Can I get my bike repaired at my own garage on a Kiwi Insurance claim?

You can get your bike repaired at your own garage, such as the dealer workshop that has always serviced it or a mechanic you trust. You pay the garage and send the invoices in, and the approved amount is paid back into your account once they are checked. Your Claims Specialist agrees the estimate before the work starts, so the figure is not a surprise at the end.

Can I buy Own Damage bike insurance on its own, without Third-Party cover?

You cannot hold Own Damage bike insurance without Third-Party cover, because the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 does not allow a two-wheeler on the road without it. You can, however, buy the own-damage half as a separate policy from a different insurer, running alongside the Third-Party cover you already hold. That arrangement is called a standalone Own Damage policy.

What is the difference between Own Damage bike insurance and comprehensive bike insurance?

A Comprehensive Plan holds both halves, Own Damage cover and Third-Party cover, in a single policy with one renewal date. Own Damage cover on its own is the same protection for your bike, bought as a separate 1-year policy that runs beside a Third-Party cover held elsewhere. The cover for your bike is identical either way; only the paperwork and the dates differ.

Is a 5-year Third-Party term on a bike the same as the 3-year term on a car?

A 5-year Third-Party term on a new two-wheeler is not the same as the term on a car, which is 3 years. The longer term on bikes is why a two-wheeler owner meets a standalone Own Damage policy more often than a car owner does, and why the 2 renewal dates stay out of step for 4 years rather than 2.

Does a claim on Own Damage bike insurance affect the No Claim Bonus the same way as on a car?

A claim on Own Damage bike insurance affects the No Claim Bonus in the same way as a claim on a car. One own-damage claim in a policy year takes the whole discount back to zero. It then climbs again from 20% after the next claim-free year, up to 50% after 5 claim-free years. A Third-Party claim does not touch it on either vehicle. The difference is scale. On a bike the own-damage premium is small, so the discount lost on a small claim can be close to the value of the claim itself.

Can I downgrade my bike from a Comprehensive Plan to Third-Party cover only, part way through the year?

Most insurers do not let you remove the own-damage half from a two-wheeler's Comprehensive Plan part way through the policy year, as the plan is issued as one contract for a fixed term. The usual route is to let the plan run to its expiry date and then renew with Third-Party cover only. You could cancel the whole plan and buy a separate Third-Party policy, but only part of the premium comes back on a cancelled plan. Either way, you lose the No Claim Bonus unless you take own-damage cover again within 90 days of the old policy ending. A standalone Own Damage policy held beside a running Third-Party term is different: you can ask the insurer in writing to cancel the Own Damage cover alone, and the Third-Party cover keeps running.

Is there a cooling-off period to change or cancel Own Damage bike insurance after buying?

Own Damage bike insurance does not come with a cooling-off period. A free-look period, a set number of days to cancel for a refund, is a feature of life and health insurance, not of motor insurance. You can still cancel a bike policy by telling the insurer. The refund for the unused part of the year depends on the insurer's cancellation terms and on whether a claim has been made. A mistake in the details does not need a cancellation, because it can be corrected with an endorsement, which is a written change to the policy.

Does Own Damage bike insurance cover theft of the whole two-wheeler?

Own Damage bike insurance covers theft of the whole two-wheeler and pays the Insured Declared Value (IDV) in force at the time, less your deductible. The claim is paid once the police have filed their report and issued the untraced certificate confirming the bike has not been found, which usually takes 60 to 90 days. You have to hand over both sets of keys.

Does Own Damage cover pay if only the mirrors or the seat are stolen from my bike?

Own Damage cover pays for theft of parts from the bike as well as theft of the whole bike, so stolen mirrors, a stolen seat or a stolen lamp unit are all covered. The same age deductions apply as on a repair, so a plastic part is counted at half its price on a standard plan. Report it to the police, because a parts theft claim needs the report just as a full theft does.

Does Own Damage bike insurance cover the things kept in the under-seat storage?

Own Damage bike insurance does not cover what is kept in the under-seat storage, because the policy insures the vehicle rather than its contents. A raincoat, papers or shopping taken in a theft are not paid for, and no optional cover pays for them either. Rider Gear cover pays only for a helmet and riding gear damaged in an accident, not for things taken from the storage box.

Does Own Damage bike insurance cover engine damage after riding through a flooded road?

Own Damage bike insurance covers the flood damage to the body, the panels and the electrics, but it does not cover damage from water getting into the engine. That needs Engine Protect cover, taken as an optional cover. And if you press the starter while the two-wheeler is standing in water, the engine damage is not covered even with that cover, because the damage is then treated as having been caused by the attempt to start it.

Does Own Damage cover pay when someone reverses into my parked bike?

Own Damage cover pays for damage caused by somebody else to your parked bike, on your own policy, without your having to find the other person or wait on their insurer. Your insurer recovers from them afterwards if it can. Claiming does reset your No Claim Bonus, so on a small amount of damage it is worth comparing the payout against the discount you would lose.

Can I claim on Own Damage cover if a friend was riding my bike when it was damaged?

You can claim when someone else was riding your bike with your permission, provided that person held a valid licence for that class of two-wheeler at the time. If the rider had no licence, or held one for a different class of vehicle, the claim is declined even though the bike and the policy are yours. It is worth checking before handing the keys over.

Does Own Damage cover apply if I use my bike for food delivery, parcel delivery or rentals?

Own Damage cover does not apply when a privately registered bike is used for delivery work, rentals or any other commercial purpose, because the vehicle is then being used outside what its registration allows. This is now among the most common reasons a two-wheeler claim is declined. A bike that earns money needs a commercial registration and a commercial policy.

Does a modified exhaust or an altered engine void Own Damage cover on my bike?

A louder aftermarket exhaust or any change to the engine alters the two-wheeler from the specification it was registered with, and the insurer can decline the whole claim on that ground, not merely the part that was changed. Cosmetic additions are different: a crash guard, a top box or a seat cover are fine as long as you declare them so their value is added to the Insured Declared Value (IDV).

Is there a waiting period before I can make an Own Damage claim on my bike?

There is no waiting period on Own Damage bike insurance. Cover begins when the policy starts and a claim can be raised on the first day. The one thing to check is the start date itself: on a policy issued after an inspection, cover begins when the insurer confirms it rather than when you paid, so read the date printed on the policy document.

Is Own Damage insurance for a scooter different from Own Damage bike insurance?

Own Damage insurance for a scooter is not a different product from Own Damage bike insurance. A scooter is insured under exactly the same two-wheeler rules, in the same engine size bands, at the same deductible and with the same optional covers available. What differs is the shape of a typical claim, because a scooter's damage is concentrated in large plastic panels such as the front apron.

Does Own Damage bike insurance work the same way on scooters, geared bikes, electric bikes and high-cc bikes?

Own Damage bike insurance works the same way on every kind of two-wheeler. A scooter, a geared bike, an electric bike and a high-cc bike are all insured under the same two-wheeler rules, with the same exclusions and the same claim process. What changes is the price and the parts at risk. Petrol two-wheelers are grouped by engine size and electric ones by motor power in kilowatts (kW). A scooter's claims centre on plastic panels, an electric bike's value is mostly in its battery, and a large bike's parts cost more to replace, so each pays a different premium.

Why is Zero Depreciation cover recommended more strongly with Own Damage cover on a scooter?

Zero Depreciation cover matters more on a scooter because half of every plastic part's price is deducted on a standard claim, and a scooter's outer panels are almost entirely plastic. Without the cover, a cracked front apron is counted at only half its price. The cover usually costs less a year than the deduction on a single cracked panel, which is why it is recommended so strongly for scooters.

How is Own Damage cover priced on an electric two-wheeler?

Own Damage cover on an electric two-wheeler is priced from the vehicle's Insured Declared Value (IDV) in the same way as on a petrol bike. The value is higher, because the battery pack is roughly 40% of what the vehicle is worth. So an electric two-wheeler's own-damage half usually costs more than that of a 110cc petrol scooter such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter. The Third-Party half is set by the regulator by motor power in kilowatts (kW), and it is slightly cheaper than for a similar petrol two-wheeler.

Is the battery of an electric two-wheeler covered by Own Damage insurance?

The battery of an electric two-wheeler is covered against accidental damage, fire and theft under the own-damage half, with the standard 50% deduction applied because a battery is deducted at the same rate as plastic and rubber. What is not covered is the pack losing capacity as it ages, which is a matter for the manufacturer's battery guarantee rather than for the insurance policy.

Is a fire while an electric bike is charging covered by Own Damage insurance?

A fire while an electric bike is charging is covered under Own Damage cover, which pays for fire and self-ignition whether the vehicle is on the road, parked or on charge. The exception is a fire traced to a non-standard charger or to a battery pack that has been modified, because the vehicle has then been altered from the specification it was registered with.

Is my bike eligible for Own Damage cover at any age, or is there an age cutoff?

Own Damage bike insurance has no age cutoff set in law, so an old bike can still be insured for its own damage. Each insurer decides how old a two-wheeler it will cover. Many insurers cover an older two-wheeler only after an inspection, and some offer a very old bike Third-Party cover only. On a two-wheeler more than 5 years old the Insured Declared Value (IDV) is agreed between you and the insurer, so check that figure before you pay. Third-Party cover stays compulsory at every age.

How much does Own Damage bike insurance cost a year?

The cost of Own Damage bike insurance depends on the bike. The price is worked out from the bike's Insured Declared Value (IDV) and is then adjusted for engine size, age, city of registration, the No Claim Bonus and any optional covers. A 110cc scooter such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter costs the least to cover. A 160cc to 200cc bike such as a TVS Apache RTR 160 or a Bajaj Pulsar NS200 costs more. A bike above 350cc, such as a KTM 390 Duke or a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, costs the most. Goods and Services Tax (GST) is added on top.

