After two years since the imposition of Covid-19 restrictions in Mumbai and Maharashtra, the Maharashtra government withdrew all Covid-19 curbs on 1st April 2022. The decision was made following a sharp decline in cases during a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on 31^st March 2022.

Covid-19 in Maharashtra took a significant toll on life, as the state was one of the worst hits during the pandemic. Cases were significantly high during the first, second and third wave of the pandemic. 

However, things have changed over the past few months with concentrated efforts from the authorities and front-line workers. Hence, the Maharashtra Government decided to withdraw all the Covid-19 restrictions imposed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

There have been various predictions about the increase in motor insurance premiums in recent years. You must have scrolled through the websites of several insurers to check the price hikes, whether it was for comprehensive insurance or third-party coverage. Much to your anticipation, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has recently proposed amendments to third party car insurance pricing. The last revisions were made in June 2019, just before the onset of the pandemic.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and IRDAI’s latest proposal calls for a significant increase in third party car insurance premium. However, the car insurance price hike is kept to a minimum for private and commercial cars.

The proposals were made after reviewing the last 10 years' insurance claims and premiums data. The new rates will be effective starting 1^st April, 2022. 

What is third-party car insurance?

Third-party car insurance is the minimum insurance cover needed to drive a car in India. The policy covers the property loss and physical injury of a third party. Simply put, it is a pact between you and your insurer where the insurer agrees to indemnify you if you are sued or are found legally accountable for the death, injuries, or property damage caused to a third party.

In India, the rate of third party insurance is decided by the IRDAI and not by the insurance companies. The insurer is responsible for fixing the rate of standalone own damage insurance and comprehensive car insurance—own damage portion plus add-ons. The rates are set following a thorough evaluation of the claims paid out by various insurers over a period.

Let's go over the benefits of the third-party cover to understand why you should get it before the car insurance price increases.

Features of third-party liability cover

• Third-party legal cover is mandatory by law. 

• It compensates the third party for property damage caused by your car.

• If a third person is injured physically, the policy will cover their medical costs.

If a third person dies or becomes permanently disabled as a result of an accident involving your car, the policy will pay a lump sum amount.

How travel medical insurance can help you if you fall sick abroad during your trip

Travelling is a refreshing experience, especially if you are visiting another country for a vacation. But, just like any change, travelling comes with its own set of inconveniences. A change of climate, food, or travel-related exhaustion can lead to common cough and cold, or you may even fall severely sick or be injured. During such trying times, getting hospitalised or availing of medical treatment in a foreign country can drain you off your funds. As a precaution get yourself travel medical insurance before you set out on your journey. This would help you to meet the healthcare expenses if required so that you can travel stress-free. Note, that travel medical insurance or health insurance for overseas travel differs from regular health insurance. Keep reading to know more about travel medical insurance in detail.

A travel medical insurance would cover the cost of emergency medical treatments or injury as per the limits of your policy. You will find that most of the domestic health insurance policies are not valid abroad, so you have to buy additional travel medical insurance. This insurance would be active only as long as you are travelling. With travel medical insurance, you will get foreign language help if you are not comfortable communicating in the country’s official language. Your insurance provider will facilitate it in case you have any problems related to communication. In certain countries, it is compulsory to show proof of travel medical insurance for entry permits.

Coverage under medical insurance for overseas travel

Travel medical insurance covers emergency medical treatments including:

• Bone fractures
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Emergency dental procedures
• Medical evacuations
• Emergency transport
• Emergency repatriation
• Ambulance service
• Doctor consultation fees
• Hospital and operating room charges
• X-rays, examinations, treatments, lab tests and anaesthesia
• Drugs and medicines
• Emergency medical evacuation or arrangements for sending back the patient to the domestic country

There are two types of health insurance for travel abroad

• Stand-alone plan for health insurance for abroad

It covers emergency medical and dental expenses that you may have to pay for while travelling. It will not include any other expenses related to travel insurance. Travel medical insurance will cover medical emergencies while travelling such as a sprained ankle, fracture, injury etc. while sightseeing. It will not cover non-emergency issues or regular treatment procedures.

