What Happens After You File A Motor Insurance Claim? Understanding The Journey To Settlement

A damaged car is stressful enough. The last thing a car owner wants after an accident, a fallen tree, or a flood is to spend days pondering over what will happen to the insurance claim.

Most people are familiar with the first step – informing the insurer and filing a claim. But what happens after that? When does the surveyor come in? When can the repairs begin? Who pays the garage? And, importantly, when do you finally get your car back?

Says Narayan Rao, head – motor claims, Digit General Insurance: “For a customer, the claims process can sometimes feel complicated because there are several steps between reporting the damage and getting the vehicle back. The key is to know what to expect at each stage and provide the required information promptly.”

Once The Claim Is Filed, The Assessment Begins

Take the example of a car damaged by a tree in heavy rain. The first thing the owner needs to do is intimate the insurer. This can generally be done through the insurer’s website, mobile app, or customer care helpline.

The insurer will ask for the details of the claim along with supporting documents, including the Registration Certificate (RC), ID proof and policy details. Videos or pictures of the damage can be helpful in proving how the incident took place.

Within 24 hours of a claim being lodged, a surveyor is typically assigned to assess the damage. The entire process tends to become transparent for the customer from this stage onwards. The surveyor assesses the damage and helps move the claim towards the repair stage.

Getting The Car To A Garage

The damaged vehicle then needs to be taken to a network garage. Depending on the insurer, customers may be able to find and select a garage through the insurer’s app, while in other cases the surveyor may help coordinate the process.

The inspection itself is increasingly becoming simpler nowadays. Instead of waiting for every step to happen physically, insurers may provide a self-service inspection link through which the customer or network workshop can upload photographs and videos of the vehicle.

Says Rao: “Digital inspection can make the process more convenient for customers and workshops, particularly when the damage can be assessed through photographs and videos. It can also help reduce the waiting time before repairs can start.”

Based on the inspection and the details provided about the incident, the insurer generally issues an initial vehicle repair order (VRO) to the workshop. In simple terms, this is the go-ahead for the approved repairs.

But cars can sometimes have surprises hidden beneath the visible damage. Once the workshop starts working on the vehicle, it may discover additional internal damage that is related to the same incident.

However, that does not necessarily mean the customer has to start the claim process all over again. The workshop shares the additional damage with the insurer for assessment. If it is found to be related to the incident and is approved, a revised final VRO is issued. 

When Do You Actually Get Your Car Back?

Upon completion of repairs, the garage will send a pre-invoice to the insurer. The insurer checks the final repair prices and when everything is OK, releases an order for vehicle delivery.

For the customer this is where they finally get their car back.

With a cashless claim the insurer will pay the agreed amount directly to the workshop on receipt of the final invoice. The customer only pays for his contribution and/or share of the bill before taking delivery of the vehicle.

In the case of reimbursement claim, the process is different though. The customer first pays the garage and submits the final invoice, payment receipt and NEFT details along with a claim of the eligible amount to be reimbursed by the insurer.

How Soon The Claim Can Be Settled?

This depends on the many factors, such as the extent of damage, inspection, and documentation, among others.

Says Rao: “There is no fixed answer as to how soon the claim can be settled as it can vary depending on the extent of damage, documentation, inspection needed and the processes followed by the insurer.”

Digit, for instance, reported an average turnaround time of 15 hours and 44 minutes for vehicle repair approval in FY 2025-26. About 60 per cent of repair approvals were completed within eight working hours, while the fastest approval was completed in just five minutes.

Still, customers can do their bit to keep the process moving.

“One of the simplest ways customers can avoid unnecessary delays is to share complete documents, clear photographs and an accurate description of the incident at the outset. When information is incomplete or there is not enough evidence to understand the damage, additional clarification may be required, which can add to the turnaround time,” Rao adds.

What If You Don’t Agree With The Assessment?

Occasionally, a customer may feel they disagree with how much damage has been assessed on their vehicle. They may also have queries over how much they have been approved for.

In such a situation, the first step is to speak to the insurer’s customer support or grievance team and understand how the assessment was arrived at.

There can also be situations where an error is identified or some aspect of the claim needs additional review. In such cases, the insurer may reassess the claim and, where warranted, issue an additional approval.

Says Rao: “Claims are ultimately about putting the customer back in the position they were in before the loss, to the extent covered under the policy. If a customer has a genuine concern about the assessment or the quantum, they should raise it with the insurer rather than assume that the first assessment is necessarily the final word.”

If the customer continues to remain dissatisfied after approaching the insurer through the applicable grievance process, they can also explore the Insurance Ombudsman mechanism for further resolution, subject to the applicable rules and eligibility.

The Smoother The Information Flow, The Smoother The Claim

For someone dealing with a damaged vehicle, insurance jargon and multiple steps can make an already difficult situation feel even more complicated. But the journey is easier to navigate when customers know what happens after the claim is registered.

From the survey and inspection to the repair approval, final invoice and vehicle delivery, each stage has a purpose. The most useful thing a customer can do is provide the insurer with the right information at the right time and check with the insurer if something needs additional clarification.

After all, when your car is sitting in a garage with a damaged bonnet, broken windshield or dented bodywork, what you really want is not another complicated process - you simply want to know what happens next, when you can expect it, and when you can finally drive your car back to your home again.