A common reason for purchasing bike insurance is to avoid penalties when caught by the traffic police. This is not the ideal reason for which one should purchase insurance. The purpose of insurance is to reduce your financial liabilities in case of mishaps. If so, which type of Bike insurance policy serves the purpose of insurance the best? Third party or Comprehensive?
Almost everyone suggests that a comprehensive policy is better than third-party insurance. What is the reason behind this statement? Read on to know if Comprehensive Insurance is really helpful over Third-party Bike Insurance:
- What Is Third-party Bike Insurance?
- What Is Comprehensive Insurance?
- Difference in Third-party and Comprehensive Bike Insurance
- Coverage
- Law
- Additional Coverage Options
- Cost
- How to Buy Insurance Online?
What Is Third-party Bike Insurance?
As the name suggests, Third party insurance for bike is insurance against third-party risks. These risks could include injuries or death of the third-party person and damages to third-party property.
Securing your bike against third-party liabilities is a requisite, in India, as per The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Not having a valid bike insurance policy could lead to penalties or even imprisonment. A Third-party Bike Insurance policy also covers any legal liabilities faced by the owner of the insured bike in case of mishaps.
What Is Comprehensive Insurance?
Bike Comprehensive Insurance provides comprehensive coverage, i.e. along with the third party cover, it also provides insurance for Own Damage as well as theft, damage from calamities, etc. Own Damage is when your vehicle is damaged or when you (the owner) suffers injuries while using the insured bike.
Coverage offered by Comprehensive Bike Insurance policy is not limited to Third-party liabilities or own damage, this policy can be enhanced with Add-ons as well. The most popular Add-ons are Zero Depreciation, Personal Accident, Pillion Rider, and Accessories Cover.
Difference in Third-party and Comprehensive Bike Insurance
Coverage
The scope of Third-party Bike Insurance is limited to securing third-party risks, whereas Comprehensive policy provides dual benefits of third-party coverage and own damage plus other damages.
Law
Buying Third-party Bike Insurance is mandatory as per the law. However, buying a Comprehensive policy is a personal choice depending on requirements.
Additional Coverage Options
It is not possible to enhance the coverage of a third-party bike insurance policy with the help of Add-ons. However, a comprehensive policy can be extended with additional coverage i.e. Add-ons.
Cost
Insurance Policies are priced according to the coverage they offer. As a Third-party Liability Policy offers basic coverage it is available at lower cost. A Comprehensive Bike Insurance Policy offers wide coverage and is more expensive as compared to a Third-party policy.
How to Buy Insurance Online?
A bike insurance policy can be purchased within minutes with the help of the Internet. You can not only buy Comprehensive but also third-party bike insurance online. All you need to do is decide which type of policy suits you the best and visit the insurer’s website. Like www.acko.com.
Enter the details of your bike and proceed to select the desired coverage. As soon as you complete this step, a payment screen will appear to help you with the purchase. Once the payment is completed, you will immediately receive the soft copy of your policy document. You can download this copy and print it to produce as demanded by officials.
Conclusion
As explained above, 3rd party Bike Insurance provides less coverage as compared to a Comprehensive Bike Insurance. With only minimum coverage, there could be situations in which you are exposed to risks where you have to pay from your pocket. This can be avoided with extensive coverage offered by a Comprehensive policy. Also, depending on your requirements, you can buy Add-ons.
For example, if you have a brand-new bike you can opt for Zero Depreciation or Invoice Protection Add-on. Thus, Comprehensive Bike Insurance is really helpful over a Third-party Bike Insurance Policy.