Does Own Damage bike insurance cost the same at every insurer?

Own Damage bike insurance does not cost the same at every insurer, because each insurer sets this price itself from its own claims experience. Only the Third-Party half is fixed, notified by the regulator and identical everywhere. That is why 2 quotes for the same two-wheeler can differ noticeably while both are correct. Compare the Insured Declared Value (IDV) and the optional covers on each quote, not only the total.

Should I set a lower Insured Declared Value on my bike to make the Own Damage premium cheaper?

Setting a lower Insured Declared Value does make the premium cheaper, because the own-damage half is worked out as a percentage of it, but it costs you in 2 places. A theft payout is smaller, and the point at which the bike is declared a total loss comes down with it, so a moderate repair bill can end the policy instead of being paid. Set the value to what the two-wheeler would actually sell for.

How much discount does an approved anti-theft device give on Own Damage bike insurance?

An anti-theft device approved by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) takes 2.5% off the own-damage half of a bike insurance premium. On a two-wheeler the own-damage half is small, so the saving is only a few tens of rupees a year. Fit the device because it makes the bike harder to steal, rather than for what it saves on the premium.

Does my bike's No Claim Bonus move with me if I change insurer or change bike?

Your No Claim Bonus belongs to you rather than to the two-wheeler, so it moves both when you change insurer and when you buy a different bike. Ask the old insurer for the No Claim Bonus certificate and hand it to the new one, because without that certificate the new policy starts the discount again at zero. The discount also survives a gap of up to 90 days, but no longer.

How do I raise an Own Damage claim on my bike?

You raise an Own Damage claim on your bike yourself, in your insurer's app, on its website or by telephone, as soon as you can after the incident. Give the registration number, the date, the place and what happened, and upload photographs of the damage. For a theft, or for damage caused by another person, report it to the police as well and put the report number on the claim.

How do I get the repair estimate for my bike on an Own Damage claim?

The repair estimate for a bike on an Own Damage claim comes from the garage, not from the insurer. A mechanic examines the two-wheeler, opens up panels where the damage may run deeper than it looks, and writes a priced list of every part to be replaced and every hour of work. The garage sends it to the insurer. Ask for your own copy and read it before the work is approved. With Kiwi Insurance, your personal Claims Specialist sends your copy to the app.

When is a Claims Specialist assigned to my bike claim?

A personal Claims Specialist is assigned as soon as you have registered the claim and a claim number exists. You raise the claim yourself, and the Specialist joins only at that point. From the moment they are assigned they take over the middle of the process: the garage, the estimate, the assessment and the payment. They stay with the claim until the money reaches you.

Does Kiwi Insurance have cashless garages for a bike claim, or do I pay the garage myself?

Kiwi Insurance offers a cashless route and an own-garage route for a bike claim. At a cashless garage in the Kiwi Insurance network, the approved amount goes straight from us to the garage and you pay only your own share. At a garage of your own choosing, you pay the garage and send the invoices in, and the approved amount is paid back into your account once they are checked. Your personal Claims Specialist helps on both routes.

How do I check the status of my Own Damage bike claim with Kiwi Insurance?

The claim status lives in the Kiwi Insurance app and updates as each stage completes, so you can see where it stands at any hour without calling anybody. Your personal Claims Specialist works from that same status rather than keeping a separate account of it, which is why what you are told on the telephone and what the app shows you are never 2 different things.

How long does an Own Damage bike claim take?

The time an Own Damage bike claim takes depends on how much damage there is, how soon the assessment happens and whether the parts are in stock. At a cashless garage the insurer pays the garage directly, so the claim closes when you collect the repaired bike. At a garage of your own choosing you pay first, and the claim closes when the approved amount reaches your bank account. A theft claim takes longest, because it waits for the police to issue the untraced certificate.

Why is my payout smaller than the garage estimate on a bike claim?

Your payout is smaller than the estimate because a share of each replaced part's price is deducted for the age of the part, and because the fixed deductible set by the regulator comes off as well. Plastic, rubber and the battery are deducted at 50%, and metal parts by the age of the bike. On a two-wheeler this hits hard, because most of what breaks in a fall is plastic. Zero Depreciation cover removes the deduction.

Should I make an Own Damage claim for a small scratch on my bike, or pay for it myself?

For a small scratch on your bike, paying for the repair yourself is often better than making an Own Damage claim. Compare what the policy would actually pay, after the age deductions and your deductible, with the No Claim Bonus you would lose over the next few years. If the payout is only a little more than the discount at stake, pay for it yourself. If the repair is large, claim. Work out both numbers rather than guessing.

Is there a limit on how many Own Damage claims I can make on my bike in a year?

There is no limit on the number of Own Damage claims you may raise in a policy year. Your No Claim Bonus goes to zero on the first claim and cannot fall further, so later claims in the same year cost you nothing more in discount. What a run of claims does affect is the premium you are quoted at your next renewal, and whether another insurer wants your business.

Who decides when damage on my bike is not clearly covered by Own Damage insurance?

The assessor decides in the first instance whether a particular piece of damage belongs to the event you reported, and the insurer decides whether the policy covers it. If you disagree, there are 4 steps: your personal Claims Specialist, then the insurer's grievance officer, then the IRDAI Bima Bharosa portal, then the Insurance Ombudsman, whose decision binds the insurer but not you.

What documents do I need for an Own Damage theft claim on a two-wheeler?

For a two-wheeler theft claim you need the police report, both sets of keys, the registration certificate (RC), the policy document and later the untraced certificate the police issue once the bike has not been found. That certificate usually takes 60 to 90 days and it is what sets the timeline on a theft claim, rather than anything the insurer is doing at its end.

What documents do I need to buy Own Damage bike insurance?

To buy Own Damage bike insurance you need the registration certificate (RC) of the two-wheeler, the previous policy document for your No Claim Bonus, and an identity proof and an address proof for the Know Your Customer (KYC) check. For a standalone Own Damage policy you also need the details of the Third-Party policy already running on the bike, because a standalone policy can only be issued alongside one. If the bike is on finance, the lender's name goes on the policy. Keep your riding licence ready too, because every claim asks for it. On a bike that has been off cover for a while, expect an inspection before the policy starts.

What happens if the registration details on my bike's Own Damage policy are wrong, or the RC transfer is still pending?

Wrong registration details on a bike's Own Damage policy are corrected by an endorsement, which is a written change the insurer issues as an updated policy document. It is free in almost every case. A wrong engine number or chassis number matters most, because those identify the actual two-wheeler and a mismatch can put a whole claim in question. If the RC transfer on a second-hand bike is still pending, transfer the registration at the regional transport office first, then have the policy put into your name within 14 days of the sale. Until that is done, an Own Damage claim can be delayed or refused, while Third-Party cover still protects other people.

What should I do if someone entered the wrong details when my bike policy was bought?

If someone entered the wrong details when your bike policy was bought, whether that was a dealer, an agent or you, tell the insurer in writing as soon as you notice and ask for an endorsement. A wrong name, address, mobile number, engine number, chassis number or registration number is corrected without a charge in almost every case. Do it before you need to claim rather than after, because a detail that does not match the registration certificate (RC) is the single most common reason a straightforward two-wheeler claim stalls. Keep the corrected policy document, not the original one.

What if the mobile number or email registered on my bike insurance policy has changed?

If the mobile number or email registered on your bike insurance policy has changed, update it with the insurer straight away, through the app, the customer portal or a written request. Those 2 details are how the renewal notice, the policy document and every claim update reach you. A renewal notice sent to an address you no longer read is one of the commonest routes to a lapsed policy, and a lapse past 90 days costs you the whole No Claim Bonus you have built. The change is usually free.

Can I buy Own Damage bike cover for more than 1 year at a time, and is it cheaper?

A standalone Own Damage cover on a two-wheeler is written for 12 months at a time, so it is renewed each year. Some insurers offer a longer term on the comprehensive route, such as a 2-year or 3-year Comprehensive Plan for a bike. Where that is available, it is not automatically cheaper. Any saving comes from a discount the insurer chooses to give, so compare it against the yearly quotes. It does remove the risk of missing a renewal date. Inside that longer policy the Insured Declared Value (IDV) still steps down each year, so a claim late in the term is paid against the lower value.

Is there a discount for renewing Own Damage bike cover early, before it expires?

Most insurers do not give a separate discount for renewing Own Damage bike cover early. Renewing before expiry still gives you real benefits: no gap in cover, no inspection of the two-wheeler, no uninsured day on the road and no risk to the No Claim Bonus you have built. Starting about 2 weeks before the expiry date leaves time to compare quotes without cutting it fine.

Do the optional covers on my bike's Own Damage policy renew automatically each year?

The optional covers on an Own Damage policy do not renew automatically. Every one of them has to be chosen again at each renewal, and none of them carries across when you move to a different insurer. A renewal quote that simply repeats last year's premium may well have dropped them. Read the new policy document each year and check that Zero Depreciation cover, Engine Protect cover and anything else you believe you are paying for is named on it, because a bike without Zero Depreciation cover is a bike with a half-price payout on plastic.

Own Damage bike insurance

Q: Why does a new bike need a separate Own Damage policy?

A new bike needs a separate Own Damage policy because a two-wheeler bought new is issued with 5 years of Third-Party cover paid for in one go, while a standalone Own Damage policy is sold 1 year at a time. Own-damage cover runs for 2 or 3 years only inside a multi-year Comprehensive Plan, which carries its own Third-Party cover and so does not suit a bike whose 5-year Third-Party cover is still running. From the second year onwards the Third-Party cover still has 4 years to run, so the own-damage half has to be bought separately each year until the 5-year term ends.

