General insurance,for everything you own.

General insurance covers everything that is not life insurance: your vehicles, your home and its contents, your shop or business, your travel, and accidents to you and your family. You pay a premium — usually once a year — and if something covered is damaged, stolen or lost, the insurer pays to repair or replace it.

• 01

  Motor (car & two-wheeler)

  What it covers

  Damage to your vehicle, theft, and harm to others

  Why it matters

  Third-party cover is compulsory by law

• 02

  Home

  What it covers

  Building and contents against fire, flood, theft, earthquake

  Why it matters

  Your home is usually your biggest asset

• 03

  Personal accident

  What it covers

  Death or disability from an accident

  Why it matters

  Low cost; pays even if you have life cover

• 04

  Travel

  What it covers

  Medical emergencies, lost baggage, cancelled trips abroad

  Why it matters

  Treatment overseas can be extremely costly

• 05

  Shop & business

  What it covers

  Stock, equipment, fire, burglary, liability

  Why it matters

  One incident can wipe out years of work

• 01

  Third-party cover

  Pays for injury or damage you cause to other people or their property. Compulsory for every vehicle on Indian roads.

• 02

  Comprehensive cover

  Third-party cover plus damage to your own vehicle from accidents, fire, theft, floods and riots.

• 03

  Zero depreciation

  An add-on that pays the full cost of replaced parts, without deducting for wear and tear — well worth it for cars under five years old.

• 04

  No-claim bonus

  A discount of 20% to 50% on your own-damage premium for every claim-free year. It belongs to you, not the car — carry it to your next vehicle.

• 05

  Insured value

  The current market value of your vehicle — the most you can get if it is stolen or completely damaged.

For small repairs, paying yourself can be cheaper than claiming and losing your no-claim discount.

Home insurance can cover the structure, the contents, or both. It protects against fire, lightning, storms, floods, earthquakes, burglary and accidental damage. For flat owners, the building may already be insured by the society — then insuring your contents (furniture, electronics, jewellery) is what matters.

• Insure the building for the cost of rebuilding, not the market price of the flat
• List high-value items like jewellery and electronics separately
• Keep photos and bills of valuable items safely stored online
• Home loan lenders often require building insurance

A personal accident policy pays a lump sum if an accident causes death or permanent disability, and can pay a weekly amount if you are temporarily unable to work. It is inexpensive — often a few thousand rupees a year for ₹50 lakh of cover — and pays in addition to any life or health insurance.

1. 1

   Insure for the right value — not too low to save premium

2. 2

   Read what is excluded, not just what is included

3. 3

   Choose insurers with quick, simple claims and a wide garage or service network

4. 4

   Renew before the due date to keep your no-claim bonus

5. 5

   Keep policy documents and helpline numbers handy

1. 1

   Inform the insurer immediately — and the police for theft or a major accident

2. 2

   Do not repair or dispose of damaged items before the surveyor sees them

3. 3

   Submit the claim form with photos, bills and any police report

4. 4

   For cashless motor claims, the insurer pays the network garage directly