Buying your own car is a huge deal. You buy it using your hard-earned money and now this shiny new machine is one of your most precious possessions And you want it to remain scratch, dent, and damage free - forever.

But, unfortunately, this may not always be possible. Driving on the road is always accompanied by risks and uncertainties. Drunk drivers, speeding cars, tailgating, - there are so many possibilities just waiting to happen.

Did you know that distracted driving resulted in 1031 on-road collisions last year?

Apart from being a legal requirement, it is also important from a financial standpoint.

So, how do you financially protect yourself from such unpredictable events? By investing in - Comprehensive Car Insurance.

What is Comprehensive Car Insurance? What are its benefits? What does it cover and not cover? Let’s see! 👇

What is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

A comprehensive car insurance policy will provide you coverage for all the damages or losses caused to your car and its accessories including damaged parts, and spare parts in situations like -

It includes damages caused to your car due to accidents, thefts, etc. and damages caused to a third party or their property because of your car.

👉 Collision, accidental run-over, overturn, rollover, etc

👉 An external fire or explosion, spontaneous combustion, or lightning.

👉 Theft or robbery.

👉 Third party's willful act.

👉Land transport, inland water transport, elevators, or lifting machinery including loading and unloading processes related to the aforementioned transport processes.

For example, Aamir was driving when another car bumped into his car, damaging its bumper and tail lights. Since he owns a comprehensive car insurance policy, the costs of repairing the damaged parts will be covered.

What Does Comprehensive Car Insurance Not Cover?

The policy will not cover situations like -

👉Any indirect loss caused to you

👉 The devaluation of your car due to its use, breakdown, defect, or breakage of mechanical or electrical devices

👉 Any damages caused due to (if proven as the proximate cause).
👉Overloading the vehicle.
👉Exceeding the permissible vehicle width, length, or height .
👉Exceeding the permissible number of passengers

👉Any tyre damage that didn’t happen at the same time as the accident.

👉 If the car is being used for any other purpose other than the one mentioned in the insurance application. For instance, if you use your car as a taxi and get in an accident, the damages will not be covered.

👉If the car is damaged because of a speed race or test, provided it is the proximate cause of the accident

👉 The insurance company will not cover any loss/damages if the person driving the vehicle -

👉 Does not have a valid driving licence.
👉 Is not licensed to drive according to traffic laws.
👉 Holds an expired licence.
👉 Fails to renew their licence within 30 days from the date of the accident.

If the licence of the person driving the car has been suspended by the court or competent authority or according to traffic regulations

Any car damages occurred because the driver of the vehicle was under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or drugs. .

Any damages caused to the vehicle outside the geographical location unless an extension is taken in the policy. 

Any damages caused due to war, terror, etc.

Any damages caused to the vehicle off-road unless you have taken the Off-Road Extension Cover

Add-Ons in Comprehensive Car Insurance

Add-ons are the extra cover that you choose to enhance the coverage of your car insurance policy. Several add-ons are available with comprehensive car insurance.

personal Accident Cover

The Personal Accident Cover financially protects you against the cost of treating any bodily injuries that you may face during an accident

Agency Repairs Cover

With this cover, you are ensured that your car will be repaired at the original manufacturer’s workshop and that only genuine spare parts will be used during the repairs. This cover is generally valid for 2 years but some insurers may extend it to 5 years.

Roadside Assistance Cover

This cover is meant to help you out if you face any problems or troubles when you’re on the road. While the majority of insurers include this in their basic coverage, some provide this as an add-on. It provides coverage for mechanical repairs, towing services, tire replacements, etc.

GCC Coverage

This add-on is a great choice if you frequently travel to neighbouring GCC nations such as Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, etc. Any damages or injuries you or your vehicle undergo because of an accident, theft, etc. will be covered.

Note: GCC coverage is a mandatory extension in some countries. You will not be allowed to enter without it.

Car Rental Add-On

In case your car is damaged or is in the garage for repair, some insurers provide a rent-a-car facility till the time your car is being repaired.

Off-Road Cover

If you are a person who loves participating in off-road activities in the UAE, this add-on will cover the same. It covers damages caused to the insured vehicle or injuries caused to the insured person due to off-road activities like desert rallies, dune bashing, etc.

