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What to look for in an insurer's claim experience before you buy
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Introduction
Most car owners compare premium and claim ratio when choosing insurance. While the premium matters, a claim ratio alone does not tell you what your own claim experience will be like.
The claims process is what matters when you actually need your insurance. You can assess it before buying by looking at factors such as the cashless garage network, claim registration process, support after registration and grievance process.
This blog explains what a claim ratio tells you, what it does not, and how to evaluate these factors using IRDAI-published information before choosing an insurer.
Keep in mind
Claim ratio is only one measure and does not predict how your specific claim will be handled.
IRDAI timelines apply to all insurers for claim acknowledgement and processing.
Nearby cashless garages matter more than an insurer's total national garage count.
The way you register a claim matters because it can affect how easily you get the process started.
Post-claim support matters because this is when you find out how easy it is to get help with your claim.
Why the claims experience matters more than the purchase experience
Buying car insurance may take only a few minutes, but making a claim can involve multiple steps, documents, inspections and follow-ups. The ease of buying a policy does not necessarily reflect how the claims process will work.
Your claim experience can depend on:
- How you register the claim and how quickly you receive a response
- Whether you have a dedicated contact or deal with a shared support team
- How the surveyor inspection is coordinated and how quickly it is completed
- Whether a nearby cashless garage can handle your claim without delays
- How disputes are handled if the claim amount differs from your expectation
- How long the claim process takes from registration to payment
These details may not appear in a quote, but you can check them before buying by asking the right questions and using the right sources.
What the claim settlement ratio actually tells you and what it does not
The claim settlement ratio (CSR) shows the percentage of claims an insurer settled out of the claims it received in a financial year. It is published annually by IRDAI for registered general insurers. It gives you a broad view of how many claims an insurer processed successfully, but it does not tell you what your individual claim experience will be like.
What the CSR tells you
The CSR shows the overall proportion of claims that were settled across the different types of insurance and claims handled by the insurer during that year.
What the CSR does not tell you
It does not focus only on motor claims
A general insurer may handle motor, health, travel, property and commercial insurance. The CSR combines these different types of claims, so it does not specifically show the insurer's performance for your motor Own Damage claim.
It does not show how quickly claims are settled
A claim settled in 10 days and one settled in 180 days can both count as settled. A high CSR therefore does not necessarily mean a faster claims process.
It reflects past performance
The published CSR is based on claims from an earlier financial year. It may not reflect recent changes to the insurer's systems, staff or claims process.
It does not show the amount paid
A claim can count as settled even if the amount paid is lower than what the policyholder expected. The CSR does not tell you whether the payout was sufficient for the particular claim.
It does not tell you how your specific claim will be handled
Your experience can depend on the type of claim, the policy terms, the surveyor process, the garage and the insurer's claims support.
The CSR is therefore useful as one data point, but it should be considered alongside other factors when comparing insurers.
What to look for instead of the settlement ratio
These are the factors that give a more accurate pre-purchase picture of claims quality for a private car Own Damage policy.
IRDAI-published turnaround data: IRDAI publishes data on the number of claims acknowledged within 3 working days and settled within the 30-day regulatory window. Insurers who consistently meet these timelines across a large volume of claims are demonstrating operational capability, not just a willingness to settle. This data is available through the aggregated insurer statistics at kiwiinsurance.com/tats-for-gi/, which compiles publicly available IRDAI data on registered general insurers.
Pending claims ratio
IRDAI also publishes the number of claims outstanding at year-end relative to total claims received. A high pending ratio, which are claims that have been registered but not settled, is a more specific signal of process bottlenecks than a settlement ratio. An insurer with a high settlement ratio but also a high pending ratio may be settling easy claims quickly while leaving complex ones unresolved.
Grievance data
IRDAI publishes grievance counts and resolution rates for each insurer. The number of grievances per thousand claims gives a more specific picture of how often claimants feel the process has not been handled fairly. This can indicate disputed claims, which affect a small number of claimants but can be significant for those involved.
The specific claim process for Own Damage: Ask the insurer directly, or check their website and the specimen policy document at kiwiinsurance.com/downloads/, how an Own Damage cashless claim is processed specifically. The steps, the documents required, and the expected turnaround at each stage should be clearly described before you buy.
How to evaluate the cashless garage network before buying
A cashless claim is available only when your car is repaired at a cashless partner garage approved by the insurer. If there is no convenient partner garage, you may need to use a reimbursement claim, where you pay for the repairs first and claim the eligible amount later.
The total number of partner garages does not tell you whether there is a convenient option near you. Before buying, check the insurer's garage locator for:
Your home
Where your car is usually parked overnight.
Your workplace or regular daytime location
Where you may need a garage after an incident during the day.
Your regular routes
Check for partner garages along the roads you frequently use.
Authorised service centres
If you prefer manufacturer-authorised repairs, check whether your car brand's service centres are part of the network.
For Kiwi Insurance, the cashless partner garage locator lets you search by location before you buy. Checking this before purchase takes 2 minutes and gives a concrete answer that no aggregate garage count can provide.
