Loss of Personal Belongings

This add-on can be bought along with a comprehensive or own damage insurance policy and comes at an additional price. This cover takes care of your personal belongings, such as clothes, shoes, etc. So, if anything happens to them – let's say they get lost or damaged – your insurer will help cover the cost as long as they were in your car when the damage happened.

Some insurers might offer separate add-ons under this option. These could be:

• Personal Belongings Add-on, including Electronic Equipment.
• Personal Belongings Add-on Damage Specific.
• Personal Belongings Add-on Theft Specific.

Under this add-on, there are a bunch of variations that insurers provide, and the list of inclusions and exclusions could widely differ for every insurer. Hence, it is extremely important to go through the terms and conditions properly. If you're unsure about anything, don't hesitate to clear up your doubts with the insurer's customer support team before you decide to buy the add-on. 

A standard list of exclusions for the Personal Belongings Cover is as follows:

• Delayed Reporting: If the incident is reported to the insurance company after the stipulated time. (Varies from insurer to insurer from 24 hours to 3 days)

• Where the Own Damage Claim lodged under the base Motor Insurance Policy is not payable, this exclusion does not apply when it comes to theft or burglary of personal baggage.

• Negligence: Any loss that arises from your own negligence or carelessness, like not locking the doors and windows properly, parking in a no-parking zone or theft from an unattended vehicle after an accident. 

• Business Items: Loss of belongings related to your trade or business kept in the insured car.

•  Jewellery and Valuables shipped in checked-in baggage. 

• Wear and Tear: Damage or loss resulting from wear and tear, damage by moths or vermin, atmospheric or climatic conditions, deterioration, or any kind of electrical or mechanical malfunction. 

•  Property of the Insured Person, which has been entrusted to a third party. 

• Data Loss: Loss of data stored in electronic devices due to damage.

• Overnight Items: If the damaged or lost belongings were left in the vehicle overnight.

• Missing Documentation: Insufficient documentation, such as invoices and First Information Report (FIR).

• Loss or damage that is already covered by the manufacturer's, supplier's, or dealer's warranty

• Loss or damage to personal baggage that consists of consumable items.

• Breakage, cracking, or scratching of items like binoculars, lenses, and other fragile articles is not covered unless such damage occurs due to an accident involving the insured vehicle while transporting such personal baggage. 

• Theft of personal belongings while they are under the care of anyone other than the insured. 

Remember to review these exclusions carefully to understand what situations might not be covered by your Personal Belongings Cover Add-on. 

To raise a claim under the Personal Belongings Cover, the following steps should be taken:

1. The policyholder must contact the company within the stipulated time to report the claim.

2. When reporting the claim, the insured must provide the following information:

• Name of the insured.
• Contact details of the insured.
• Policy number.
• Date and time of the loss.
• Location of the loss.

3. The following documents should then be arranged for submission to the insurance company: 

• A completed claim form signed by the insured detailing the loss or damage and an estimate of the claim amount. All required documentation to support the claim should be attached.
• A police report (FIR) for theft, larceny, robbery, and hold-up claims. 
• Bills and invoices, as needed, to support and substantiate the claim amount.
• A "Property Irregularity Report" from the carrier airline if applicable.
• Any other documents necessary to establish the loss or its amount, depending on the nature of the claim.

It is also important to remember that claims under this cover can be made for a specified number of times in a policy period. This number varied from insurer to insurer.