Even a minor road accident can leave you with small medical and car repair bills. Fortunately, auto insurance is mandatory in the UAE and generally covers these costs. Whether you choose a comprehensive insurance policy or a third party car insurance plan, it can take a lot of stress off your mind. In case of an accident, you just need to file the insurance claim and let the company take care of the bills.
This guide will explain everything you need to know about filing a car insurance claim in the UAE.
What to do after a car accident
There is no point blaming the other party or getting in a scuffle after a road emergency. Stay calm and take the following steps in case you get into an accident.
1. Contact the police
You cannot file your car insurance claim in the UAE without an accident report provided by the police. Before you do anything else, contact the police and report the accident. Take photos of your damaged vehicle or any other bodily injury because of the accident. This supports your insurance claim and helps you get fair compensation. The police will inspect your car, the place of the accident and the photographs.
After inspection, the police gives a red or green form/paper to both the drivers. The red form is given to the driver at fault and the green form is given to the affected driver. These forms have the accident summary and contact details of both parties involved in the accident.
Motorists in Dubai can also report minor accidents with the Dubai police app, those in Sharjah can use the Rafid Accident reporting app to report minor accidents and those in the capital can use the Abu Dhabi police app.
2. Contact your car insurance provider
After receiving the police report, inform your car insurance provider about the accident. To get your insurance claim processed effectively and quickly, share all the details of the incident with your car insurance provider.
Here is a list of things that one should never do after a car accident.
What do you need to file car insurance in the UAE?
Documents required for filing a car insurance claim in the UAE include:
- A police report
- Car registration document
- Car modifying certificate (if there is any)
- Driving license of both drivers
- Filled insurance claim forms (both parties are required to fill up the claim form received from their respective insurance providers)
It is pertinent to note that studying your car insurance policy thoroughly is very important. Both drivers receive a claim form from the insurance company. When the driver has a clear idea of the terms and conditions, kind of coverage and benefits and exclusions, they are entitled to, negotiating the desired settlement amount with the insurer agent becomes easy. Not knowing what your insurance covers can be a major cause of stress.
When should you file a car insurance claim?
You can file a car insurance claim in the UAE under the following circumstances:
1. When there is a bodily injury during the accident
If there is a bodily injury you encountered as a result of the accident, you must intimate your insurance providers immediately. It is advised that you assess the total damage in light of your car insurance policy when filing a car insurance claim.
Please note, you only file an insurance claim if your car insurance plan covers collisions or accidents.
2. When your car is damaged
You will be compensated if the other party damaged your car with a third-party liability cover. Conversely, if you are at fault, you can only be compensated if you use a comprehensive car insurance cover.
Comprehensive insurance plans provide coverage to both the claimant and the driver at fault, it also covers for damage caused to your vehicle due to natural calamities. Here is a detailed guide on the difference between third-party and comprehensive car insurance.
What happens when the claim proceeds?
Follow these steps to file a claim and determine how the insurance claim proceeds:
- File a car insurance claim by submitting important documents including an original copy of the police report and the vehicle registration copy
- After the insurance company gives a go-ahead for repairs, take your vehicle to the authorized dealer/garage for an estimate
- The dealer/garage will assess the damage and report to the insurance company about the repair cost
- Once approved by the insurance provider, the repair work starts
- Pick up your vehicle when the repair work completed
That is all about filing a car insurance claim in the UAE. In case your car was damaged beyond repair in the accident, you can choose to buy another one from the following list of economical used cars:
- Buy used cars in Dubai
- Buy second-hand cars in Sharjah
- Second-hand cars for sale in Abu Dhabi
- Used cars for sale in Ajman
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more on car insurance policies, filing car insurance in the UAE, traffic regulations and violation fines.
Related Posts
