Car Insurance claim with Tata-AIG General Insurance

[R.K.SHARMA]

Hello to PolicyWala.com community,

This is my first post being a new member of the forum.I got fascinated byvisiting this site as, I hope, is an effective community/forum to get thesolutions/queries to arrays of Questions answer of which will be much helpfulto all visiting this site.

I have a claim with TATA AIG GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. with respect toaccidental damage of my car Santro GLS Xing.

The claim was registered in August 2011 and after repairing/retrieval of my vehicle the said insurance company has given details of calculations and summary is given below:
1. NET LIABILITY: Rs.1,83,777.53/-
2. DEPRECIATION: Rs. 23,456.38/-
3. ADDITIONAL WORK: Rs.93,109.00/-
TOTAL :Rs.3,00843.00/-
Insurer has mentioned: Rs.23,456.38 [Depreciation] +Rs.93,109.00/-

[Additional Work] = Rs.1,16,565.38/-[ To be paid by the Insured]

I want to know following things related to my claim:
1. What is the meaning of additional bill?
2. Will I have to pay the amount mentioned?
3. Is n't it a case of Constructive Total Loss?
4. As I understand additional bill means extra work done by the repairer beyond the order of the insurance company.
5. What to do in this case?

Here, it is important to quote that IDV of my insured vehicle is Rs.3,46,604/- and my claim is under first insurance of the vehicle.

R.K.SHARMA
RANCHI[JHARKHAND]

[Master]

Welcome to Policywala Forum!



1. What is the meaning of additional bill?
Additional payments ONLY required to the garage if the insurance company does not cover the complete the expense of the repairs.



2. Will I have to pay the amount mentioned?
Yes



3. Is n't it a case of Constructive Total Loss?
Yes it's the case of total loss as Rs.259953 is 75% of IDV and your claim is more than that.
Total loss/Constructive Total Loss (CTL)?
The insured vehicle shall be treated as a Total Loss (TL)/Constructive Total Loss (CTL), if the aggregate cost of retrieval and / or repair of the vehicle, exceeds 75% of the IDV of the vehicle.



4. As I understand additional bill means extra work done by the repairer beyond the order of the insurance company.
5. What to do in this case?
Discuss with the claim officer of insurance company.

[Master]

Did you not provided your consent to the garage and insurance company for repair?

[Madhura]

Insurance company is liable only for the parts damaged and labour charges directly necessitated by the accident and not for any other replacement of parts and labour charges claimed by the motor workshop/insured.

[R.K.SHARMA]

After inspection of my damaged vehicle at my residence, the surveyor appointed by TATA AIG send me a letter to send the car to Authorized dealer and to produce the bill so that assessment of loss can be carried out. Accordingly, as TATA AIG has tag/MOU with FAIRDEAL HYUNDAI, WORK SHOP/SHOW ROOM at RANCHI, the latter send their guys to pick up my car from my residence- as the car had been at my residence because the mentioned workshop denied to received saying it's a case of TOTAL LOSS.

Now, as mentioned in my thread, I came to know that workshop has produced and submitted a huge bill to me as well as TATA AIG. When I demanded the details of calculations/assessment from TATA AIG, I stunted to know that an ADDITIONAL WORK amounting to Rs. 93,109/-.

Then, I contacted the surveyor Mr. Shyam Krishna, he told me the workshop has given unrealistic/malicious bill. When I questioned about the work order given to the workshop, I astonished to know that the work order has been given verbally.

Q. Is this correct way to give verbal work order- without specifying details of work or parts to be replaced/repaired ?Beside this, the surveyor himself is saying that the engine assembly area including power steering was completely in good condition [ I also know this, as there was not the case of head on collision ]. Despite this, I surprised to know that the said workshop has submitted the bill to TATA AIG [ Copy of the bill is also with me] showing replacement of vital parts of engine assembly viz., radiator, battery, power-steering, etc.

Q. Is'nt it a case complete malaise and afford to extort huge money in the name of ADDITIONAL WORK?

Q. Should I proceed for CONSUMER FORUM/IRDA ?
I would like to add here the said workshop bill is showing at least 10 items which were either not fixed in my car or has shown the items twice.

Q. Is'nt it a case of cheating ? Please guide me and help me.

With regards,
R.K.SHARMA.

[Master]

After inspection of my damaged vehicle at my residence, the surveyor appointed by TATA AIG send me a letter to send the car to Authorized dealer and to produce the bill so that assessment of loss can be carried out. Accordingly, as TATA AIG has tag/MOU with FAIRDEAL HYUNDAI, WORK SHOP/SHOW ROOM at RANCHI, the latter send their guys to pick up my car from my residence- as the car had been at my residence because the mentioned workshop denied to received saying it's a case of TOTAL LOSS.

