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What actually happens when you file a car insurance claim, step-by-step
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Introduction
Raising a car insurance claim moves through 6 stages: the scene, the notification, the surveyor inspection, the repair, the collection, and the settlement. Each stage has specific actions the insurer takes and specific actions the car owner needs to take. Understanding the sequence before it happens makes the process faster, reduces disputes, and prevents the mistakes that slow claims down or reduce the payout.
In this blog, we are going to cover both claim types, cashless and reimbursement, what to do at the scene, how to register the claim, what the surveyor inspection involves, how repair and approval work, what you pay at collection, how the settlement lands, and what to do when a claim is not approved.
Keep in mind
A claim moves through 6 moments: the scene, notification, the surveyor, the repair, collection, and settlement
There are 2 claim paths, cashless and reimbursement, and the payment structure differ between them
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) requires acknowledgement within 3 working days and settlement within 30 days of complete documents
The compulsory deductible applies to every Own Damage (OD) claim regardless of which optional covers are active
Raising a claim affects the NCB, so compare the net claim value against the discount at stake before raising a small one
The 2 claim types, cashless and reimbursement
Before walking through the steps, it helps to understand the 2 paths a claim can take. They share the same stages, but the way the repair bill is paid is different.
Cashless claim
You take the car to a cashless partner garage - a garage that’s on the insurer's approved list. The insurer pays the approved repair cost directly to the garage. You pay only the compulsory deductible and any items not covered by the policy. The Kiwi network garage locator shows approved cashless partner garages by location.
network garageReimbursement claim
You can take the car to any garage. You pay the full repair bill at the garage. You then submit the documents to the insurer, who reviews the claim and transfers the approved amount to your bank account. You pay the compulsory deductible and bear any depreciation deduction or non-covered items.
Most car owners prefer the cashless route because it involves less out-of-pocket payment upfront. The reimbursement route is useful when a preferred garage is not on the cashless partner list or when an emergency repair is needed in a location without a cashless partner nearby.
Step 1: What to do at the scene
The actions taken in the first 30 minutes after an incident significantly affect how the claim proceeds. These are the steps in order.
Ensure safety first
Move people away from the vehicle if there is a risk of fire, traffic or further collision. Do not move the car if doing so could cause further damage or injury.
Photograph the damage before moving the car
Take clear photos of the vehicle, road, surrounding area and any other vehicles involved from multiple angles. If the car cannot be moved safely, photograph it where it is.
Do not start a flooded or waterlogged car
Starting the engine can worsen water-related damage. Contact the insurer and arrange a tow for inspection instead.
Decide whether an FIR is required
A First Information Report (FIR) is required by most insurers in these situations:
- A third party is injured or killed
- Another vehicle's property is damaged
- The car is stolen
- The damage is significant and the other party disputes fault
For a single-car minor incident, a pothole dent, a parking scrape, a weather event, an FIR is typically not required. Check your policy document for the specific FIR requirements on your plan.
Exchange details if another vehicle is involved
Get the other driver's name, vehicle registration number, and insurance details. Do not sign any admission of fault or agree to any informal settlement at the scene.
Do not get the car repaired before notifying the insurer
Most policies require the insurer to be notified before repairs begin. Repairing the car before the insurer's surveyor has assessed the damage may affect the claim outcome.
Step 2: Notifying the insurer and registering the claim
Notification must happen as soon as possible after the incident, ideally within 24 hours. Delayed notification is one of the reasons claims are challenged.
How to notify: Call the insurer's claims helpline, raise the claim through the insurer's app, or submit the claim through the insurer's website. At Kiwi Insurance, claims are registered through the Kiwi claims page.
What you need to provide at registration:
- Policy number
- Date, time, and location of the incident
- A description of what happened
- The extent of the visible damage
- Whether a third party is involved
- Whether a FIR has been filed or will be filed
What IRDAI requires of the insurer: Under IRDAI regulations, the insurer must acknowledge the claim within 3 working days of receipt. Once all required documents are received, the insurer must settle the claim within 30 days. If the claim requires investigation, the insurer must inform you of the delay and the expected timeline.
After the claim is registered, the insurer assigns a surveyor for the inspection.
Step 3: The surveyor inspection
The surveyor is a licensed professional appointed by the insurer to assess the damage and determine the repair cost. The surveyor's report is the basis on which the insurer approves the claim and authorises the repair.
For a cashless claim
The surveyor typically visits the cashless partner garage once the car has been brought in. The inspection happens at the garage, and the surveyor approves the repair estimate before work begins.
For a reimbursement claim
The surveyor may inspect the car at your location or at the garage before repairs begin. In some cases, particularly for smaller claims, the insurer accepts photographs and a garage estimate without a physical visit.