• Comprehensive travel insurance cover

In addition to emergency medical benefits, a comprehensive travel insurance package plan provides coverage for trip cancellation, trip delay, emergency medical evacuation, baggage loss etc.

You can buy travel medical insurance as primary or secondary coverage, depending on your requirements. If it is the primary coverage, it will pay for the expenses irrespective of any other health insurance that you have. If you have existing health insurance and buy travel medical insurance as secondary coverage, you have to claim from the primary health insurance first. You can claim the balance amount from the secondary cover.

If you travel to a country where your domestic or primary health insurance is not valid, then the secondary travel medical insurance will become the primary coverage due to lack of other insurance. Take care to know about the policy rules for evacuation in case of a medical emergency. Some policies may require a minimum period of hospitalisation abroad before you are evacuated.

Benefits of Renewing Your ICICI Lombard Car Insurance Policy

So, how many times have you read the article stating that under the MV Act of 1988, car insurance is mandatory? Twice? Or, thrice a week? You may have insurance cover for your car but do you remember its expiry date? Avoid the last-minute rush to your insurance company’s branch for car insurance renewal, figuring out discounts, deals and the process. In such situations, having a customer-oriented insurer can make life much easier for you. Renewing car insurance with ICICI Lombard comes with numerous advantages sans any stress or hassles. Want to know more? Keep reading.

Advantages of Renewing Your ICICI Lombard Car Insurance Policy

Saves Time:

Do you usually take a day off only for car insurance renewal? Consider going on a movie date instead because, with ICICI Lombard, car insurance policy renewal takes just a few minutes. Here are the steps for instant car insurance renewal.

• Visit the ICICI car insurance renewal page.
• Enter your car's registration number and registered mobile number.
• Click on the 'Proceed' icon.
• Follow the instructions displayed on your laptop screen.

In case you find this method difficult, simply visit the link sent to your registered email address and mobile number.

Easy Customisation:

Did you forget to buy the add-on you wanted for your car the last time you bought a policy with ICICI Lombard? Do not forget it this time. With us, you can select from nine different car insurance add-on cover. All you have to do at renewal time is customize your policy with the add-on you think is best for your car. However, keep in mind that add-ons come with an additional policy premium and the calculation is based on the type of your car's policy cover. The different add-ons available at ICICI Lombard are:

• Roadside assistance cover
• Zero depreciation cover
• Consumable cover
• Garage cash cover
• NCB protection cover
• Engine protect plus
• Return to invoice cover
• Key protect cover
• Personal belonging cover

No Claim Bonus (NCB):

ICICI Lombard appreciates your safe driving through the policy year and rewards you with a No Claim Bonus for each claim-free year. When you opt for car insurance policy renewal within 90 days from its expiry day, you are eligible to retain your NCB. This way, you can easily lower your policy premium up to a maximum of 50%. To understand the NCB retention in a detailed manner, look at the table below.

Why The National Dish Of Saudi Arabia Is A Must Try

Everything about a trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia spells exotic and generous. And the cuisine of this land is no exception. A blend of wheat, rice, milk, chicken or lamb, dates, yoghurt and potatoes, delicately flavoured with rich aromatic spices, is typically what Saudi food consists of.

The cuisine varies from province to province, although some dishes such as the national dish of Saudi Arabia are found across the Kingdom.  

The warmth, generosity and sense of sharing that are the hallmarks of Saudi Arabian culture are amply reflected in the food of the people here as well. And perhaps the best example of this culture is a dish called Kabsa. Any culinary trail to explore Saudi Arabia’s food culture would be incomplete without a proper mention of Kabsa which is considered as the national dish of the kingdom, and with good reason.

What Makes Kabsa Special

To understand what makes Kabsa so special, let us see what goes into the making of this dish. At its heart the traditional Kabsa is a simple preparation of wholesome, hearty Saudi food staples of rice and meat, cooked with potatoes and vegetables. All these main ingredients are brought together with the warmth of aromatic Arabian spices such as black pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg. This spice mix is what lends that beautiful distinctive flavour to the dish. One mouthful and you immediately get a feeling of immense satisfaction.