How to evaluate the claims registration process
The first 30 minutes after an incident shape the entire claim experience. The claims registration process - how you notify the insurer, what information you need to provide, and how quickly you receive a first response can give you a good indication of how efficiently the insurer handles claims.
Evaluate the registration process by asking or checking:
Is there an app-based registration?
An app can make it easier to register a claim and keep a record of when it was reported. Check whether the app allows you to fully register the claim or only sends a request for a callback.
What documents are required at registration?
Check whether the insurer clearly lists the documents you need to submit. Knowing the requirements upfront can make the process easier.
What is the first-response timeline?
IRDAI requires insurers to acknowledge a claim within 3 working days. Ask how quickly you can expect a response after registering your claim.
Is a surveyor inspection required before or after repair?
For cashless claims, the surveyor typically inspects the car at the partner garage before repairs begin. For reimbursement claims, the inspection may need to happen before you start repairs. Check the process beforehand so you know what to expect.
How to evaluate post-registration support
Post-registration support can have a major impact on your claims experience. Before buying, find out whether the insurer provides a dedicated contact or handles claims through a shared support team.
A dedicated contact who knows your case can make follow-ups easier and reduce the need to explain your situation repeatedly.
Also check the insurer's grievance redressal process. Find out how to escalate a delayed or disputed claim, who handles complaints and how long the process is expected to take.
How to evaluate the grievance redressal process
Claim disputes may be uncommon, but they can have a huge impact when they occur. The grievance redressal process provides a formal way to raise and resolve issues with the insurer.
Every IRDAI-registered insurer is required by IRDAI regulations to have a grievance redressal officer and a published process for raising and resolving complaints. Before buying, check:
- Whether the insurer's grievance process is clearly published and accessible
- What the expected resolution timeline is for a grievance, IRDAI requires insurers to resolve complaints within 15 days of receipt
- Whether the process escalates to the IRDAI Bima Bharosa portal if the insurer does not resolve the complaint within the prescribed timeline
For Third-Party claims, including fatal accident cases, the Motor Third-Party Claims process is separate from the Own Damage claims path, it involves the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal. Understand which path applies to which type of claim before you need to use it.
How to find and read the IRDAI-published insurer data
All of the data points described above are published annually by IRDAI for every registered general insurer in India. This data is in the public domain and does not require trusting any insurer's marketing.
The primary sources are:
- IRDAI's annual report: Published each year, covering claim settlement data, grievance data, and insurer-level performance across all registered general insurers
- IRDAI's Insurance Information Bureau: Publishes detailed motor insurance data including claim frequency, average claim size, and settlement rates by insurer and vehicle type
- Kiwiinsurance.com/tats-for-gi/: Aggregates publicly available IRDAI statistics on general insurers - a compiled reference point for comparing insurer data without reading multiple source documents
When reading insurer data, look for:
- Claims acknowledged within 3 working days as a percentage of total claims received
- Claims settled within 30 days as a percentage of total claims received
- Year-end pending claims as a percentage of total claims received
- Grievances per thousand claims
- Own Damage claim data specifically, not total claims across all policy types
These figures give a more accurate and specific picture of claims quality than a headline settlement ratio applied to a single number across all claim types.
What Kiwi Insurance does differently
Most of the factors above can be compared before buying a policy. Post-registration support is different because you only experience it when you make a claim. This is where Kiwi Insurance gives you an added advantage with a dedicated Claims Specialist to guide you through the process.
Dedicated Claims Specialist
Only with Kiwi Insurance, a Claims Specialist is assigned to you as your single point of contact. They explain the claims process and required documents in plain language.
Support throughout the claim
Your Claims Specialist remains reachable through the Kiwi app, so you do not have to explain your situation to a different representative each time you follow up.
Clear guidance on your claim
The specialist helps you understand how your policy applies to your specific claim and what to expect at each stage of the process.
The Claims Specialist is assigned after you register a claim, not when you buy the policy.
Conclusion
A good claim experience depends on more than the number of claims an insurer pays. Before choosing a car insurance policy, look at how quickly claims are acknowledged and processed, how many claims are pending, whether there are convenient cashless garages, how easy it is to register a claim, and what support is available after registration. The grievance redressal process is also worth checking if you need to raise an issue.
These factors give you a clearer picture of what to expect when you need to use your insurance. Kiwi Insurance also offers a dedicated Claims Specialist who acts as a single point of contact once you register a claim, helping you understand the process and what is required at each stage.
Want to know what the claim experience looks like before you buy your next car insurance?
Head to Kiwi Insurance to review the claims process, check the garage network, and buy a policy built around the moment it matters.
Written by
Reuben Solomon
Lead Content Writer
Reviewed by
Rupinderjit Singh
Head - Tech Product & Digital Business
Frequently asked questions
The claim settlement ratio (CSR) shows the percentage of claims settled by an insurer out of the total claims received in a financial year. It is useful for understanding an insurer's overall claims performance, but it does not show how quickly or how well individual claims are handled.