The half of a two-wheeler policy that pays for your own bike. This page works outward from the vehicle itself: which parts break in a fall, what each one costs to replace, how much age is taken off a cracked plastic panel, what changes on a scooter and on an electric two-wheeler, the 2 ways the cover can be held, what it costs a year, and exactly how a claim runs from the garage estimate to the money.

Written by

Reuben SolomonLead Content Writer

Reviewed by

Rupinderjit SinghHead - Tech Product & Digital Business

Price the own-damage half

Enter your bike number to see what cover for your own two-wheeler costs on it

Your own bike, put right
Scooters and electric bikes too
From about ₹600 a year before GST

What does Own Damage bike insurance pay for?

The half of the policy that looks at your own two-wheeler rather than at anybody else

Own Damage bike insurance pays to repair or replace your own two-wheeler after an accident, a theft, a fire or a natural event such as a flood, up to the value the policy puts on the bike. It is the half of a two-wheeler policy that looks at your own vehicle. The other half, Third-Party cover, pays only for the people and property you harm, and the law will not let you ride without it.

Every two-wheeler on an Indian road carries Third-Party cover because the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 requires it. That cover does nothing at all for your own bike. If you drop a scooter with an engine of 75 to 150 cubic centimetres (cc), such as a Honda Activa or a Suzuki Access 125, on a wet turn and crack the front apron, break a mirror and scuff an alloy wheel, a Third-Party policy pays nothing towards any of it. Own Damage cover is the part that does.

Riding without Third-Party cover is an offence under the Act. A first offence carries a fine of up to ₹2,000. A second offence carries a fine of up to ₹4,000. The Act sets only one figure for repeat offences, so a third or any later offence also carries a fine of up to ₹4,000. Any of them can also bring up to 3 months in prison.

It can never be held without Third-Party cover, because a two-wheeler is not allowed on the road without it. It is always held alongside one, either as a separate Own Damage policy that runs beside the Third-Party cover you already hold, or as one half of a Comprehensive Plan. Both arrangements are explained further down this page.

Everything on this page is about the own-damage half. Nothing here changes what happens to the person you hit, which is the Third-Party half, and nothing here is affected by it either.

How to read this page

Most guides to this cover start with the policy. This one starts with the bike, because that is where the money actually goes. The first sections work through the parts of a two-wheeler that break, what each one costs to put right, and how much of that cost the policy hands back. After that come the vehicle types, the price, and the claim.

Who Own Damage cover suits: 3 rider profiles

The daily commuter
A 110cc or 125cc scooter such as a Honda Activa or a Suzuki Access 125 doing 20 kilometres a day through city traffic. Small knocks are constant and theft from a parking bay is a real risk. The own-damage half costs about ₹800 to ₹1,500 a year, and a single dropped panel can cost more than that to replace. Why: The cover pays for itself on a single fall
The new two-wheeler owner
A bike bought this month already carries a 5-year Third-Party cover paid for at the showroom. The own-damage half is the piece the buyer chooses, and it is the only part of the policy that protects the money just spent. Why: The bike is at its highest value in year 1
The weekend rider
A large bike such as a Royal Enfield Classic 350 or a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 used on highways at weekends. Fewer incidents, but a fairing, a fuel tank and a fork set on a bike of this size run into tens of thousands of rupees to replace. Why: Low frequency, high cost

Alternate names

Own Damage bike cover: the names it goes by

The same cover appears under many names on quotes, in showrooms and in search boxes Own Damage cover is sold, written and searched for under many different names, and almost all of them mean the same thing. The table below sets out what the rest of the market calls it, what Kiwi Insurance calls it, and what each phrase actually describes, so that a quote from anywhere can be read against this page.

What the industry calls it	What Kiwi Insurance calls it	What it actually means
Own damage insurance, or OD insurance	Own Damage cover	Cover for your own two-wheeler. The short form OD is used constantly on quotes and renewal notices without ever being spelled out
Standalone own damage policy, or SAOD	Standalone Own Damage policy	A separate 1-year policy holding only the own-damage half, taken beside a Third-Party cover that is already running. This is the usual arrangement on a new bike
Own damage add on, or OD add on	Own Damage cover	A misleading name. Own Damage cover is half of a policy in its own right, not an optional cover. Optional covers are added to it, with one exception: Personal Accident cover can be added to any plan, including a Third-Party only plan
Damage to own vehicle section, or Section 1	Own Damage cover	The heading this cover carries inside the policy document itself. If you are reading your own policy document, this is where to look
Two wheeler insurance without third party	Standalone Own Damage policy	A search phrase rather than a product. Nothing sold in India leaves out Third-Party cover; the separate policy simply holds it elsewhere
Bike damage cover, or self damage insurance	Own Damage cover	Spoken forms used in showrooms and garages. Self damage is the one that confuses people most, because it sounds like damage you caused deliberately, which is never covered
Scooty insurance, or scooter damage insurance	Own Damage cover	Not a separate product. A scooter is insured under exactly the same two-wheeler rules as a geared bike, at the same engine size bands
Bumper to bumper bike insurance	Own Damage cover with Zero Depreciation cover	A borrowed car phrase. It names the optional cover that removes the age deduction on replaced parts, which on a two-wheeler matters most on plastic
1 plus 5 policy, or bundled bike policy	Own Damage cover with a 5-year Third-Party cover	A new two-wheeler policy holding 1 year of own-damage cover and the 5 years of Third-Party cover the law requires on a bike bought new

Reading a quote from elsewhere? Find the line that names an Insured Declared Value (IDV) and a separate premium beside it. That line is the own-damage half, whatever the quote has chosen to call it. A quote with no Insured Declared Value on it anywhere is a Third-Party policy only, and your own bike is not insured under it.

In plain words

Words you will read on this page

Every term this page uses, written out before it is used

Own Damage cover
The half of a two-wheeler policy that pays to repair or replace your own bike after an accident, theft, fire or natural event.
Third-Party cover
The half that pays the people and property you harm while riding. The law requires it on every two-wheeler and its price is fixed by the regulator.
Insured Declared Value (IDV)
The value the policy puts on your bike for the year. It is the most the own-damage half will ever pay, and it falls each year as the two-wheeler ages.
Deductible
The fixed amount you pay on every own-damage claim before the policy pays anything. It is the fixed deductible set by the regulator, and on a two-wheeler it is ₹100, whatever the engine size.
Age deduction
The share of a replaced part's price that the policy does not pay, because the old part was not new either. It is set by the material the part is made of, and by the age of the bike for metal parts.
Total loss
Declared when the cost of repairing the two-wheeler comes to more than 75% of its Insured Declared Value (IDV). The bike is not repaired; the policy pays the Insured Declared Value instead.
Constructive total loss
The same outcome reached a different way, when the bike is not physically destroyed but repairing it would cost more than the 75% line. A stolen bike that is never recovered is paid the same way.
Repair estimate
The priced list a garage writes after examining the bike, naming every part to be replaced and every hour of work. Everything the policy pays is worked out from this list.
Assessment
The check the insurer arranges before repairs are approved. An assessor looks at the two-wheeler, confirms the damage matches what you reported, and agrees the estimate line by line.
Cashless garage
A garage in the insurer's network. The approved amount goes straight from the insurer to the garage and you pay only your own share, so you never fund the repair and wait for it back.
No Claim Bonus (NCB)
A discount on the own-damage premium earned for every year you do not claim. It starts at 20% and reaches 50% after 5 claim-free years, and it belongs to you rather than to the bike.
Endorsement
A correction made to a policy already issued, used when a detail such as the engine number, a name or a mobile number is wrong.
Own-garage claim
The route used when the repair happens at a garage outside the network. You pay the garage, send the invoices in, and the approved amount is paid back into your account once they are checked.
Personal Claims Specialist Only with Kiwi
One person at Kiwi Insurance who owns your claim once you have registered it, and stays with it until the money reaches you.

Parts and prices

The parts of a two-wheeler that break, and what they cost

A bike has no outer shell, so a fall reaches the expensive parts immediately A two-wheeler carries almost nothing between the road and its working parts, so even a low-speed fall reaches panels, lamps, levers, mirrors and often the fork. The table below gives the replacement prices a garage will quote on common Indian bikes, because the size of those numbers is the whole argument for holding Own Damage cover on a vehicle that costs less than many people expect to insure.

Part	What it is made of	Replacement price, fitted	How often it goes
Front apron and leg shield, on a scooter	Plastic	₹1,800 to ₹3,500	The single most claimed part on a scooter. It touches the ground first in almost every fall
Side panel pair, geared bike	Plastic	₹1,200 to ₹2,600	Very often. They crack at the mounting tabs even in a parking bay tip-over
Headlamp assembly, light-emitting diode (LED)	Plastic and electronics	₹2,200 to ₹4,500	Often, and it is now a sealed unit on most new models, so a cracked lens means the whole assembly
Alloy wheel, front	Metal	₹3,500 to ₹7,000	On potholes and kerb strikes. A bent alloy cannot be straightened safely and is always replaced
Front fork pair	Metal	₹3,000 to ₹6,500	In any impact taken head on. A bent fork is the reason a bike tracks sideways after a fall
Fuel tank, geared bike, such as a Bajaj Pulsar 150 or a TVS Apache RTR 160	Metal, painted	₹4,500 to ₹9,000	Less often, but a dented tank is rarely repairable to a standard the paint will hold
Exhaust and silencer	Metal	₹2,500 to ₹5,500	Whenever the bike goes down on that side
Mirror pair, levers and indicators	Plastic and metal	₹900 to ₹2,000	Almost always, in the same fall as everything above
Full repaint after a fall	Labour and materials	₹3,500 to ₹8,000	Whenever painted panels are replaced, because a new panel has to be matched to the rest of the bike

Prices are indicative for common Indian two-wheelers at an authorised workshop and include fitting. Parts for imported and premium models run considerably higher.