What is Power Petrol

You might have noted at many of the fuel pumps while fueling your vehicle that there are two kinds of fuel sold at pumps. Also, if you have asked for fueling your vehicle with power petrol, then you might have noted that the price or cost of power petrol is higher than regular petrol. Doesn’t it make you curious? Like what is the difference between petrol, are there any additional benefits of adding power or premium petrol, and why power petrol is costlier than standard petrol?

In India, fuel pumps usually sell three categories of petrol:

• Normal (unleaded)

• Premium petrol (Power, Speed, and Extra mile, Turbojet or Hi-speed)

• High octane petrol (Speed octane)

You can note here that Power is a kind of premium petrol and normal is unleaded. The main difference between regular and power fuel is that power or premium fuels have a higher number of octane. Usually, in the country, different kinds of petrol have different numbers of octane. Regular petrol or unleaded petrol has octane ratings of 87 typically. In midgrade petrol, the number of octanes varies from 88 to 90. In premium or Power petrol, there is a higher number of octane, i.e. 91 to 94.

You can note here that Power is a kind of premium petrol and normal is unleaded. The main difference between regular and power fuel is that power or premium fuels have a higher number of octane. Usually, in the country, different kinds of petrol have different numbers of octane. Regular petrol or unleaded petrol has octane ratings of 87 typically. In midgrade petrol, the number of octanes varies from 88 to 90. In premium or Power petrol, there is a higher number of octane, i.e. 91 to 94.

Interesting things You Should Know About Brazil

Brazil is a vibrant, full-of-life, sports crazy nation, the largest in South America, and famous for its beaches, nightlife, samba and the flamboyant Rio carnival of course.

There is a lot that is well known and world famous about Brazil but Brazil’s unique culture and traditions are not so widely known.

Here are some quirky, fascinating and lesser known facts about Brazil, it’s culture and society, so that you know exactly what to expect when you visit this vibrant country. Being aware of these facts is not only fun, it can also help you to appreciate the cultural nuances better when enjoying the various sights, attractions and experiences in Brazil.

Fact #1: World’s Largest Portuguese-Speaking Nation

Brazil being a Latin American country, visitors quite often mistakenly assume that most people in Brazil speak Spanish. It is actually Portuguese and not Spanish which is the country’s official and most widely spoken language. In fact Brazil is the world’s largest Portuguese speaking country and this is because of its 300-year long history with Portugal. Brazil was a Portuguese colony till the early 19^th century.  

Fact #2: Eclectic and Diverse Ethnic Culture

The population, culture and cuisine of Brazil is truly a global melting pot since it is made up largely of immigrant culture from countries as far apart and diverse as Japan, Italy, Syria, Germany, Korea, Lebanon and China. In fact Sao Paulo is said to have the largest population of Japanese outside of Japan. Overall Brazilians today are considered to be descendants of three main ethnic groups – Europeans, Africans and Amerindians. All of this comes together beautifully to lend a unique vibrancy to Brazil’s culture.

What is Grace Period in Car Insurance?

Earlier buying an insurance policy and its renewal was really a very cumbersome process. With the advent of technology, the whole procedure has become so much simpler. In fact, the majority of service providers offer the option of completing the entire buying and renewal of policies online to their customers.

While the insurance companies have their own websites where you can get this done, another option is to use third party aggregator sites too. You can primarily use these sites to compare the various benefits offered by the insurance companies at the time of buying or renewing their car insurance policies .

Grace Period After the Car Insurance Expires

There is no grace period after insurance expires under law. It all depends on the insurance companies. The grace period for the insurance plan may vary from 3 days to 30 days as per the terms and conditions of the policy issued by the insurance company. The customer must check about the car insurance grace period at the time of buying the insurance policy.

