A car is a machine that makes our life easier. With the invention of carpooling inculcated by our neighbors and the taxi companies as well, the usage of cars is becoming more and more environment-friendly these days. There are certain car manufacturers bringing eco-friendly, battery cars and liquefied petroleum gas cars, which are less harmful than the usual petrol and diesel ones. Now that car manufacturers are putting effort to make their products eco-friendly, it is high time that we do our bit.
People worldwide are proactively working towards protecting their everyday essentials, why not cars which we buy after shelling out lakhs? Not just with security equipment like anti-theft alarm or a break lock, the best and the highest degree of protection with insurance.
Auto insurance covers the expenses arising out of an accident, theft or total damage of the car due to man-made disasters like terrorism, vandalism, riots or acts of miscreants and natural disasters like cyclone, earthquake and floods etc. This protective cover stops us from spending a lot of money out of our own pocket. Also, our government has made it mandatory for the owners of all vehicle types to have auto insurance irrespective of their sizes. A few insurance providers India has are Bharti AXA Car insurance, Tata AIG car insurance, Royal Sundaram car insurance etc.
Engine Protection Cover
Engine is the heart of a car. The engine works in a way where it converts one form of mechanical energy into another and thus enables the cat to move. The engine is the first component of a car that is affected by a natural calamity like flood. In case the engine comes in contact with water or the car gets submerged in the water, the engine gets damaged and needs immediate repairing or replacement. This process costs a lot, as engine is an integral part of a car and this is a situation where car insurance covers the expense and help you out financially. Policy providers like Bharti AXA Car insurance have a list of add-ons that you can include in your auto insurance policy.
A car insurance policy comes up with lots of add-ons that cover the expense incurred for repairing your damaged car. These add-ons help in covering specific aspects of the car, which a regular car insurance policy does not cover. This is where an intense research about the car insurance will help because if you have decided to believe the word of your insurance agent then you will end up spending a lot from your own pocket.
Who should Buy the Engine Protection Add-On Cover?
- People living in a flood-prone area or working near a water body
- People who own high-end cars for which the cost of damaged engine repairing would be way more than that of a normal car
- People who want to avoid all kinds of financial risks
Here’s a list of add-ons that you can include in your car policy at an additional cost:
- Quick roadside assistance
- Engine protection cover
- Zero depreciation
- Electronic circuit protection cover
- Return to invoice
- No claim bonus protection
- Personal accident cover
- Key replacement
- Daily cash allowance
- Loss of personal belongings
- Third party coverage
- Hospital expense coverage
These add-on covers will lead to a smooth, trouble-free claim settlement process and cover all major expenses, especially when it comes to engine and electronic protection cover.
Generally, add-ons are allowed to be included in case of a comprehensive car insurance policy, which in general does not cover damage cost that you incur for a car engine or any of engine’s parts like piston, pins, crankshaft, cylinder, gearbox etc. An engine protection add-on will cover all the costs and offers a protective shield against the damages occurred due to engine malfunction, lubricating oil leakage, ingression of water, hydrostatic lock etc. With the Indian roads getting water logged at even the slightest spell of rain, the scenario of a car’s engine getting damaged is quite common these days. If you are in a rain-prone location in India, go for a policy that covers engine expenses or has add-on coverage for engine damage expenses.
You might be thinking of why protect the engine? Well, the engine must be protected with insurance because it is the most expensive part of a car, and its repairing cost is very high. An engine is called the heart of any vehicle and it must be protected. With insurers like Bharti AXA car insurance, if you have a policy and the engine protection cover add-on and your car engine is damaged, they are just a call away and the engine repair or replacement (whichever required) will be done in a Bharti AXA car insurance authorized garage.
What does an Engine Protection Add-On Policy Include?
- Expenses against damages due to the leakage of the lubricating oil
- Expenses against damages caused due to ingression of water
- Expenses against damages due to gear box malfunction
- Hydrostatic lock expenses – the lock when you try and retry to start a wet engine after a flood or water ingression. Cranking an engine which was submerged under the water may trigger ignition and might damage the engine. This will be treated as a deliberately done damage to the engine and your claim request could be rejected.
The coverage under engine protection cover varies with the insurance companies. Always read the fine print or the regulations before signing up for a policy.
A standard hatch back engine’s normal repair cost would be around a lakh and a fifty thousand, which does not include the plastic and the metal part that might raise an additional cost of thousands. A regular comprehensive car insurance policy does not cover all these costs and you end up spending a hefty amount without a financial cover. However, if you are wise enough to choose an engine protection add-on cover while purchasing the policy, you can claim this amount from your insurer.
What is not Included in the Engine Protection Add-On Coverage?
Despite the fact that you have a valid engine protection add-on cover, there are high chances that are your claim will be rejected if you do either of the following before calling the insurance people about the damage to the engine:
- Try to force start your car when it is submerged under the water has wet engine. The engine, in general, is designed to completely shut down and not let the water in, and trying to start engine forcibly will let the water in and cause great damages leading to claim reject
- If you try to drive a car with a damaged bonnet, the lubricating oil might enter the engine. This scenario would come under deliberate damages/consequential damages. Since the damage is a consequent happening and not due to the accident, your insurance claim might not be validated.
- Add-ons come with a limited validity. Only one claim per add-on is possible within the insurance policy period and for another claim to be made, one more add-on has to be purchased.
- This add-on is applicable for cars that are not more than 5 year old.
Conclusion
Use the expertise of insurers and you can call on their customer care toll-free number to get all the details about a car insurance policy before settling upon the right policy with the right add-ons.