A scooter of 75cc to 150cc, such as a Honda Activa or a Suzuki Access 125, dropped once at walking pace, cracking the front apron, breaking a mirror, snapping a brake lever and scuffing an indicator, produces a garage estimate of about ₹5,200. The own-damage half of that scooter's policy costs around ₹900 a year.

Why the bill is bigger than it looks

Two things push a two-wheeler repair bill past what an owner expects. The first is that panels are no longer painted by the piece; a replacement panel arrives in primer or in a slightly different shade, so the neighbouring panels have to be blended in. The second is that lamps, switch units and instrument clusters are sealed assemblies on almost every model built in the last few years. A cracked lens used to cost a few hundred rupees. Now the lamp is one part, and it is one of the most expensive plastic parts on the bike.

The result is that a fall which leaves a bike perfectly rideable can still produce a bill of ₹5,000 to ₹15,000, which on a small bike is a sizeable fraction of what the whole vehicle is worth.

Age deductions

What age takes off a two-wheeler claim, part by part

The single biggest reason a payout is smaller than the garage estimate The policy does not pay the full price of a replaced part, because the part coming off the bike was not new either. A fixed share of each part's price is deducted according to what the part is made of, and for metal parts according to how old the two-wheeler is. On a bike this bites unusually hard, because so much of the vehicle's outer surface is plastic, and plastic carries the heaviest deduction there is.

What the part is made of	Deducted from its price	On a two-wheeler this means
Plastic, rubber, nylon and the battery	50%	Every panel, the apron, the mudguards, the lamp housings, the grips, the seat and the 12-volt battery
Fibreglass	30%	Fairings on some sports models and aftermarket panels
Glass	Nothing	A speedometer glass or a lamp glass, where the model still uses one rather than a sealed unit
Metal, bike under 6 months old	Nothing	Wheels, forks, tank, exhaust, frame parts
Metal, bike 6 months to 1 year old	5%	The same parts, at the first step of the metal scale
Metal, bike 1 to 2 years old	10%	The age band most claimed two-wheelers are in
Metal, bike 2 to 3 years old	15%
Metal, bike 3 to 4 years old	25%
Metal, bike 4 to 5 years old	35%
Metal, bike 5 to 10 years old	40%	The rate holds flat across this whole band
Metal, bike over 10 years old	50%	The maximum. Half of every metal part is yours to pay

These are the standard motor deduction rates and they are the same at every insurer.

The same fall, with the cover and without it

Take the dropped scooter from the section above, such as a Honda Activa or a Suzuki Access 125, now 3 years old, with a garage estimate of ₹5,200. The table below shows what reaches the owner on a standard plan, and what reaches the owner once Zero Depreciation cover has been added to the policy.

On this claim	Standard plan	With Zero Depreciation cover
Front apron, plastic, ₹2,400	Half is deducted. The policy counts ₹1,200	Counted in full at ₹2,400
Mirror and lever, plastic and metal, ₹1,100	₹620 is counted after the deductions	Counted in full at ₹1,100
Indicator unit, plastic, ₹700	Half is deducted. The policy counts ₹350	Counted in full at ₹700
Paint and labour, ₹1,000	Counted in full. Labour carries no age deduction	Counted in full at ₹1,000
Your deductible	₹100 comes off	₹100 still comes off
What reaches the garage or your account	About ₹3,070	About ₹5,100
Left for you to pay	About ₹2,130	₹100

Worked on the indicative part prices in the table above, for a 3-year-old scooter of 75cc to 150cc. Your own figures depend on the model and the garage.

Kiwi's take
On a car, Zero Depreciation cover is a sensible extra. On a bike it is close to essential, because the parts that break are almost all plastic and plastic is the material the deduction hits hardest. At ₹400 to ₹1,200 a year it usually costs less than the deduction on one cracked panel.

Situations

What Own Damage cover does in the situations a bike actually meets

9 things that happen to two-wheelers, and what the policy does about each Own Damage cover responds differently depending on what has happened, and the difference is not always obvious from the policy document. The table below runs through the events that account for most two-wheeler claims in India, says plainly what the policy does in each, and says what the owner ends up receiving.

What has happened	What the policy does	What you receive
The bike goes down on a wet turn	A straightforward accident claim. Panels, lamps, levers and mirrors are all covered	The repair, less the age deduction on each part and your ₹100 deductible
A car reverses into your parked bike	Covered under your own policy even though somebody else is at fault, so you are not waiting on their insurer	The repair as above. Claiming does cost you your No Claim Bonus, so read the section on whether to claim first
The bike is stolen from outside your building	Covered. The claim is paid once the police have filed their report and the untraced certificate has been issued, which usually takes 60 to 90 days	The full Insured Declared Value (IDV), less your deductible. Both keys must be handed over
Only the seat, mirrors or the lamp are taken	Covered as theft of parts, and this is far more common on a two-wheeler than theft of the whole vehicle	Replacement of the parts taken, with the same age deductions as a repair
The bike is standing in a flooded underpass and water reaches the engine	The flood damage to the body and electrics is covered. Damage from water getting into the engine is not, unless Engine Protect cover is on the policy	Body and electrical repair. The engine opened up and rebuilt, only with the optional cover
You try to restart the bike while it is standing in water	Not covered, and not covered by Engine Protect cover either. Starting a flooded engine is treated as damage the rider caused	Nothing for the engine. Push the two-wheeler out and have it towed instead
The bike catches fire, or is burnt in a building fire	Covered, including fire caused by an electrical fault in the vehicle itself	The repair, or the Insured Declared Value if the repair passes the 75% line
A tree comes down on the bike in a storm	Covered as a natural event, along with cyclone, landslide, earthquake and flood	The repair, or the Insured Declared Value if the frame is beyond saving
The engine seizes on the highway with no impact	Not covered. Breakdown is not damage, however expensive it turns out to be	Nothing towards the engine. Roadside Assistance cover brings help and a tow

Why the flooded underpass appears twice. The difference between the 2 rows is not the water, it is the starter. A two-wheeler left standing in water and then pushed out has a claim. The same two-wheeler with the starter pressed while water is in the cylinder usually does not, because the damage is caused by the attempt to start it rather than by the flood. On a bike this matters more than on a car, because the engine is mounted low and fills quickly.

Exclusions

What Own Damage bike insurance never pays for

The standard exclusions, which no optional cover removes Own Damage bike insurance never pays for age related damage, mechanical or electrical breakdown, damage caused while riding without a valid licence or under the influence, damage from using the two-wheeler for something the registration does not allow, or anything done deliberately. These exclusions appear in every two-wheeler policy in India and no optional cover removes them.

The exclusions that catch two-wheeler owners most often

Delivery work on a private registration. A bike registered for private use and ridden for food or parcel delivery is being used outside what the registration allows. The claim is declined on that ground alone, and this is now the most common reason a two-wheeler own-damage claim fails. If the bike earns money, it needs a commercial registration and a commercial policy.
A licence for the wrong class. A licence for a gearless two-wheeler, such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter scooter, does not cover a geared bike such as a Honda Shine or a Bajaj Pulsar 150. The licence has to match the two-wheeler being ridden, not two-wheelers in general.
Undeclared changes. A louder aftermarket exhaust, a larger sprocket or any change to the engine alters the vehicle from its registered specification. Once that is on the bike, the insurer can decline the whole claim, not merely the part that was changed.
A lapsed policy nobody noticed. Cover ends at the expiry date, not at the end of the month. A bike damaged 3 days after expiry has no own-damage cover at all, whatever the renewal intentions were.

Lent the bike to someone? A two-wheeler is covered when someone else is riding it with your permission, as long as that person holds a valid licence for that class of vehicle. If the borrower had no licence, or the wrong one, the claim is declined even though the bike is yours and the policy is in force. It is worth asking before handing over the keys.

Own Damage cover on a scooter, and what is different about it

Same rules, same bands, but the damage a scooter takes is not the damage a geared bike takes

A scooter is insured under exactly the same two-wheeler rules as a geared bike. There is no separate scooter policy, no separate scooter premium table and no separate claim process. A scooter such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter, and a commuter geared bike such as a Hero Splendor Plus or a Honda Shine, fall in the same engine size band, 75cc to 150cc, and are priced the same way. What is genuinely different is the shape of the claim, because a scooter's damage is concentrated in large plastic panels and its owner's habits put the bike in front of different risks.

This matters because a great many people searching for scooter cover believe they are looking for a product that does not exist, and then buy the cheapest thing a search result puts in front of them. The section below is what actually changes.

What a scooter claim looks like

The apron takes the fall
A scooter's front apron is one large moulded panel and it reaches the road before anything else does. It is the most replaced part on any two-wheeler in India, it costs ₹1,800 to ₹3,500, and half of that is deducted for age on a standard plan. For: Anyone deciding whether Zero Depreciation cover, from ₹400 a year, is worth it
The under-seat storage is not insured
The papers, raincoat and shopping inside the storage box are contents, not part of the vehicle. Own Damage cover does not reach them in a theft or a fall, and no optional cover does either. Rider Gear cover pays only for a helmet and riding gear damaged in an accident. For: Riders who leave things in the boot
Standing damage is the common claim
Scooters spend their lives parked in tight bays. Being knocked over by a car reversing, or by the next scooter in the row, produces more claims than moving accidents do. The policy covers it even though the vehicle was standing still and nobody can be identified. For: City riders with no allotted parking
A flooded scooter is a low-lying scooter
The engine and the air intake on a scooter are lower than on most geared bikes, so water reaches them sooner on a flooded road. The body damage is covered. The engine is not, unless Engine Protect cover is on the policy. For: Anyone riding through a monsoon city

Where a scooter falls in the price bands

Almost every scooter sold in India falls in the 75cc to 150cc band, whether it is a commuter model such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter, or a model with a bigger body such as a Suzuki Access 125. A few sporty scooters, such as a Yamaha Aerox 155, fall in the 150cc to 350cc band with geared bikes such as a TVS Apache RTR 160. The band sets the Third-Party premium, which is fixed by the regulator. The deductible is ₹100 on every scooter, whatever the band. The own-damage half then varies with the Insured Declared Value (IDV) of the particular model.