Consequences of Not Renewing Car Insurance Before Expiry

Under the Motor Vehicles Act driving cars on Indian roads without third party car insurance is illegal. Such action may invite imposition of penalties and fines. It is advisable to renew your car insurance before its expiry date.

Furthermore, if the car owner is involved in any car accident after the expiry of the car insurance policy, but before its renewal, then there is a possibility of the owner being entangled in third party legal hassles.

How to Maintain Your Wagon R

A little effort here and there is all that is required to maintain your Maruti Wagon R. With scheduled maintenance regimes, it ensures that the longevity of the car increases.

The owner’s manual of the Wagon R has clear instructions at timely intervals after which the car needs to be taken to the service centre for maintenance. However, apart from that, g buying a car insurance policy for your car is non negotiable. There are various tips that you can apply to help maintain your Wagon R too.

Tips to Maintain Your Wagon R

Here are the tips that you can follow to keep your Wagon R well maintained:

Battery: When the engine is turned off completely, you should take look at the battery of the car. The exterior of the battery must be checked for corrosion. If found corroded, mix baking soda with warm water to clean it off. Fill distilled water in the battery for it to last longer.

Engine: Engines are known as the driving force of the car. The smooth functioning of the mechanical parts of the engine depends on the engine oil. Therefore, the engine oil must be checked and changed at regular intervals. If not changed regularly, then it may cause friction between the parts which may result in it to wear out. The owner’s manual lists a set of lubricants that can be used. With this, the oil pressure and fan belt should also be examined.

Tyres and Wheel Alignment: It is a must to get the tyre pressure checked regularly. The best time to get it done is when you visit the gas station for refueling. Incorrect tyre pressure affects the mileage of the car. Wheel alignment is also equally important since it ensures a better grip on the road and improvement of the life of the tyres.

Know What Your Health Insurance Does Not Cover

Health insurance is an essential in order to ease the financial burden that arises due to a medical emergency, surgery and critical illness. There are many health insurance plans offered by different insurance companies with different add on covers and benefits. You should opt for the policy that best suits your needs and gives you respite in difficult times, such as hospitalization of self or a loved one due to an untimely injury or illness. At the same time, it is important to know the kind of treatments and health conditions your medical insurance plan does not cover. Few of them are:

1. Cosmetic Surgery

A surgery of this kind is not life threatening or dangerous, thus Liposuction, Botox or surgeries of a similar kind are not covered under a health insurance policy.

2. Pre-existing Diseases

Now this varies from one insurance provider to the other. Some insurance providers do not provide cover for high blood pressure and diabetes, while some do. Some insurance companies offer cover for pre-existing diseases if the insured continues with the policy for considerable period of time such as 12 - 48 months. In case of some insurers, payment of additional premium will cover the insured for pre-existing diseases.

Keep These Things In Mind While Driving In Seychelles

Seychelles is a small archipelago made up of 115 islands in the Indian ocean. This archipelago has numerous scenic beaches which attract thousands of tourists from around the world all year round.

Seychelles being an island nation does not have a network of local public transport. Tourists have to rely on boats, buses or air to move from one island to another. However the best way to explore the beaches and beauty of Seychelles is by hiring a car and driving around.

Why driving is the best way to move around in Seychelles

1. Beaches of Seychelles are scattered and a little far from each other so driving is the best way to explore the islands in depth. There are buses available but they only ply on main roads, so a walk to the beach from anywhere becomes a long walk.
2. Since Seychelles is an Island nation, there are not major source of public transport. You can find buses in the major cities like Mahe and Praslin. Apart from that there are private boats and small aircrafts which you can hire to move around from one island to another
3. An international driving permit isn’t needed. All you need is a driving license issued by your own country and you can hire and drive a car in Seychelles.

Here are some tips to keep in mind before hiring a car in Seychelles:

Driving Permit

For driving in Seychelles, you do not need an international driving permit. A valid driving license issued by your own country`s government is enough to allow you to hire and drive a car in Seychelles too. However an important thing to keep in mind is the driving age. Seychelles minimum age to drive is 21 compared to India where the age is 18 so in case you have a license issued before your 21 years of age, you won`t be allowed to rent a car.