Now, as mentioned in my thread, I came to know that workshop has produced and submitted a huge bill to me as well as TATA AIG. When I demanded the details of calculations/assessment from TATA AIG, I stunted to know that an ADDITIONAL WORK amounting to Rs. 93,109/-.

Then, I contacted the surveyor Mr. Shyam Krishna, he told me the workshop has given unrealistic/malicious bill. When I questioned about the work order given to the workshop, I astonished to know that the work order has been given verbally.

Q. Is this correct way to give verbal work order- without specifying details of work or parts to be replaced/repaired ?Beside this, the surveyor himself is saying that the engine assembly area including power steering was completely in good condition [ I also know this, as there was not the case of head on collision ]. Despite this, I surprised to know that the said workshop has submitted the bill to TATA AIG [ Copy of the bill is also with me] showing replacement of vital parts of engine assembly viz., radiator, battery, power-steering, etc.
Your written consent is required.



Q. Is'nt it a case complete malaise and afford to extort huge money in the name of ADDITIONAL WORK?
I agree with you.



Q. Should I proceed for CONSUMER FORUM/IRDA ?
I would like to add here the said workshop bill is showing at least 10 items which were either not fixed in my car or has shown the items twice.
I would suggest first lodge a complaint with the insurer and send a copy to IRDA. Then approach IRDA if nothing happened.



Q. Is'nt it a case of cheating ? Please guide me and help me.

With regards,
R.K.SHARMA.
Approach Insurer First in writing > (No Result) Approach IRDA > (No Result) Approach Ombudsmen/Consumer Forum

[R.K.SHARMA]

My accidental car was picked up from my residence by the guys of the workshop/garage [Authorized Dealer of Hyundai- FAIRDEAL RANCHI] on getting information from the surveyor. But,only signature on receiving of the vehicle was obtained.

No consent was obtained to go for repairing-copy of work order alongwith details of parts to be repaired/replaced was not shown and even now unable to provide. When I talked to the surveyor regarding this. He told that verbal order was given.

As I understands, there should have been written work order specifying details of work to be done from the insurer's side.

Q. Am I right?

Please express your view in this regard.

With regards,
R.K.SHARMA.

[PolicyWala]

In the cashless they normally take a sign before hand (just fill your name and reg no of the vehicle). Do you have the detailed calculations? Always Try & negotiate - ask for detailed calculations before agreeing on anything.

Had you also not submitted following documents?
1. Claim Form duly signed
2. RC copy of the vehicle
3. Driving License copy
4. Policy copy
5. FIR on a case-to-case basis

Note - If you are not happy with the insurer, don't accept anything or sign any paper till you know - what it is? and lodge written complaint. (Don't do anything verbally)

[PolicyWala]

Standard Procedure in cashless Motor Claims
1- Garage will get the estimate for the repairs of your vehicle and give spot approval after assessment.
2- Payments that need to borne by Insurer at their preferred garage will be made directly to the garage on completion of the repairs.
3- The balance amount will have to be paid by the insured as per the terms and conditions of the policy, which will be informed by the Garage.

[R.K.SHARMA]

Yes, I had submitted above documents.

[Madhura]

Yes, I had submitted above documents.
Without your consent no insurance company or garage do the repair work. If they did, you have very strong case of going to consumer court against them. But still you haven't answer the Master's question -

Did you not provided your consent written or verbal to the garage and insurance company for repair?

[R.K.SHARMA]

After assessment done by the surveyor, I got a letter from him quoting to place the car in an authorized garage. Perhaps, the same copy of the letter also given to the authorized dealer-FAIRDEAL HYUNDAI [ from where I purchased the car as the insurer TATA AIG has tag with the FAIRDEAL]. So, following this letter, FAIRDEAL guys came at my residence and picked up the car to their garage. The FAIRDEAL also demanded an advance of Rs.5000/- saying that I have to submit this, without this, estimate for repairing the car will not be prepared. So, I submitted the advance. It means that I was agreed to go for repairing, as recommended by the surveyor on behalf of TATA AIG.

I also informed the surveyor through email that the car has been placed at FAIRDEAL HYUNDAI.

I have also launched complaint to TATA AIG with copy to IRDA regarding objections raised by me. In response to this TATA AIG manager from CALCUTTA branch contacted me and offered to sit for a meeting to resolve the dispute, to which I have given my consent and the meeting is scheduled to be held on 3rd May 2012.

When I inquired from the manager, Why surveyor has given verbal work order? The said manager replied that it is not practical to give written work order. But, I disagree from him. I think, the dispute itself has arise out of this and the FAIRDEAL has put every afford to make money out of this. In addition, how an work order where the bill was expected to be in thousands/lacs can be verbal. I think, this against the bylaws of IRDA.