What the surveyor assesses:
- The cause of the damage and whether it matches the reported incident
- The extent of the damage and whether it is consistent with the event described
- The repair estimate provided by the garage, whether the parts and labour costs are reasonable
- Whether any visible damage is pre-existing rather than from the reported event
What to do during the surveyor visit:
- Be present if possible, or ensure a trusted person is present at the garage
- Show the photographs taken at the scene
- Do not authorise any repair work before the surveyor has signed off on the estimate
- Ask the surveyor to clarify anything about the assessment that is not clear
Step 4: Repair and approval, cashless vs reimbursement
Cashless path:
Once the repair estimate is approved, the garage begins work. The insurer settles the approved amount directly with the garage. You pay the compulsory deductible and any excluded costs, such as depreciation if Zero Depreciation is not active, non-covered parts or upgrades.
Reimbursement path:
Once the surveyor completes the assessment, you can authorise the repair. After paying the garage, submit the required invoices and supporting documents to the insurer. The approved amount is then transferred to your bank account after applicable deductions.
Timeline: The repair time depends on factors such as parts availability and workshop capacity. Under IRDAI regulations, the insurer's settlement timeline is counted from receipt of complete claim documents, not from the date the repair is completed.
Step 5: The deductible and depreciation, what you pay at collection
Two deductions reduce the payout in most OD claims. Understanding both prevents the surprise at the garage counter.
The compulsory deductible
A fixed amount deducted from every OD claim payout, set by IRDAI. For cars up to 1,500cc, such as a Honda City or a Hyundai Verna, the deductible is ₹1,000. For cars above 1,500cc, such as a Hyundai Creta or a Kia Seltos, it is ₹2,000. Optional covers do not remove this amount.
₹1,000Depreciation on parts
Standard OD policies apply depreciation to eligible parts based on the car’s age. Zero Depreciation cover can remove this deduction for covered parts, subject to the policy terms.
At a cashless garage, you may still pay for:
- The compulsory deductible
- Depreciation, unless Zero Depreciation is active
- Consumables, unless Consumables Cover is active
- Costs excluded from the approved claim
- Upgrades or additional work you requested
Step 6: Settlement and NCB impact
Cashless claim: The insurer pays the approved amount directly to the garage. At collection, you pay any applicable deductions and excluded costs. You may also receive a settlement confirmation showing the claim amount and deductions.
Reimbursement claim
After reviewing the submitted documents, the insurer transfers the approved amount to your bank account, subject to the applicable settlement timeline.
NCB impact
An OD claim can affect your NCB at renewal. If NCB Protect applies, the impact may be avoided or limited according to its terms. Before raising a small claim, compare the expected claim payout with the NCB benefit you could lose at renewal.
What to do if a claim is not approved
If the insurer does not approve the claim or approves an amount that is much lower than the repair cost, there is an escalation path that you can follow:
- Step 1
Request a written reason
The insurer must provide a written explanation for the rejection or the reduced payout. Ask for this in writing before escalating.
- Step 2
Internal grievance
Raise a formal grievance with the insurer through their published grievance redressal process. Under IRDAI regulations, the insurer must resolve the grievance within 15 days of receipt. For Kiwi Insurance grievance redressals, you can submit them here.
IRDAI regulations - Step 3
IRDAI Bima Bharosa portal
If the insurer does not resolve the grievance within 15 days or the resolution is unsatisfactory, the complaint can be escalated to the IRDAI Bima Bharosa portal.
IRDAI Bima Bharosa
For Third-Party claims: If the dispute concerns a Third-Party liability claim, injury or death caused to another person, the formal route is the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT). The process for Third-Party claims is detailed at kiwiinsurance.com/motor-third-party-claims/.
What Kiwi Insurance does differently
A car insurance claim involves several stages, from registering the claim and getting the damage assessed to approving repairs and settling the claim. Kiwi Insurance gives you a dedicated point of contact to help you through these steps.
- Only with Kiwi Insurance, a dedicated Claims Specialist is assigned to you - one personal contact who explains what happens at each stage of the claim process in plain language, from registration through to final step.
- Your Claims Specialist stays reachable through the Kiwi app throughout the claim. You do not repeat the history of your case to a different agent each time you follow up on the surveyor assessment, the repair approval, or the settlement transfer.
- The specialist explains the deductibles, the depreciation, and the NCB impact before they become surprises, so you understand the outcome before it arrives.
The Claims Specialist is assigned after you register a claim, not at the point of buying the policy.
Conclusion
Raising a car insurance claim involves 6 steps, the scene, the notification, the surveyor inspection, the repair and approval, the collection, and the settlement. At each stage, there are specific actions the insurer takes and specific things the car owner needs to do.
With Kiwi Insurance, a dedicated Claims Specialist is assigned once you register a claim, one contact who explains the process and the outcome in plain language at every step.
Going through a car insurance claim and not sure what happens next?
Head to Kiwi Insurance to register your claim and get a dedicated Claims Specialist assigned to your case.
Frequently asked questions
The first thing you should do is move to a safe location first and check for injuries. Once it is safe, photograph the damage, the road and any other vehicles involved before anything is moved. If the car has been in standing water, do not start it. Notify the insurer as soon as possible and follow its instructions on the next steps.