Most Important Two-Wheeler Traffic Rules

The statistics for road accidents and casualties in India are alarming. Did you know that more than 5 lakh road accidents take place in India every year, out of which 1.5 lakh people never make it alive and 3 lakh are left crippled for life? 

With an aim to curb the rise of road related vehicle mishaps, more stringent traffic rules have been imposed from September 2019, by the Indian Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act. The sharp increase in traffic penalties has been done so that motorists and two-wheeler riders take traffic rules and regulations more seriously and do not violate them for the sake of their own safety and that of others.    

These are the top 8 traffic rule violations with their updated penalties and fines that you should be aware of. It will serve as a quick guide and reminder for you every time you turn on the ignition key to ride your bike.

Driving Without a Valid Driving License

It is obvious that you should have their driving license with you when riding your bike and it should not have expired. Telling the traffic cop that you forgot your driving license at home or were just about to get it renewed may not work anymore. You will have to pay up a whopping Rs.5000 instead of the earlier Rs.500 as fine for violating this fundamental traffic rule.  

Driving an Uninsured Vehicle

Say you were on your bike, jumped a traffic signal and got unlucky. If you don’t have bike insurance or your policy has expired, you have committed an offence. According to the new traffic rules you can be penalised with a fine of Rs.2000 (first time) or Rs.4000 (second time) and/or imprisonment up to 3 months.

Getting your vehicle insured is compulsory as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. You should have at least third-party insurance to cover your liability in case your car or bike causes third-party injury, death or damage in an accident. Timely bike insurance renewal is a must.

Buying bike insurance is more than just fulfilling your legal duty as a bike owner. Comprehensive bike insurance will safeguard your bike from damages due to accidents, theft and other disasters.

Consumables in Car Insurance

Your comprehensive car insurance would be able to cover repairs, personal insurance as well as third party insurance. However, is your comprehensive car insurance truly comprehensive? In all probability, the consumable parts of your four wheeler wouldn’t be covered by it. Therefore including the coverage consumables in car insurance policy would be required to cover the consumable parts of your vehicle.

Firstly let us understand what are consumables?

Consumables are those commodities which have a specific use for a limited period. Once these items are used, they may not be used again in the future. These items are required to be replaced regularly due to wear and tear. Some examples of such items are engine oil, ball bearings, nuts, bolts, washers, brake oil, screws, grease, AC refrigerant etc.

You must have realised by now that the list of consumables is a long one. Each individual item may seem to be of little importance but they all are integral to the functioning of a car.

Now let us understand about a consumable cover

Your comprehensive car insurance policy wouldn’t provide cover for the cost of consumables. Therefore you would have to pay from your pocket for replacing the consumables at the time of claims. However, a consumable cover is an add-on cover that will pay the cost of consumables in case of replacing or refiling it due to an accident.

What will it cover?

A consumable cover would cover the following:

Engine oil, Gearbox oil, Nuts and bolts, Grease, Washers, Oil Filters, Lubricants, Power steering oil, AC gas oil, radiator coolant and all similar items except fuel.

Things You Need To Know About Hypothecation

Hypothecation may sound complicated and a bit of a tongue twister as well but it is really quite a simple concept and one that you are most likely familiar with if you have taken a car loan to purchase your desired car.

To give you a better understanding of this term used in car insurance, we devote today’s article to explain to you the concept of hypothecation and the important aspects that you need to know about hypothecation with respect to car insurance.

Hypothecation in Car Insurance Explained

It is in rare cases that a buyer makes a full upfront payment to purchase a major high value asset such as a car, the cost of which runs into many lakhs of rupees. Most people whether salaried, self-employed or having a business of their own will usually approach a bank to apply for a car loan.

A car loan allows you the dual benefit of owning and using your own car while at the same time easing out your financial burden into manageable monthly instalments or EMIs. Actually when you go in for a car loan, you don’t fully own your car. Here is where the concept of hypothecation comes in.      