Two-wheeler	Engine size band	Typical Insured Declared Value (IDV)	Own-damage half a year
110cc scooter, 2 years old, such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter	75cc to 150cc	₹55,000 to ₹68,000	₹800 to ₹1,500
125cc two-wheeler, 3 years old, such as a Suzuki Access 125 scooter or a Honda Shine bike	75cc to 150cc	₹62,000 to ₹78,000	₹950 to ₹1,700
125cc two-wheeler, 6 years old, such as a Suzuki Access 125 scooter or a Honda Shine bike	75cc to 150cc	₹30,000 to ₹42,000	₹700 to ₹1,200
City electric two-wheeler, 2 years old	Up to 3 kilowatts (kW)	₹85,000 to ₹1,10,000	₹1,400 to ₹2,400

Indicative bands before the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) and before your No Claim Bonus is applied.

Kiwi's take
If you ride a scooter, the 2 things worth your money are Zero Depreciation cover and a declared value that reflects what the scooter would actually sell for. Everything else is optional. The apron alone justifies the first, and the second decides what you are handed if the bike is stolen from a parking bay.

Own Damage cover on an electric two-wheeler

The battery is most of the vehicle's value, which changes what the cover is worth

An electric vehicle (EV) two-wheeler is insured under the same rules as a petrol one, but it is priced by the motor's rated power in kilowatts (kW) rather than by engine size in cubic centimetres (cc), and its own-damage half costs more. The reason is the battery pack, which on a city electric two-wheeler is worth roughly 40% of the whole vehicle and is the single most expensive thing that can be damaged in a fall.

What the Insured Declared Value is built from

On a petrol bike the declared value is the manufacturer's listed price less a set percentage for age. On an electric two-wheeler the same calculation is done, but it is worth knowing how the number breaks down, because it explains why the premium is higher and why a battery claim can come close to the ceiling on its own.

Part of an electric scooter	Share of the vehicle's value	What it costs to replace
Battery pack	About 40%	₹45,000 to ₹70,000
Motor and hub assembly	About 12%	₹12,000 to ₹22,000
Controller and wiring	About 10%	₹8,000 to ₹18,000
Display, connected unit and switchgear	About 8%	₹6,000 to ₹14,000
Body panels, frame, suspension and wheels	About 30%	₹1,500 to ₹7,000 a part

Indicative shares for a city electric bike. The split moves towards the battery on longer-range models.

What the cover does and does not do for the battery

Accidental damage to the battery is covered. If the pack is crushed, punctured or cracked in a fall, the policy pays for it under the own-damage half, with the age deduction applied. The battery is treated as a battery for that purpose, which puts it at the 50% deduction rate along with plastic and rubber.
That 50% deduction is the most important number on an electric two-wheeler. Half of ₹60,000 is ₹30,000, and that is what the owner pays on a standard plan. Zero Depreciation cover removes it, which is why it is worth more on an electric bike than on any petrol bike.
Losing capacity over time is not covered. A pack that held 3 kilowatt-hours when new and holds 2.4 today has aged, not been damaged. That is what the manufacturer's battery guarantee is for, and it is a separate document from your policy.
Fire while charging is covered. Fire and self-ignition are covered whether the two-wheeler is on the road, parked or on charge. A fire traced to a non-standard charger or to a modified pack is not, because the vehicle was altered from its registered specification.
Water getting into the battery casing is treated as flood damage. Covered if the vehicle was standing or being ridden through water. Not covered if the vehicle was put on charge while wet, which every manufacturer warns against.

What an electric two-wheeler costs to insure

Electric two-wheeler	Rated motor power	Insured Declared Value (IDV)	Own-damage half a year
Low-speed electric two-wheeler, 2 years old	Under 250 watts, no registration needed	₹55,000 to ₹70,000	₹1,000 to ₹1,700
City electric two-wheeler, 2 years old	Up to 3 kilowatts (kW)	₹85,000 to ₹1,10,000	₹1,400 to ₹2,400
Fast electric bike, 2 years old	3 to 7 kilowatts (kW)	₹1,10,000 to ₹1,45,000	₹2,100 to ₹3,600
Performance electric bike, 2 years old	7 to 16 kilowatts (kW)	₹1,60,000 to ₹2,40,000	₹3,400 to ₹6,200

Own-damage figures are indicative and exclude the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST). The rated motor power of your vehicle is printed on its registration certificate (RC). The Third-Party half alongside them is fixed by the regulator at ₹457 a year up to 3 kilowatts (kW), ₹607 from 3 to 7 kilowatts (kW), ₹1,161 from 7 to 16 kilowatts (kW) and ₹2,383 above 16 kilowatts (kW), which is about 15% below the matching petrol band. The 15% discount for electric vehicles applies to the Third-Party half only, never to the own-damage half.

An electric two-wheeler's own-damage half costs roughly 60% more than that of a 110cc petrol scooter such as a Honda Activa or a TVS Jupiter. Its Third-Party half costs less: ₹457 a year up to 3 kilowatts (kW), against ₹714 for a 110cc scooter. The electric vehicle costs more to insure overall, and the battery is the reason for all of it.

The 2 ways to hold Own Damage cover on a two-wheeler

A separate policy beside your Third-Party cover, or both halves in one

Own Damage cover can be held in 2 ways. It can be a standalone Own Damage policy running for 1 year beside a Third-Party cover you already hold, which is what a new two-wheeler almost always needs. Or it can be one half of a Comprehensive Plan, where both covers are held in a single policy with a single renewal date. The cover itself is identical either way; what differs is the paperwork and the dates.

Why a new bike needs the first arrangement

A two-wheeler bought new is issued with 5 years of Third-Party cover, paid for in one go at the showroom. That is the law, and it is specific to two-wheelers; a new car is issued with 3 years. A standalone Own Damage policy, however, is sold 1 year at a time. Own-damage cover can run for 2 or 3 years only inside a multi-year Comprehensive Plan, which carries its own Third-Party cover and so does not fit a bike whose 5-year Third-Party cover is still running. So from the second year onwards, a new bike owner holds a Third-Party cover with 4 years still to run and needs to buy the own-damage half separately each year. That separate purchase is a standalone Own Damage policy.

Standalone Own Damage policy
1 year, beside a Third-Party cover already running
The usual arrangement for years 2 to 5 of a new two-wheeler You hold 2 documents and 2 dates, and both have to stay in force You can move the own-damage half to a different insurer each year without touching the 5-year Third-Party cover Your No Claim Bonus attaches to this policy, because the discount only ever applies to the own-damage half Optional covers attach here too, with one exception: Personal Accident cover can be added to any plan, including a Third-Party only plan
Comprehensive Plan
Both halves, 1 policy, 1 date
The usual arrangement once the 5-year Third-Party cover has run out, and for any bike bought second hand One document, one renewal date, one reminder to act on Moving insurer moves both halves together The same No Claim Bonus, applied to the own-damage half inside the plan One renewal to manage for both sides, which is why most riders end up here

What happens when the 2 dates do not line up

The commonest problem with the first arrangement is a gap. The own-damage policy expires on its own date, which has nothing to do with the Third-Party date underneath it. The two-wheeler stays perfectly legal in that gap, because the 5-year Third-Party cover is still running, so nothing looks wrong and nobody is stopped. But the bike is uninsured for its own damage during those days, and a theft in that window is not paid.

Where you are	What is in force	What to do
Year 1 of a new bike	5-year Third-Party cover and a 1-year own-damage cover, usually on one document from the showroom	Nothing. Note both expiry dates, because they are different
Year 2 to year 5	The 5-year Third-Party cover runs on. The own-damage half has to be bought again each year	Buy a standalone Own Damage policy each year, starting the day the last one ends
Own-damage half has lapsed by under 90 days	Third-Party cover only. The bike is legal and uninsured for itself	Renew at once. Your No Claim Bonus survives up to 90 days, and an inspection is needed before cover restarts
Own-damage half has lapsed by over 90 days	Third-Party cover only	Buy a fresh policy with an inspection. Your No Claim Bonus is gone and the discount restarts at zero
Year 6 onwards	The 5-year Third-Party cover has ended	Move to a Comprehensive Plan so both halves renew together on one date from then on

Bought the bike second hand? The seller's policy does not follow the sale on its own. Have the policy transferred into your name within 14 days of the sale date, with the registration certificate (RC) showing the ownership change. Until that is done an Own Damage claim can be delayed or refused, while Third-Party cover still protects other people. The seller's No Claim Bonus does not come with the vehicle either; it belongs to the seller and moves to whatever they buy next. The seller's Personal Accident cover stays with the seller too, so make sure you hold your own.

Insured value

What your bike is insured for, and the ceiling on every payout

One number decides the theft payout, the total loss line and part of the premium Your two-wheeler's Insured Declared Value (IDV) is the value the policy puts on it for the year, and it is the most the own-damage half will ever pay out. It starts from the manufacturer's listed price for that model and falls by a set percentage for the age of the bike. It decides what you are handed if the bike is stolen, and it decides when a damaged bike stops being repaired.

