In India, having third-party car insurance is a mandatory requirement for all car owners. However, many experts recommend buying a comprehensive insurance policy as it provides more extensive coverage against both third-party liabilities and damages to your own car. It also covers damages to your car due to natural calamities like earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, etc. 

If your car gets damaged due to a natural catastrophe like a landslide, gets buried under the rubble, and cannot be retrieved, you may wonder if it is possible to file a claim and get compensation. Read on to know your answer. 

Filing a car insurance claim for a car buried in a landslide

Firstly, the possibility of getting a car stuck in a landslide is rare. Even if it happens, in most cases, the relevant civic authorities of the region will be able to clean the rubble and retrieve the car. However, if the landslide was heavy and it is impossible to retrieve, the process of filing a claim is different from the usual car insurance claims process. The kind of damage the insurer may cover greatly depends on the policy wording, and it may vary from one insurer to another. 

In most cases, if the car is unretrievable, the insurer will consider it a total loss, and you may receive the IDV (insured declared value) of the vehicle. 

How to raise a car insurance claim?

Remember, you can raise a claim for a car damaged due to a landslide only if you have comprehensive car insurance which covers own damage due to man-made or natural calamities. If you have third-party insurance, you cannot raise a claim. Also, before you file a claim, check your policy to see if it covers damages against landslides. In most cases, comprehensive car insurance policies do unless it is explicitly mentioned otherwise. 

The process of raising a car insurance claim for damages due to a landslide is quite simple. You must follow the below steps. 

• Firstly, inform your insurance company about the claim and explain how the damage occurred. While you inform the insurer, also provide them with your policy details. 

• If your car has been retrieved and is in a vulnerable condition, ensure to keep it in a safe spot until the insurer inspects it before taking it to the garage for repairs. 

• If the car gets buried in the mud and cannot be retrieved, inform the insurer accordingly and let the surveyor appointed by the insurance company confirm the same and mention it in their report.

• Gather all the relevant documents pertaining to your car insurance policy and evidence to support your claim. Here evidence implies photographs or videos that support your statement. You can take a video of the surroundings or pictures that show your car being stuck in the landslide. This will increase your chances of getting the claim approved without any hassles. 

• In your case, when the car is not retrieved, the insurer will compensate to the extent of vehicle IDV.  

Final Word

Now that you know how to file a car insurance claim when your car is buried in a landslide and cannot be inspected, follow these steps carefully to get compensation from your insurer.