Don't let your car insurance expire! Driving a car with an expired car insurance policy is a punishable offence as per The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. An expired car insurance policy is considered invalid by car insurance companies. Thus, you won't have any car insurance cover till the time you renew the expired policy. Renewing car insurance used to be a tedious process, but not anymore. Now, you can buy or renew car insurance online in a convenient manner through your laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile phone. Read ahead to know 5 easy steps for online car insurance renewal.

Step 1 - Select Your Insurer

Just because you had purchased your car insurance policy from a particular insurer doesn't mean you need to renew your policy with the same insurance company. You are free to choose a different insurance company while renewing car insurance.

Review your existing insurance company based on the price and coverage of your car insurance policy. Consider whether the service offered while purchasing the policy and during the policy period was worth the money. You can simply visit different insurers' websites, fill the details, and check if there's a better policy on offer.

For example, Acko General Insurance is a new-age company that offers low-priced car insurance policies without compromising on the coverage offered. You can buy or renew your car insurance from www.acko.com within two minutes! From one-hour pick up of damaged vehicle to 3-day doorstep delivery of repaired car, Acko's claim settlement process is cashless and convenient.

You can speak to friends and family to know if they are a policyholder of your preferred car insurance company and get their feedback. Checking user reviews on social media handles of the insurance company can also give you an insight regarding their customer-friendly quotient. Once you select your insurer, you just have to follow the user-journey on their website to renew your car's insurance policy.

Step 2 - Fill the Details

Your car insurance premium is primarily based on factors such as its make-model-variant, age, claims history, and your location. Fill in these details to move ahead in the purchase journey. If you are continuing with your existing insurance company, these details might be auto populated by the website after you login.

Step 3 - Choose Your Plan

It is suggested to opt for a Comprehensive car insurance policy as it includes the mandatory Third-party Liability cover as well as insures your car against accidents, calamities, and theft. You can also strengthen your plan by selecting relevant Add-on covers such as Zero Depreciation.

Selecting an Add-on enhances your car's insurance cover but it increases your car's insurance premium as well. Therefore, be judicious while selecting an Add-on. For example, there is no need to purchase a Passenger Cover Add-on if you drive alone.

Car insurance companies offer a No Claim Bonus (NCB) to policyholders on car insurance renewal provided they haven't raised a claim during the policy period. If you are eligible for such a discount, make sure that it is included in your car insurance renewal quote. You can thus compare car insurance online, read the inclusions and exclusions of the plan thoroughly and get your doubts cleared with the company's executives via call or email before making the payment.

Step 4 - Make the Payment

You can make the payment for car insurance renewal via different options such as Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, Online Wallets, etc. You will receive your car insurance policy in your registered email inbox within minutes after making the payment.

Step 5 - Review the Policy Document

The soft copy of your car insurance policy is a valid document. Verify its contents to ensure that all the details are in place. If there is any discrepancy with regards to your car's details or the policy's coverage, you can get it changed easily. However, do not drive your car knowing that the details mentioned in the policy document are incorrect. Get such details rectified at the earliest.

Don't Miss the Renewal Date

You can renew car insurance online in a matter of minutes. Do not procrastinate, renew your car insurance before its expiry date. If you apply to renew your car insurance policy days after your expiry date, it will be considered as a break-in policy. Car insurance companies might want to inspect your vehicle in case of a break-in policy. This can lead to an increase in car insurance premium.

If you do not renew your car insurance for more than 90 days after its expiry date, you shall lose your accumulated NCB (if any). Your NCB will reset to zero and you will miss out on the discount. Thus, it is a good practice to renew your car insurance policy in advance and not miss the renewal date.