Hypothecation means that the asset, against which you have taken the loan i.e. your car, will be pledged to the lender i.e. the bank that has sanctioned your car loan. It is a security measure taken by the bank where your car is pledged as a collateral security to the bank till such time as you repay the car loan in full. In case you default on your EMI payments, hypothecation gives the bank the authority to seize and take possession of your car. Hypothecation also ensures that you do not sell the car to another party until you have repaid your car loan. Hence during the period when there is an active car loan in your name, your car remains hypothecated to the lender which could be a bank or NBFC from whom you have taken a car loan.

What Makes Innova Crysta Special

he Toyota Innova Crysta has become a household name ever since it launched in May 2016. Even before the launch of Crysta, Toyota Innova has had its fair share of capturing the market of MUVs.  Even though it faced tough competition from the market, the Toyota Innova Crysta has successfully maintained its status.

The Innova Crysta has regularly maintained its high selling status and outsold even cheaper models in the same segment. Another important factor about the Toyota Innova Crysta is its high resale value which attracts a lot of first time and used car buyers. No matter if you have a old car or a new car, always make sure to protect it with a car insurance policy.

Here are some of the factors because of which the Innova Crysta has become popular:

Level of Comfort

Toyota has made sure that the Innova Crysta scores really high on the comfort quotient. It has acres of leg-room and headroom in all the rows, and a high seating position and a well laid cabin. The third row is very spacious as it has been designed to accommodate two to three adults. There is both 7 seater and 8 seater options available for this MUV. In the 7 seater variants, the centre row gets captain seats. The front passenger seat can be adjusted from the middle row captain seat and the driver seat is completely electronically adjustable.

The Innova Crysta can take pride in its individual AC control, comfort and space, unlike many MUVs. The luggage space can also be increased by folding the last row if the need arises.

Look and Design

Toyota has certainly put in a lot of effort in designing the look of the Innova Crysta. This MUV has an indestructible build quality and extremely good design. Some features of the MUV include large sweptback projector headlamps along with LED daytime running lights, hexagonal front grille, three air-bags, middle read head rest, seat belt warning, brake assistant, speed sensing door lock, driver arm rest, etc. The Innova Crysta also has two pieces split taillights along with a rear spoiler.

All You Need to Know About 5 Years Bike Insurance

In keeping with changing requirements, the ever-increasing number of two-wheelers on Indian roads and rising cases of accident and uninsured bikes, the apex insurance regulator IRDAI makes changes in vehicle insurance rules and regulations from time to time.

While you would know that it is compulsory to have bike insurance, you may not be aware about the latest updates about buying two-wheeler insurance. One of the points that will come up when you go to buy bike insurance is about a long-term 5 year policy. Is it compulsory for all two-wheelers to be covered with a 5 year bike insurance policy? How does it compare with a standard 1 year bike insurance? How will it affect the premium I pay and my policy coverage?  

This article is about answering all such questions and clearing any confusion in your mind about 5 year two-wheeler insurance.

About 5 Year Two-Wheeler Insurance & How It Works:

Following a Supreme Court ruling in September 2018, IRDAI has made it mandatory for all new two-wheelers to be issued a 5-year insurance cover. This has been done to ensure that maximum number of two-wheelers remain insured and also to minimise incidents of lapsed, expired policies and uninsured vehicles.

Note that a 5 year cover is mandatory only for third-party (TP) bike insurance policies. Having third-party insurance is anyway compulsory for all vehicles as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.  

If you have just bought a brand new scooter or bike and decided to go with basic third-party bike insurance, you will necessarily have to buy a 5 year insurance policy. But if you choose to purchase comprehensive two-wheeler insurance for your new bike, then your policy tenure will be 3 years and not 5 years.

How is RTI Different from IDV?

Your car is like your baby. You want to look after it, protect is from every potential danger and nurture it for as long as you decide to keep it. In spite of so much security and protection, incidents on roads will happen. For all these unforeseen moments, you will be glad that you a solid car insurance policy to back you up.

