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Smart Car Insurance Tips for Festive Season Buyers

- •Festive car purchases involve extra drive-away costs beyond the ex-showroom price, making auto insurance a crucial financial safety net.
- •Insurance invoices combine own-damage, third-party, and add-on rates, with the Insured Declared Value (IDV) set up to 95 percent of the ex-showroom value.
- •Essential add-ons like zero-depreciation, return to invoice, and engine protection help avoid heavy out-of-pocket expenses during repairs or total loss.
- •Experts recommend reviewing individual add-on costs instead of blindly accepting expensive, pre-packaged dealer bundles.
- •Always compare like-for-like coverage, cashless garage availability, and claim processes across multiple providers before finalizing a policy.
Key Questions Answered
A detailed car insurance invoice combines own-damage, third-party, and add-on rates into a final premium. For diesel SUVs, standard insurance quotes often exceed Rs 40,000 for a one-year personal cover and three-year third-party protection.
Zero-depreciation is essential for new cars to avoid out-of-pocket costs on replaced parts. Additionally, Return to Invoice helps in total loss or theft scenarios, while engine protection is invaluable in flood-prone, waterlogged regions.
Stay calm and move to safety, then exchange names, contact details, vehicle registration numbers, and insurance policy info without getting into arguments. Promptly notify your insurer, gather your driving licence, RC, policy document, accident photos, repair estimates, and FIR copies for surveyor inspection.





