Did you just buy a car? Here’s what you do next

Your duty as a car owner is complete when you get your car documentation right and take motor insurance.

Most people who do not own cars can scarcely comprehend the psyche of those who do. The average car owner might seem obsessed or even borderline fanatical about his car, and with good reason, too! For a car owner, his car is not just his private vehicle that transports him around the city. It is also his sanctuary, companion and guide every time he takes the wheel. Naturally, he is a little protective about his dream machine!

But for most car owners, the idea of ‘car maintenance’ starts and ends with servicing the car regularly and driving safely. Other tasks like getting the PUC done and insurance premium payment flit in and out of their horizon occasionally. If you are a car owner who thinks like this, here’s what you need to do:

Take insurance first, do other things later

After you purchase your car and get the necessary documentation ratified, it’s time to move to the next step – taking car insurance. But many people try to skip this step, deeming insurance an unnecessary expense. However, taking car insurance is mandatory in India, so every car owner must have a motor insurance plan. Take an insurance plan before you throw a celebratory party for friends and family.

How to take insurance

You can easily take online insurance for your car. All major insurance companies in India offer car owners the option of purchasing and renewing car insurance online. It is fairly simple to take online insurance for your car. Just log on to the insurer’s website, fill in the car details and the plan you want in the application form provided, calculate your premium payable, make your final selection and pay for the plan online.

But why take insurance at all?

…Because you need to be protected from accidental injuries and potentially fatal wounds every time you take the wheel. Your car insurance pays the costs of treatment and hospitalisation in case of an accident.

…Because other drivers and pedestrians must also be protected, in case of an inadvertent accident caused by you. A comprehensive car insurance plan includes a Third Party Liability (TPL) component that helps take care of legal costs and liabilities in such a case.

…Because it gets your car serviced for free. Insurance providers have a network of service centres where you are liable to get a free annual service and any repair work done by lieu of being a policy holder. Without an insurance policy, you would have to shell out these costs from your own pocket.

Besides, taking car insurance gives you and your loved ones peace of mind every time you take the wheel. This is an important benefit that far outweighs the cost of insurance.