Age of the two-wheeler	Taken off the listed price	On a bike listed at ₹95,000
Under 6 months	5%	₹90,250
6 months to 1 year	15%	₹80,750
1 to 2 years	20%	₹76,000
2 to 3 years	30%	₹66,500
3 to 4 years	40%	₹57,000
4 to 5 years	50%	₹47,500
Over 5 years	Agreed with the insurer	Usually ₹25,000 to ₹42,000

These are the standard motor scale percentages, the same at every insurer up to 5 years. Past 5 years the figure is agreed between you and the insurer, and that is where it is worth paying attention.

When the bike stops being repaired

A total loss is declared when the cost of repairing the two-wheeler comes to more than 75% of its Insured Declared Value (IDV). At that point the bike is not repaired at all. The policy pays the Insured Declared Value, the damaged vehicle goes to the insurer, and the policy ends. On a two-wheeler this line is crossed far more easily than on a car, because the declared value is small and the parts are not.

A 5-year-old 125cc two-wheeler such as a Honda Shine or a Suzuki Access 125, with a declared value of ₹42,000 reaches the total loss line at a repair bill of ₹31,500. A bent frame, a fork set and a full repaint can get there on their own.

Setting the number yourself

Most insurers let you move the declared value up or down by about 15% around the standard figure at renewal. Both directions cost you something.

Set it low and the premium falls. The own-damage half is worked out as a percentage of the declared value, so a lower number is a cheaper policy. It is also a smaller theft payout, and it drags the total loss line down with it, so a moderate repair bill can end the policy instead of being paid.
Set it high and the premium rises. You are buying a larger theft payout and more room before the total loss line. It does not help on an ordinary repair, because a repair is paid on what the repair costs, not on the declared value.
Set it to what the bike would actually sell for. That is the number that makes both a theft claim and a total loss claim come out right, and it is the one worth arguing for at renewal on a bike over 5 years old.

Price

What the own-damage half of a bike policy costs

Real figures by engine size, and the things that move them Own Damage cover on a two-wheeler costs from about ₹600 to ₹1,000 a year on the smallest two-wheelers up to 75cc, of which very few are sold new today, about ₹800 to ₹1,800 a year on a 110cc or 125cc two-wheeler such as a Honda Activa or a Honda Shine, ₹1,200 to ₹2,200 on a 160cc to 200cc geared bike such as a TVS Apache RTR 160 or a Bajaj Pulsar NS200, and ₹2,800 to ₹6,500 on a bike above 350cc such as a KTM 390 Duke or a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, before the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) and before your No Claim Bonus is taken off. Unlike the Third-Party half, this price is set by each insurer rather than by the regulator, so it does move between insurers.

Two-wheeler, 2 to 3 years old	2 examples of that size	Own-damage half a year	Deductible on a claim
Up to 75 cubic centimetres (cc)	Very few petrol two-wheelers sold new today are this small	₹600 to ₹1,000	₹100
About 100cc to 110cc commuter two-wheeler	A Honda Activa city scooter, or a Hero Splendor Plus commuter bike	₹800 to ₹1,500	₹100
125cc commuter two-wheeler	A Honda Shine commuter motorcycle, or a Suzuki Access 125 gearless scooter	₹1,000 to ₹1,800	₹100
160cc to 200cc geared bike	A TVS Apache RTR 160, or a Bajaj Pulsar NS200	₹1,200 to ₹2,200	₹100
Above 350cc	A KTM 390 Duke, or a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 twin	₹2,800 to ₹6,500	₹100
City electric two-wheeler	Up to 3 kilowatts (kW) of rated power, as printed on the registration certificate (RC)	₹1,400 to ₹2,400	₹100

Indicative bands for a privately registered two-wheeler, before the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) and before your No Claim Bonus is applied.

How the starting rate works

Insurers start the own-damage premium from a rate that is a small percentage of the Insured Declared Value (IDV). They then move it up or down. On a two-wheeler the starting rate is usually around 1.5% to 2% of the IDV. On a car it is closer to 3%, which is why a bike costs so much less to cover.

Take a 125cc two-wheeler such as a Honda Shine or a Suzuki Access 125, with an IDV of ₹60,000. At a starting rate of 1.7%, the own-damage half begins at about ₹1,020 a year before Goods and Services Tax (GST). Everything after that is adjustment. The city, the bike's age, your No Claim Bonus and any optional covers move the figure up or down.

What moves the number

The Insured Declared Value of the bike
The own-damage premium is worked out as a percentage of the declared value, so it falls every year as the two-wheeler ages, even when nothing else changes
Engine size or motor power
A larger engine costs more to insure because the parts cost more and the vehicle travels faster. The step from a bike of 150cc or less, such as a Honda Shine or a Bajaj Pulsar 150, to a bike above 350cc, such as a KTM 390 Duke or a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, is the biggest jump on the scale
Where the bike is registered
A bike registered in Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru is priced higher than the same model in a smaller town, because claim frequency and repair rates are higher there
Your No Claim Bonus
The largest single discount available. At 50% it takes half the own-damage premium away, and it is the only one you earn rather than buy
An approved anti-theft device
A lock or alarm approved by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) takes 2.5% off the own-damage premium. On a two-wheeler that comes to a few tens of rupees a year, so it is worth fitting for the security rather than for the discount
A voluntary deductible
Agreeing to pay more of every claim yourself brings the premium down by 15% to 35%. On a bike where a common claim is ₹5,000, agreeing to fund the first ₹2,500 of it rarely makes sense
The optional covers you choose
Each adds ₹100 to ₹900 a year. They are the part of the premium fully under your control, and the part most worth thinking about on a small bike

Only with Kiwi

One personal Claims Specialist on every bike claim

Assigned as soon as you register the claim
Stays with it until the money reaches you

How to buy and renew Own Damage bike insurance

The steps, the documents, and what changes each year

You can buy Own Damage bike insurance online with your two-wheeler's registration number, and you renew it the same way each year. The steps are much the same at most insurers. What you need to have ready depends on the arrangement: a standalone Own Damage policy beside a Third-Party cover that is still running, or a Comprehensive Plan that holds both halves.

How to buy it, step by step

1
Enter the registration number
The insurer fetches the model, the variant, the engine size and the registration date from the registration record. Check each detail on screen. A wrong variant changes the Insured Declared Value (IDV) and the price
2
Choose the arrangement
Pick a standalone Own Damage policy if the two-wheeler still has a running Third-Party cover, such as the 5-year cover on a new bike. Pick a Comprehensive Plan if the Third-Party cover has ended or ends at the same time
3
Enter the previous policy details
Give the previous policy number, its expiry date and your No Claim Bonus. For a standalone policy, also give the details of the Third-Party policy running alongside it
4
Set the value and choose optional covers
Check the Insured Declared Value against what the two-wheeler would sell for today. Then add the optional covers you want, such as Zero Depreciation cover
5
Pay and keep the policy document
The policy document arrives by email and in the app. Check the start date, the Insured Declared Value, the optional covers and the vehicle details before you file it

If the old policy has already expired, most insurers ask for a photo or video inspection of the two-wheeler before the new cover starts. Cover then begins when the insurer confirms the inspection, not when you pay.

Documents you need to buy the cover

Document	Standalone Own Damage policy	Comprehensive Plan
Registration certificate (RC) of the two-wheeler	Needed	Needed
Previous policy document, for your No Claim Bonus	Needed	Needed, except on a two-wheeler bought new, where the sale invoice is used instead
The Third-Party policy running on the bike: its number, its insurer and its end date	Needed. A standalone policy cannot be issued without it	Not needed. Both halves are in the plan
Identity proof and address proof, for the Know Your Customer (KYC) check	Needed	Needed
A valid riding licence for that class of two-wheeler	Keep it ready. Every claim asks for it	Keep it ready. Every claim asks for it
Loan details, if the two-wheeler is on finance	The lender's name, which is printed on the policy	The lender's name, which is printed on the policy

How to renew it, step by step

1
Start before the expiry date
Your insurer sends a renewal notice to your registered mobile number and email. Start about 2 weeks before expiry, so there is time to compare quotes
2
Check the renewal quote
The quote should show the new Insured Declared Value, your No Claim Bonus and every optional cover. Optional covers do not renew on their own, so add them again if they are missing
3
Update anything that has changed
A new address, a new mobile number, a move to another city or a newly fitted accessory. Tell the insurer before you pay
4
Pay before the policy ends
Cover runs to the expiry date, not to the end of the month. Renewing on time means no inspection and no gap in cover
5
Check the new policy document
Check the dates and the covers. On a standalone policy, check the end date of the Third-Party cover as well

What changes at renewal, and what does not

Part of the policy	What happens at renewal
Insured Declared Value (IDV)	It falls with the two-wheeler's age, on the standard scale up to 5 years. After that it is agreed with the insurer
No Claim Bonus	It steps up one level if the year had no own-damage claim. It returns to zero if the year had one
A claim made last year	The claim itself is not carried forward. It affects only your No Claim Bonus and the price you are quoted
Optional covers	They must be chosen again. They do not carry across on their own
Inspection of the two-wheeler	Not needed if you renew before expiry. Usually needed if the policy has lapsed
Third-Party premium, on a Comprehensive Plan	Set by the regulator, so it can change even when your record is clean

Is anything reset at renewal? The cover starts afresh for the new year. There is no running total of claims that carries over, and the own-damage half has no yearly claim allowance to use up. Last year shows up in only 2 places: your No Claim Bonus and the price you are quoted.

Changed your mind after buying? A bike policy has no free-look period. That is a feature of life and health insurance, not of motor insurance. You can change a detail at any time through an endorsement, without cancelling. You can also cancel the policy by telling the insurer. The refund for the unused period depends on the insurer's cancellation terms and on whether a claim has been made. On a Comprehensive Plan, the compulsory Third-Party part cannot be cancelled while the bike is on the road without other valid cover. Kiwi Insurance's own terms: [Kiwi Insurance cancellation and refund terms].