Oman Extension Cover

This cover is a mandatory requirement if you wish to travel to Oman by road. It provides coverage for damages or losses faced by you and your car in Oman.

Note: Third-party coverage needs to be purchased online or at the border.

How To Purchase Comprehensive Car Insurance Online?

If you want to buy a car insurance policy online, here are a few steps that you need to follow. These steps might differ from insurer to insurer but these are some general steps.

1.First, visit the website of your desired insurance company or an insurance broker.

2.Then, select the option of ‘Car Insurance’.

3.Start by entering your vehicle details like make and model, model year,  car variant, etc.

Then, you will be asked whether your vehicle is Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) specified. Select the correct option.

Then you will be asked to fill in your details such as your name, email ID, date of birth, mobile number, nationality, etc..

6.Once these details are filled in, you will be asked to select the city in which your car is registered and the driving experience you have.

7.Then, you will be asked if you have made any claims in the past years or not.

8.If you have not made any claim then click on “Never” and proceed, and if there were any claims made by you then select any of the options provided.

9.After filling in all the details, you will be taken to the quote page.

10.Here, you will be shown a predefined car value that you can increase or decrease as per your car’s market value.

12.You can then check the plan details and the premium and select a policy that suits your needs.

Documents Required To Purchase/Renew Car Insurance

If you want to purchase/renew car insurance, you need to have some mandatory documents with you. -

👉 Driving Licence

👉 Passport and Residential Visa

👉 Age Proof

👉Vehicle Registration Certificate

👉 Emirates Id

👉 Any aditional documents as requested by your insurer.

👉 Address Proof

How to Claim Under Comprehensive Car Insurance?

To make a claim under your comprehensive car insurance policy, follow the steps listed below -

1.Inform the Police

If you face an accident, the very first thing that you need to do is inform the police. You cannot file a car insurance claim unless you file a report with the police. If the accident is minor you can report the incident using police apps.

Make sure you take pictures of all the damages caused to your car along with any bodily injuries.

The police will inspect your car, the place of the accident, and the photographs taken by you. And, they will help you with the policy report which will have the details of the “At Fault Party” as well as the “Not At Fault Party”, along with a detailed summary of damages caused to the vehicles involved in the accident, etc.

The “At Fault Party” is the person responsible for the accident as well as the- one who will be liable to pay the expenses to the parties involved in the accident. The “Not At Fault Party” is the person involved in the accident but not responsible for it.

Get in touch with your insurer

After getting the police report, call your insurer and inform them about the accident. Make sure to give all the details about the accident to the insurance company for a smooth and speedy settlement of the claim. Also, submit all the relevant documents to the insurance company.

Documents required for the claim

👉 Police report.

👉 Car Registration Document (Mulkiya)

👉 Driving License.

👉 Duly Filled claim form .

👉 Emirates ID

👉 Car modifying certificate (If any)

👉 Any other documents as requested by the insurer

Assessment of claim

After receiving your relevant documents and the claim request, the insurance company will assess your claim as well as verify the documents submitted by you. Once the verification process is completed, the insurance company will allow you to commence the repairs. .

Repair

Once you get permission from the insurance company, you can now take your vehicle to the authorized dealer/garage. They will evaluate the damages caused to your vehicle and generate an estimate of the repair and the same will be shared with the insurance company.

As soon as the insurance company gives its approval, the repair work will start on your vehicle. You can collect your vehicle from the dealer/garage after the repair is done.

Comprehensive policy Vs Third party policy

A comprehensive policy is different from a third-party policy. Let’s see how -

Parameters	Comprehensive Car Insurance	Third-party Liability Car Insurance
What does it cover?	It provides financial protection to you, your car, the third party, and their property	It covers only third-party losses or damages.
Customization options	You can customize the policy based on your requirements.	No option to customize the policy.
Price	Compared to third-party liability insurance, it is expensive.	The premium is comparatively lower as it only provides limited coverage.
Theft Cover	t will provide coverage in case your vehicle is stolen.	It will not provide any coverage in case your vehicle is stolen.

Wrapping up!

A comprehensive car insurance policy is a wise choice for you if you want broad coverage along with a wide array of features. It not only covers you and your car but also covers the third party and their property in case of any damage or injury. Invest in comprehensive car insurance if your car is new or expensive, so you don’t have to incur any losses if you get into an unexpected situation.