My experience with New India Assurance

Hi,
     If you buy a car/motor bike, the first thing that comes to our mind would be to select the right insurance provider. Most vehicle dealers tie up with the local insurance providers and include the insurance cost as part of the on road price of the vehicle.

(Image credit: http://www.hrmehrotra.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/car-insurance-claim.jpg )          

   Before you buy any insurance get yourself familiar with these two terms and choose the right one (preferably Comprehensive Insurance)
1. Third Party Insurance.
2. Comprehensive Insurance.

Read this article to know more about the above insurance types.

             Coming back to my experience with New India Assurance - I have purchased a motor insurance policy from New India Assurance (NIA) at Tamil Nadu. I'm currently living in Bangalore and my car got a minor damage in Bangalore. I approached the body shop and got the estimate for the repair. Please note, getting a cashless claim is dependent on the dealer and at least not possible at all if the insurance is from other state (as in my case). So I had to take the pain of contacting the insurance providers myself, arranging a surveyor for inspecting the damage to the car. The surveyor would then give his go ahead to the dealer and the work would start.

       With the repair estimates in hand, I contacted the toll free number of NIA at 18002091415. He got all the details - only to provide me with a number that I should contact and arrange for the claim. I don't know why he'd need all my details only to provide a contact number, which I can very well get it from the NIA site. I contacted the number but no body was available to answer the call. I tried for almost an hour and no one would ever bother to pickup. Then I called the Tamil Nadu branch where I purchased the insurance at 0462-2573102. The guy who answered the phone said I have to contact the branch in Bangalore and didn't even bother to offer me any help. A little search on the web and I contacted the claims hub Bangalore at 080 22236281. This guy responded that I have to go in person to the NIA office -nearest to the work shop and hand over the claim forms and other documents(God knows what) at that office myself. When asked if I can contact then via phone, he just said it's not possible over phone just go the branch directly. I somehow got another contact number 080 22237774. I tried continuously for almost 4 hours in vain. There were instances where the guy would just pick the phone and keep it down without answering.

    What the heck ? When most of the insurance providers are providing claim settlements entirely online, this provider wants me to go the office directly and hand over the documents? I'm still suspicious if my concern would ever be solved even if I visit that office. It's highly probable that I'd be redirected to somewhere else. When other insurance companies are providing a host of benefits to attract customers, NIA wouldn't even listen to an existing customer who has been loyal (dumb?) enough to renew the insurance for 5 successive years.

I'm still trying to get in touch with anyone concerned and I hope it'll be resolved (in time??).


Beware folks. Do lot of ground works before buying an insurance. I'm planning to switch my provider after my current policy expires. As my post title says, this is just my experience with NIA and may not reflect on the whole experience of NIA.


** Update **
I was lucky enough to get hold of a surveyor that evening itself, who was courteous enough to get the estimates done the same evening. I'm waiting for the spares to arrive as on 12/Jul/2014 and hope that everything will be smooth now.

Ram Kishore K