Buying car insurance online has become the default in India, and marketplaces like Policybazaar are where most people start. This guide covers what the product actually does, what the law requires, what moves the premium and what to check before you pay – the parts that stay true whatever either website looks like this year.
What Car Insurance Actually Covers
Car insurance in India comes in two parts. Third-party liability cover pays for injury, death or property damage you cause to someone else, and it is compulsory. Own-damage cover pays to repair your own car, and it is optional. A comprehensive policy is simply both bought together.
The distinction matters commercially as well as legally: third-party premium rates are notified centrally and are the same whichever insurer you buy from, so the only part of a motor premium that insurers actually compete on is own damage and add-ons. That is what a comparison site is really comparing.
The Rules That Govern Car Insurance in India
| Is it mandatory? | Third-party cover is compulsory under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Own-damage cover is not. |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | Under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, a first offence attracts a fine of Rs 2,000 and/or up to three months imprisonment, and Rs 4,000 for a repeat offence. |
| New vehicles | Since September 2018 a new car is sold with three years of third-party cover built in, following a Supreme Court direction. Own-damage cover can be bought annually alongside it. |
| Insured Declared Value (IDV) | The maximum the insurer will pay if the car is stolen or written off. It is the manufacturer’s listed selling price less depreciation for age – not what you paid, and not what you could sell it for. |
| No Claim Bonus | A discount on the own-damage premium for every claim-free year: 20% after the first, then 25%, 35%, 45% and 50% after five consecutive claim-free years. It belongs to you, not the car, and transfers when you change insurer. |
| Third-party premium | Set centrally rather than by the insurer, so it is identical everywhere. Any price difference between quotes comes from own damage and add-ons. |
What Actually Decides Your Premium
- IDV – a higher declared value means a higher own-damage premium and a higher payout on total loss.
- Make, model and engine capacity, which set the base rate.
- The car’s age, through the depreciation applied to IDV.
- Where it is registered – insurers zone cities by claim experience.
- Your No Claim Bonus, up to a 50% discount on own damage.
- Add-ons such as zero-depreciation, engine protection and roadside assistance, each of which adds premium.
How Buying Through Policybazaar Works
Policybazaar is an online insurance marketplace operated by PB Fintech Ltd, which listed on Indian stock exchanges in November 2021. Like every insurance intermediary in India it is registered with the IRDAI, and it earns commission from the insurers whose policies it distributes rather than a fee from you.
That commission model is worth understanding rather than worrying about: the premium you pay through a marketplace is the same premium the insurer files with the regulator, so comparing on a marketplace does not cost you more. What it does mean is that the ordering and prominence of results is a commercial decision, not a neutral ranking, so read the policy wording rather than the comparison table.
The purchase flow on any Indian insurance marketplace follows the same shape: you enter the details that price the risk, you are shown quotes from several insurers, you choose the cover and any add-ons, you disclose your health or claims history, you pay, and the policy document reaches you by email. We have deliberately not reproduced a click-by-click walkthrough here, because both the layout and the steps change without notice – and a guide that tells you to click a tab that no longer exists is worse than no guide at all.
What to Check Before You Pay
This is the part worth your attention. Everything above is context; the following six checks are what separate a policy that pays from one that argues.
1. Verify the intermediary is registered
Every legitimate broker, web aggregator and corporate agent appears on the IRDAI register. Check the registration number on the regulator’s own list rather than trusting the badge on the website.
2. Read the policy wording, not the comparison page
The comparison table is marketing. The policy wording is the contract, and it is the only document that decides a claim. It is always available before you pay – ask for it if it is not linked.
3. Disclose everything
Non-disclosure is the most common reason claims are rejected. Concealing a medical condition, a prior claim or a modification to your vehicle saves a little premium now and risks the entire claim later. If in doubt, declare it.
4. Check the exclusions before the benefits
Read what is not covered first. That is where the surprises live – waiting periods, sub-limits, consumables, and the circumstances in which cover lapses entirely.
5. Look at claim service, not just claim ratio
A high settlement ratio tells you claims get paid eventually. Turnaround time, network size and the reimbursement process tell you what the experience is like.
6. Keep the free-look period in mind
If the document that arrives does not match what you thought you bought, you can cancel inside the free-look window and get your money back less charges. Read it when it arrives, not when you need to claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is third-party insurance enough?
It satisfies the law and nothing else. It pays for damage you cause to others and nothing towards repairing your own car.
Should I claim for a small dent?
Often not. A claim resets your No Claim Bonus, which can be worth up to half your own-damage premium. Compare the repair cost against the bonus you would forfeit over the next few years.
Can I set my own IDV?
Within a range, yes. A lower IDV cuts the premium but also cuts what you receive if the car is stolen or written off. Setting it unrealistically low to save premium is a poor trade.
Does my No Claim Bonus transfer if I change insurer?
Yes. It belongs to you rather than to the policy or the car, and you carry it across on production of the previous policy and a no-claim declaration.
Related Guides
- How to Buy Term Insurance Policy Online From Policybazaar
- How to Buy Health Insurance Policy Online From Policybazaar
- Buy Car Insurance Policy Online From Turtlemint
- Buy Two Wheeler Insurance Policy Online From Policybazaar
This page is general information, not financial advice. Insurance products, regulations and tax treatment change; confirm the current position in the policy wording and with the insurer before you buy.