Your No Claim Bonus on the own-damage half

The only discount you earn, and the only one a claim takes away

Your No Claim Bonus (NCB) is a discount applied to the own-damage half of your two-wheeler premium for every year you go without claiming. It begins at 20% after the first claim-free year and reaches 50% after 5, then stays there. It belongs to you rather than to the bike, so it moves with you when you change insurer and when you buy a different two-wheeler.

It never touches the Third-Party half. That price is notified by the regulator and no discount is allowed on it. So the discount you see quoted as a percentage is a percentage of the smaller of the 2 numbers on your policy, which is why a 50% No Claim Bonus does not halve the total premium.

Claim-free years behind you	Discount on the own-damage half
1st year with no claim	20%
2nd continuous year	25%
3rd continuous year	35%
4th continuous year	45%
5th continuous year and after	50%

These slabs are set by regulation and are the same at every insurer in India. The discount applies to the own-damage half only.

What a claim does to it

One own-damage claim in a policy year takes the whole discount away. It does not step down a level; it returns to zero, and the climb starts again from 20% the following year. This is the ordinary No Claim Bonus and it is what applies on every two-wheeler policy in India. On a bike the own-damage half is small, so the discount at stake is small too. That is why the decision about whether to claim at all deserves the section that follows.

It survives a change of insurer. Ask the old insurer for the No Claim Bonus certificate and give it to the new one. Without the certificate the new policy starts the discount again at zero.
It survives a change of two-wheeler. The discount follows the rider, so a 45% discount built on one bike applies to the own-damage half of the next bike you insure.
It survives a gap of up to 90 days. Renew past that and it is gone, whatever the reason for the delay.
A Third-Party claim does not affect it. Only an own-damage claim resets it, because the discount only ever applied to the own-damage half.

Holding a standalone Own Damage policy? Your No Claim Bonus attaches to that policy, not to the 5-year Third-Party cover running alongside it. When you move the own-damage half to a different insurer, the certificate has to move with it. The Third-Party policy has no bearing on the discount at all.

When to claim on a bike, and when to pay for the repair yourself

On a two-wheeler the sums are small enough that this decision comes up constantly

A small claim is often not worth raising on a bike. Any own-damage claim takes your No Claim Bonus back to zero at the next renewal, and the discount then takes years to build up again. A large repair, a theft or a total loss is what the cover is for, so claim for those. The question comes up more often on a bike than on a car, because so many bike repairs are small.

Weighing it up on your own bike

Get the garage's repair estimate before you decide. Remember that the policy will not pay all of it, because the age deduction comes off replaced parts and your deductible comes off the total. Then weigh what the policy would pay against the No Claim Bonus discount you would give up at your next renewals. If the two are close, paying for the repair yourself is usually the better choice. If the repair is large, claim.

The situation	Pay for it yourself	Claim
A scuffed panel and a broken mirror	Usually the better choice. After the plastic deduction and your deductible the policy pays little, and claiming would take your No Claim Bonus back to zero	Usually not worth it
Cracked apron, lever, indicator and paint after a fall	Worth weighing. Get the estimate first	Often worth it, and more so with Zero Depreciation cover
Bent fork, wheel and full repaint	Not worth it	Claim. A repair this size is what the cover is for
The bike is stolen	Nothing to pay for	Claim. The Insured Declared Value is paid and the policy ends
Another vehicle hit your parked bike and the rider is known	Only if the damage is small	Claim on your own policy. Your insurer recovers the money from the other side, but your No Claim Bonus still resets because it is an own-damage claim
You have already claimed once this year	No reason to	Claim. The discount is already at zero for next year and cannot fall further

Kiwi's take
The trap on a two-wheeler is the opposite of the one on a car. Riders often pay for a large repair themselves to protect a discount that is worth far less than the bill. Get the estimate and weigh it against the discount before you decide, and remember that the discount rebuilds over 5 years while the money you spent does not come back.

There is no limit on the number of own-damage claims you may raise in a policy year. The discount goes to zero on the first one and cannot go lower, and every later claim in that same year is paid on its own merits. What a run of claims does affect is the premium you are quoted at your next renewal, and whether a different insurer wants your business at all.

The claim

How an Own Damage bike claim works at any insurer

The general process first, as it runs at most insurers An Own Damage bike claim runs in 7 stages: you register the claim with your insurer, a claim number is issued, the bike goes to a garage, the garage writes a priced repair estimate, you receive your copy of the estimate, an assessor checks that estimate against the damage, and finally the repair is done, the insurer pays and the claim closes. This is how it works at most insurers in India. What differs between insurers is who does the chasing in the middle.

1
You register the claim
In the insurer's app, on its website or by telephone, within 24 to 48 hours of the incident. You give the registration number, the date, where it happened and what happened, and you upload photographs of the damage. For theft or for damage caused by another person you also report it to the police, and the police report number goes on the claim
2
A claim number is issued
The claim now exists in the insurer's system with a reference of its own. Nothing about the repair can start until this number exists, which is why registering promptly matters more than anything else you do
3
The bike goes to a garage
Either one from the insurer's network or one of your own choosing. If the bike cannot be ridden, it is towed. A network garage will usually take the bike on the claim number alone
4
The garage writes the repair estimate
This is where the money in your claim is decided, and it is the step most people know least about. A mechanic examines the bike, opens up panels where the damage may run deeper than it looks, and writes a priced list: a line for every part to be replaced at the manufacturer's price, a line for every panel to be repaired or painted, a line for paint materials and a line for labour hours. That list is the repair estimate
5
You receive your copy of the estimate
The garage sends the estimate to the insurer. Ask the garage or the insurer for your own copy. Many insurers send it to their app or by email. Read it: every part should be named individually with its price, and parts should be separated from labour, because only the parts lines carry an age deduction
6
An assessor checks the estimate
The insurer sends someone to look at the bike, confirm the damage matches what you reported, and go through the estimate line by line. Lines that belong to an older incident, or that are age related rather than accidental, come off at this stage. You are then told the approved figure, what the policy will pay and what your own share is, before any work begins
7
Repair, payment and closure
The work is carried out. At a network garage the insurer pays the garage directly and you pay only your own share when you collect the bike. At a garage of your own choosing you would normally pay the bill and claim it back, unless your insurer offers a way around that. The claim then closes

Why the estimate sometimes changes after work starts

A first estimate is written from what can be seen. Once a cracked panel is taken off, a garage sometimes finds a bent bracket, a broken mounting tab or a damaged wiring loom behind it. When that happens the garage writes a revised estimate for the extra work, the assessor reviews only the new lines, and you are told the new figure before the work goes ahead. This is normal on anything more than light damage. What matters is that no extra work is done without being agreed first, so the figure you were given does not quietly grow.

Papers to have ready

For any claim. The policy number, the registration certificate (RC), your riding licence and photographs of the damage taken where it happened.
For a theft claim. The police report, both sets of keys, the registration certificate (RC), and later the untraced certificate the police issue when the two-wheeler has not been found. Expect 60 to 90 days for that certificate, which is what sets the timeline on a theft claim rather than anything the insurer does.
For damage caused by someone else. The police report, and the other person's vehicle number if you have it. You still claim on your own policy; the insurer recovers from theirs afterwards and you are not part of that.
For a flood or fire claim. Photographs of the bike where it stood, and for fire, the fire service report if one was raised.

Is there a waiting period before you can claim? There is no waiting period before you can claim. Own Damage cover begins the moment the policy starts and a claim can be raised on the first day. The only qualification is that cover on a policy bought after an inspection starts when the insurer confirms it, not when you paid, so check the start date on the policy document rather than assuming it is the date of purchase.

What Kiwi Insurance adds to that process

The stages above do not disappear. Somebody else does the ones in the middle

With Kiwi Insurance the claim follows the same 7 stages, and you still register it yourself. What changes is that as soon as the claim is registered, one personal Claims Specialist is assigned to it and takes over the middle of the process: chasing the garage for the estimate, standing in front of the assessor, approving the revised lines and confirming the payment. You are not the person carrying messages between a garage and an insurer.

Your Claims Specialist joins only after you register the claim. The claim is yours to raise, and the Specialist is assigned to it the moment it exists.

Stage of the claim	Yours to do	Your personal Claims Specialist
Registering the claim	You do this. A few taps in the Kiwi Insurance app, or one telephone call	Not their job. They are assigned once the claim number exists
Getting the bike to a garage	Ride it there, or ask for a tow	Arranges the tow and names garages near you that can take the bike
Getting the repair estimate	Nothing	Chases the garage, checks the lines and sends your copy to the app
The assessment	Nothing	Meets the assessor at the garage and argues the lines you would not know to argue
Approval of extra work found later	Say yes or no to the new figure	Reviews the revised lines with the garage first, so you are given one clear number
Payment	Pay your own share when you collect the bike	Confirms the amount to the garage, or to your bank account
Knowing where it stands	Open the app whenever you want	Works from the same status the app shows you, and calls you when it moves

The claim status lives in the Kiwi Insurance app and updates as each stage completes, so you can see where things stand at any hour without asking anybody. Your Claims Specialist works from that same status rather than keeping a separate account of it, which is why what they tell you on the telephone and what the app shows you are never 2 different things.

Where the bike is repaired, and who pays the garage

There are 2 routes to a repair, cashless at a network garage or paying and claiming back wherever you choose to repair the bike. Which one you take decides only who pays the garage first, not what the claim is worth.

A cashless garage in the Kiwi Insurance network is the simplest route, and the one most riders use. You hand the bike over, and the approved amount goes straight from Kiwi Insurance to the garage. You pay only your own share, which is your deductible plus whatever the age deductions came to. You never fund the repair and wait to be paid back.

