 134.
Report to the police
The rider must report the accident to the nearest police station as soon as reasonably possible after the incident. This report forms the basis of the FIR required for Third-Party and theft claims.
Good Samaritan protection
Under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, bystanders who assist accident victims in good faith are protected from civil and criminal liability. If someone assists you or your pillion rider at the scene, they are legally protected in doing so.
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019
Deciding whether to call the police and file an FIR
A First Information Report (FIR) is not required for every bike accident. The requirement depends on the circumstances.
An FIR is required when:
- A third party is injured or killed
- Another person's vehicle or property is damaged and fault is disputed
- The bike is stolen
- The damage is significant and the other party disputes the account of events
An FIR is typically not required when:
- The accident involves only your own bike, a solo fall or a skid with no third party
- The damage is minor and both parties agree on what happened
- No third party is involved or affected
How to file an FIR
Go to the nearest police station and report the incident. Provide the exact location, the time, the registration numbers of all vehicles involved, and a clear description of what happened. Ask for a copy of the FIR, the insurer requires the FIR number and a copy for Third-Party claims.
What happens without an FIR
For OD claims without a third-party element, the insurer typically accepts the claim without an FIR. For any situation involving a third party's vehicle, injury, or property, the absence of an FIR may affect the claim assessment.
In the first hour: notifying the insurer
Notification must happen as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours. Delayed notification is one of the most common grounds for an OD claim to be challenged.
When to notify
Report the incident as soon as possible. Do not wait until repairs begin or the other party responds.
How to notify Kiwi Insurance
Register the claim through the Kiwi claims page with the basic incident details.
Keep these details ready:
- Policy number
- Date, time and location
- Description of the incident and damage
- Vehicle registration numbers
- Details of third-party injuries, if any
- Pillion rider injury and Pillion Rider Cover details, if applicable
- FIR details, if applicable
- Photos from the scene
What happens next: The insurer will arrange the required surveyor inspection. Do not authorise repairs before the inspection, as the surveyor needs to assess the damage before the repair estimate is approved.
What not to do after a bike accident
As important as the right actions are the actions to avoid. These are the most common mistakes in the first hour after a bike accident.
Do not accept responsibility at the scene
Avoid making statements about who caused the accident. Give the relevant details and leave the assessment of fault to the insurer and authorities.
Do not settle the matter with cash
A quick payment may not account for the full repair cost or any injury that becomes apparent later. Report the incident through the proper channels instead.
Do not sign papers you have not checked: Another party may ask you to sign a statement or agreement. Read and understand any document before signing it.
Do not leave an injured person behind
If someone is hurt, stay and arrange medical assistance. Section 134 of the Motor Vehicles Act requires drivers involved in an accident to take reasonable steps to help an injured person.
Do not restart a bike exposed to floodwater
Water may have entered the engine or other components. Have the bike towed and inspected before attempting to start it.
Do not begin repairs immediately
Let the insurer assess the damage first if an inspection is required. This gives the insurer a chance to verify the damage before repair work changes its condition.
If the pillion rider is injured, what changes
A bike accident involving an injury to the pillion rider creates an additional insurance dimension that most riders are not aware of at the time of the incident.
The pillion rider has no standard PA cover
The compulsory Personal Accident (PA) cover of ₹15 lakhs applies to the owner-rider only. The pillion rider has zero PA cover under the standard policy unless a Pillion Rider Cover optional cover has been added.
₹15 lakhsIf Pillion Rider Cover is active
The cover pays a fixed lump sum, typically ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakhs, to the pillion rider or their nominee in the event of death or permanent disability from the accident. Register the pillion rider's injury alongside the OD claim when notifying the insurer.
If Pillion Rider Cover is not active
The pillion rider will not receive a Personal Accident payout under the bike policy. If another vehicle caused the accident, the injured pillion rider may be able to claim compensation from that vehicle's insurance. They may also be able to seek compensation through the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT).
Helmet status of the pillion rider matters
Under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the pillion rider must wear a helmet. Non-compliance may be cited during the claim assessment for the pillion's PA claim.
Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles ActDocuments for a pillion PA claim
The FIR, medical records documenting the injury, a disability certificate if permanent disability is claimed, and the nominee's identity documents in a death claim. Notify the insurer of the pillion's injury at the time of claim registration, do not leave it for a later stage.
If a third party is injured, what the law requires
When a third party, another driver, a pedestrian, or a bystander, is injured or killed in the accident, specific legal and insurance obligations apply.
Immediate duties under Section 134
Stop, assist, and report, as covered in Section 3 of this blog. These duties are mandatory and apply to bike riders in exactly the same way as to car drivers.
Third-Party liability
Under Section 147 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the compulsory Third-Party cover responds to the injured party's claim. The Third-Party liability for injury and death is unlimited. Third-Party property damage is covered up to ₹1 lakh per incident.
Section 147 of the Motor Vehicles Act
An FIR is mandatory for any accident involving injury or death to a third party. File it at the nearest police station immediately after attending to the injured party.
Notify the insurer immediately
A Third-Party injury or death claim carries significantly higher financial exposure than an OD repair claim. Notify the insurer as soon as possible. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) process, if applicable, is governed by Section 165 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Details of the Third-Party claims process are at kiwiinsurance.com/motor-third-party-claims/.
Section 165 of the Motor Vehicles ActHit-and-run situations
If the other vehicle leaves the scene and cannot be traced, the injured party, or their nominee in a fatal accident, may claim under the Solatium Scheme under Section 161 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Claims are filed through the claims officer in the district where the accident occurred.
Solatium Scheme under Section 161 of the Motor Vehicles Act
What Kiwi Insurance does differently
The first hour after a bike accident involves safety, documentation, legal duties, and the first insurer notification, all happening simultaneously and often after a physically and emotionally stressful event. Most insurers provide a claims number and leave the rider to navigate the rest.
- Only with Kiwi Insurance, once you register your claim, a dedicated Claims Specialist is assigned to you, one personal contact who explains what happens from that point forward, what documents are needed, and what the surveyor visit involves, in plain language, from registration through to settlement.
- Your Claims Specialist stays reachable through the Kiwi app throughout the claim. If the accident involves both an OD claim and a Pillion Rider Cover PA claim on the same incident, the specialist handles both, so the rider does not have to coordinate 2 separate processes alone.
- For accidents involving a third-party injury, the specialist explains the Third-Party claim position and the MACT process if it applies, so nothing in the post-accident process comes as a surprise.
The Claims Specialist is assigned after you register a claim, not at the point of buying the policy.
Conclusion
The first hour after a bike accident determines the quality of the claim that follows. Photographs taken at the scene, the other party's details collected, the FIR filed where required, and the insurer notified promptly: these 4 actions set the claim up correctly. When the pillion rider is injured, Pillion Rider Cover determines whether any PA payout exists for them. When a third party is injured, the legal duties under the Motor Vehicles Act and the compulsory Third-Party cover both apply.
With Kiwi Insurance, a dedicated Claims Specialist is assigned once you register a claim to explain every step in plain language from that point forward.
Just had a bike accident and not sure what to do next?
Head to Kiwi Insurance to register your claim and get a dedicated Claims Specialist assigned to your case.
Frequently asked questions
Check for injuries first and move to a safe place if you can. Take photos of the scene, exchange details with the other party and report the accident where required. Notify your insurer as soon as possible.