Lost your car insurance documents? Here’s how you can recover them

• Protect yourself with third party or comprehensive cover
• Use bumper to bumper policies to reduce your liability
• Enjoy facilities like zero depreciation and roadside assistance covers

It is always a major hassle to lose your important documents. The same can be said for your vehicle documents like registration, license, insurance, etc. If you have lost your car insurance document, you need to replace it immediately to avoid the repercussions arising out of it. The insurance document must be produced when a law enforcement official asks for it. Also, if there is any claim during this period, you need your insurance details to file it with the company. Hence, replacing the insurance documents is extremely crucial. 

The good news is that it is not difficult to get a duplicate document from your insurer. Getting a duplicate document is also essential if your insurance document is fully or partially destroyed. You can get the duplicate document through the following process. 

File a police complaint 

This is necessary only if you have lost your insurance document. If the document is destroyed, you may go ahead and contact the insurer directly. Filing a police complaint is essential before you visit the insurer to request for duplicate documents. Through this way, you can justify asking for duplicate documents. Also, an FIR from the police is required when speaking to relevant authorities regarding the loss of your insurance document. 

Place a newspaper advertisement 

This is a formal procedure while applying for duplicate documents. You have to place a newspaper ad in a state newspaper to indicate your effort in getting back the document. You must bear the cost of placing the ad. If your insurance document is lost during transit, there is a chance of getting it back through this advertisement. If not, you can proceed with the next steps in the process. 

Contact the insurer 

The insurer must be contacted immediately after losing your documents. The insurer may ask you to proceed with the above-mentioned steps before issuing the duplicate policy. You must also submit proofs like identity proof, address proof, policy number, etc., to the insurer while applying for a replacement. The insurer will verify the documents and issue the duplicate within a reasonable time. In exchange for this service, the insurer may charge a nominal fee from the policyholder. 

Indemnity bond 

You must also execute an indemnity bond before getting a duplicate copy of the policy document from your insurer. The bond should have your full name along with the signatures of two witnesses. You may also have to pay the stamp fee for executing the bond. You can contact the insurance company regarding the formalities associated with executing an indemnity bond. 

Things to note 

You must know the following things about your vehicle insurance document before applying for a duplicate one: 

• In India, it is mandatory to have vehicle insurance (third-party). It is illegal to drive without valid insurance. Hence, it is necessary to apply for the duplicate as soon as possible. 
• If you are worried about losing your documents, you can keep the original document in a safe place. In most states, law enforcement bodies accept photocopies of original insurance document. 
• Nowadays, it is very common to have digital copies of your insurance documents. A recent amendment by the government has validated all digital documents including RC, license, insurance, etc. Digital copies of these documents can be stored in apps like DigiLocker or mParivahan and shown when required. 

Conclusion 

Having valid documents is essential when you drive your vehicle. Losing your documents can be a major hassle, but it is not impossible to recover these documents. Make sure that you follow the above-mentioned steps to get your duplicate insurance documents. Nowadays, it is possible to buy vehicle insurance online and renew it without going through any sort of paperwork. This way, you can easily have access to all your policy details without having any hard copies.