Cashless or your own garage? A cashless garage costs you nothing up front and is the simplest route. Your own garage is worth it when the bike is new enough for the dealer workshop to matter, or when the network garage near you is booked out for a fortnight. The trade is money: on the second route you fund the repair and are paid back, so on a large bill the cashless garage is usually the easier choice.

Kiwi Insurance · Claims Specialist

Your part of a bike claim, start to finish

Everything below in teal is done for you once the claim is registered. The first card is the only one that is yours.

1
You register it
A few taps in the app with photographs, or one call. Your part is done here
2
A Specialist is assigned
One person who owns your claim, given to it the moment the claim number exists
3
Garage and estimate
They arrange the garage, chase the estimate and send your copy to the app
4
Assessment and approval
They meet the assessor, agree the lines and confirm one clear figure to you
5
Payment and close
Paid to the garage, or to your account. They tell you when it has gone

“We built Kiwi so that on the day it matters, you have one person who answers, owns your claim, and sees it through.” — Saurav Jaiswal, Co-founder, Kiwi Insurance

Optional covers

Optional covers that change what an Own Damage claim pays

Add-on, rider and optional cover are 3 names for the same thing Optional covers attach to the own-damage half of a two-wheeler policy, with one exception: Personal Accident cover can be added to any plan, including a Third-Party only plan. The others cannot be put on a Third-Party policy on its own, and none of them can be added part way through a policy year. Some change how an own-damage claim is worked out, and the rest pay on their own terms. On a bike they are inexpensive, and the ones that matter most are the ones that deal with the plastic and the battery, because that is where the age deduction takes the most money.

Zero Depreciation cover
Removes the age deduction on replaced parts, so a cracked apron on a bike is counted at its full price rather than at half. Worth more on a two-wheeler than on anything else, because so much of a bike is plastic. For: Every scooter, every electric two-wheeler, and any bike under 5 years old. Around ₹400 to ₹1,200 a year
Engine Protect cover
Pays for engine damage from water getting into the engine, or from oil draining away and the bike being ridden on. The base plan never reaches the engine, which is exactly why this exists as a separate cover. For: Anyone riding a low-slung scooter through a monsoon city. Around ₹300 to ₹800 a year
Roadside Assistance cover
Brings help to you for a breakdown, a puncture or an empty tank, and tows the bike to a garage. Breakdown is never covered by the base plan, so this is the only route to it. For: Riders who go beyond the city, and anyone on an electric two-wheeler with range to watch. Around ₹150 to ₹350 a year
Consumables cover
Pays for the oils, brake fluid, coolant, nuts, bolts and clips that a repair uses up. These lines are left off a standard payout entirely, and on a two-wheeler repair they come to between ₹300 and ₹2,000. For: Anyone claiming for more than panel damage. Around ₹150 to ₹400 a year
Return to Invoice cover
Pays the original invoice value, including registration and road tax, if the bike is stolen or damaged past the total loss line, instead of the lower Insured Declared Value (IDV). For: Bikes under 3 years old, where the gap between invoice and declared value is largest. Around ₹250 to ₹700 a year
Pillion Rider cover
Extends the same fixed accident payout to whoever is riding behind you, named or not. Your own compulsory Personal Accident cover pays nothing for the pillion rider. For: Anyone who carries a passenger on the school run or at the weekend. Around ₹100 to ₹300 a year
Rider Gear cover
Pays towards the helmet, jacket, gloves and boots damaged in the same accident as the bike. A helmet that has taken an impact has to be replaced whether or not it looks damaged. For: Anyone whose gear together comes to more than ₹10,000. Around ₹300 to ₹900 a year
Personal Accident cover
Pays a fixed ₹15 lakhs to you or your family if you are killed or permanently disabled while riding. Compulsory on every policy unless you already hold it on another vehicle you own, and its price is set by regulation. For: Every owner-rider, by regulation. ₹750 a year for ₹15 lakhs

Optional covers are chosen at purchase or at renewal. Put your registration number in and see what each one adds on your own two-wheeler

What about Kiwi InstaCash? Kiwi InstaCash, Kiwi PayFirst and Kiwi Insurance Flexi Repair are optional covers on Kiwi Insurance car policies. They are not offered on two-wheeler policies at present, so they do not appear in the list above. The enhanced No Claim Bonus sold on car policies is not available on a bike either. The ordinary No Claim Bonus applies in the usual way, and a personal Claims Specialist is on every bike claim.

The questions people ask about them

Do they have their own separate claim limits? The covers that change a repair payout, which are Zero Depreciation cover, Consumables cover, Engine Protect cover and Return to Invoice cover, do not have a separate claim of their own. They are applied inside the one own-damage claim. You do not raise a Zero Depreciation claim; you raise a claim, and the cover removes the deductions from it. Personal Accident cover, Pillion Rider cover, Rider Gear cover and Roadside Assistance cover pay on their own terms. Many optional covers carry a cap on how many times they can be used in a year, and Zero Depreciation cover and Roadside Assistance cover typically do. Past the Zero Depreciation cap, a claim is still paid with the usual deductions back in place. Kiwi Insurance allows [number] Zero Depreciation claims a year on a bike policy.
Is there a maximum number one policy can carry? There is no maximum number of optional covers one policy can carry. What limits people in practice is cost. Taking every optional cover can add more to the premium than the own-damage half itself costs.
Do they renew on their own? Optional covers do not renew on their own. Every optional cover has to be chosen again at each renewal, and a renewal quote that simply repeats last year's number may not include them. They never carry across when you move insurer.
Does pricing vary between insurers? The price of optional covers varies noticeably between insurers. The own-damage half and every optional cover on it are priced by each insurer. Only the Third-Party half is fixed, and that is why 2 quotes for the same bike can differ by ₹600 while both look correct.

Disagreements

Who decides when damage is not clearly covered, and what you can do

Most disagreements are about 1 or 2 lines on an estimate, not about the whole claim The assessor decides in the first instance whether a particular piece of damage belongs to the event you reported, and the insurer decides whether the policy covers it. If you disagree, there are 4 steps open to you, and 2 of them are outside the insurer entirely. The last of them, the Insurance Ombudsman, issues a decision that binds the insurer but does not bind you.

Step	Who you are dealing with	What to expect
1. Your personal Claims Specialist	Kiwi Insurance	Ask for the specific line to be looked at again, with a photograph. Most disagreements about a two-wheeler estimate end here, because they are usually about whether a scuff was from this fall or the last one
2. The insurer's grievance officer	Kiwi Insurance, formally	A written complaint. The insurer must acknowledge it within 3 days and resolve it within 14 days. Every insurer is required to have one and to publish the contact details
3. The IRDAI Bima Bharosa portal	The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)	A complaint filed with the regulator, which registers it against the insurer and requires a response. Use it when 14 days have passed with no answer
4. The Insurance Ombudsman	An independent office	Free, and open to you for claims up to ₹50 lakhs. The decision binds the insurer. You keep the right to go elsewhere if you do not accept it

Escalation routes: the insurer grievance route, the IRDAI Bima Bharosa portal and the Insurance Ombudsman.

The 3 disagreements that actually come up on a two-wheeler

Old damage counted with new. A bike carries scuffs from years of parking. An assessor will take off the lines that do not belong to this fall. Photographs taken at the time, showing the bike where it went down, are what decides this one.
Repair against replace. A garage wants to replace a cracked panel; an assessor says it can be repaired. You are entitled to ask for the reason in writing, and on a panel that carries a mounting point the answer usually goes your way.
The declared value on a total loss. On a bike over 5 years old the declared value was agreed rather than calculated, and it is the number that decides a theft payout. This is the disagreement to avoid by setting the value properly at renewal rather than arguing about it afterwards.

Why Kiwi Insurance

What Own Damage cover looks like with Kiwi Insurance

Where one insurer differs from another Most Own Damage policies cover the same main events: accident, theft, fire and natural events. The details still differ from one insurer to the next, including the garage network, the optional covers on offer, the price and the way a claim is handled. The biggest difference usually shows up at claim time: who chases the garage, who deals with the assessor, and how quickly the money moves. That is what Kiwi Insurance is built around.

A personal Claims Specialist on every claim
One person who owns your claim, assigned the moment you register it, who stays with it until the money reaches you. You never have to repeat your case to the customer support helpline
Cashless garages, and your own garage too
A network where the bill goes straight from us to the garage, and a pay-and-claim-back route when you would rather use the workshop that has always serviced the bike
The estimate agreed before the work starts
Your Claims Specialist goes through the parts list with the garage and confirms one figure to you, so an own-garage claim is not a bill you meet at the end without warning
The estimate sent to you, not held at the garage
Your copy of the repair estimate is sent to the app and by email, so you can read what is being claimed on your own two-wheeler before anything is approved
One status, in one place
The claim status lives in the app and updates as each stage completes. Your Claims Specialist works from that same status, so nobody tells you something different from what you can see
Everything else about the bike in the same app
Your policy document, your traffic fines and your Pollution Under Control (PUC) expiry are kept in the same app as the claim, so two-wheeler paperwork stays in one place

Kiwi's take
On a two-wheeler the claim is rarely large enough for anyone to fight hard over, which is exactly why it drifts. A garage waits on an assessor, an assessor waits on a form, and a fortnight goes by on a ₹5,000 repair. One person whose job it is to close that gap is worth more on a bike claim than on almost any car claim.

Written by

Reuben Solomon

Lead Content Writer

Reuben writes Kiwi Insurance's motor guides on cover types, IRDAI pricing and claims, checked against current notifications.

Reviewed by

Rupinderjit Singh

Head - Tech Product & Digital Business

Rupinderjit reviews every motor page for accuracy against the Motor Vehicles Act and the current IRDAI rate notifications.

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