How To Make A Third Party Car Insurance Claim
Do you know that your Third Party Car Insurance Certificate in Nigeria has a N1,000,000 property damage cover on it? Do you also know that the life cover on it is unlimited? If you don’t know, now you know. Your Third Party Car Insurance Certificate is more than ‘Police-let-me-pass’ as it is commonly called in Nigeria, it is a valid piece of paper!
The issue of whether Insurance Companies pay claim is no more an issue presently because the Insurance Industry has been revamped. Please feel free to read Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims. Now how do you make a Third Party Claim?
HOW TO MAKE A THIRD PARTY CAR INSURANCE CLAIM
A Third Party Only Car Insurance covers your legal liability (as a holder or insured) to third parties in respect of any damage to their properties (minimum of N1m) and for any injury or death(unlimited) to them from the use your motor vehicle. It also covers your legal fees for defense of a claim in court.
To make a Third Party Claim follow the steps below carefully.
1. NOTIFICATION
Once an accident, loss or damage occurs and it was decided that you are at fault by the officer or people on the spot, contact your insurer immediately. Note that you are not supposed to admit liability on behalf of the insurer; it is the duty of the third party to prove liability or be determined in the court. Call your insurer on phone and for documentary purpose write a letter of notification or email to your insurer. The letter should give a very brief description of the incident stating the date and time of the loss. Since this is a third party claim thus any impending prosecution, inquest or fatal inquiry in respect of the occurrence should be communicated to the insurer with your letter or in subsequent letters. Also, any claim letter from the third party, writ summons and process should be forwarded to the insurer immediately.
2. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
After your notification has been received, the insurer writes to sympathize with and assures you of handling the claim or to reject the claim if you are not covered. If the claim is not repudiated, the insurer’s letter will be accompanied with a claim form for you to fill. The claim form asks detailed questions relating to the claim. The form helps to get a clear description of the claim. Ensure you complete it accurately without misrepresenting anything. The information you put down in the claim form should be the same as those in the Police Report. The insurer will request for some claim substantiating documents which include:
For Property Damage Claim
Estimate of repairs
Photographs of the accidental vehicles
Third Party claim letter
Driver’s statement of loss
Police report
Driver’s license of the driver in charge of the vehicle prior to the accident
For Death or injury claim
Writ summons or court order
Police Report
Third Party claim letter
Photographs of the accident
Hospital bill
Death certificate
Corona’s report
Driver’s statement of loss
Driver’s license of the driver in charge of the vehicle prior to the accident
After you have gotten the documents, attach them to the Completed Claim Form and forward to the insurer (originals should be forwarded to avoid unnecessary delay).