That said, what do you do in a scenario where your beloved car is damaged beyond repair or it is stolen?

Don’t lose hope right away as you, fortunately, have Return of Invoice or better known as RTI as an add-on cover.

RTI is offered as part of a comprehensive car insurance plan. This can only be availed by vehicles that are new or are less than five years old. If the car is stolen or suffers irreparable damage, the insured customer has the right to claim full compensation. However, this will only be up to the last complete invoice value of the car.

How is RTI Different From IDV?

Under usual circumstances, your maximum claim is limited to the IDV of the vehicle. On the other hand, RTI is a top-up option that can be used to cover the difference between Insured Declared Value and the Invoice Value of the vehicle.

To put things into perspective, due to the annual depreciation of your car, IDV will always be less than the invoice value of your vehicle. With an RTI option in place, you can get the current on-road price. That means, even if there has been depreciation, it does not apply to you.

When Is RTI Applicable?

Having the RTI option is an investment that can help in safeguarding your back especially in situations where the financial liabilities are high. By bridging the gap between the vehicle and its Insured Declared Value and the actual invoice value, you are liable to be reimbursed for the total ‘On Road’ price of the vehicle that you paid when you purchased it.

Generally, the RTI cost is approximately 10% more of a comprehensive care insurance plan.

Remember that insurance providers offer RTI as an add-on for vehicles until they reach an age limit that has been predefined before.

The Return to Invoice option is not applicable in all situations. So, when you have a dent in your car or it needs repairing, or if your windshield has a crack on it, you do not need to bank on RTI for compensation. Own Damage Cover or other add-ons like Zero Depreciation can handle these partial losses.

RTI should only be used to recover substantial financial loss as a result of irreparable car damage or if there has been a case of theft where the vehicle is no longer recoverable.

 All About About Zero Depreciation Cover

Car insurance works to cover your precious car from suffering any damages that could be caused by any kind of mishap or untoward situation such as an accident, floods, earthquake, fire, riots or any other natural calamity or man-made disaster, as well as a complete loss in case your car gets stolen. Vehicle insurance also protects you from damages or loss caused by your vehicle to a third-party.  

When you purchase vehicle insurance you naturally want o get the best possible protection for your car. One of the ways to ensure this is by having a zero depreciation cover in your car insurance policy. Zero depreciation cover is an important and beneficial add-on feature and one you should definitely include when buying car insurance.   

This article will act as complete guide to zero depreciation by covering its various aspects and how it affects your car insurance policy.

Understanding Vehicle Depreciation and Zero Depreciation

Depreciation means the loss of value of a vehicle over time, in this case your car particularly if you have bought a new car. This loss of value due to usage and normal wear and tear actually starts from the moment that you brand new car leaves the showroom. All insurance companies take into account the depreciation of the vehicle while calculating the policy premium and at the time of settling a claim.

The table below gives you an at-a-glance snapshot to understand how the loss in value or depreciation happens over time as your car gets older.

Depreciation Schedule

Zero depreciation cover in car insurance is offered as an add-on cover when you buy a comprehensive car insurance policy. Having a zero depreciation cover enables you to minimise the effects of vehicle depreciation. 

Planning A Holiday to Saudi Arabia?

One of the exciting things to look forward to when travelling to a new country is checking out local food and tasting a new cuisine. It is interesting to experience what type of food people eat in different parts of the world.

So before you grab your bags, your Saudi Arabia travel insurance papers and passport duly stamped with the Saudi Arabia Visa and head to the airport, here’s a bit about the food culture you will find there.

The cuisine varies from province to province, although some dishes are found across the Kingdom. A typical Saudi meal is a blend of wheat, rice, milk, chicken or lamb, dates, yoghurt, potatoes, delicately flavoured with rich aromatic spices. 

Take a look at some of the traditional Saudi dishes that are definitely worth a try when you’re visiting Saudi Arabia.

Mutabbaq

The Arabic name ‘Mutabbaq’ literally means folded. And that’s exactly what this street food is – a folded, fried pancake stuffed with a lightly spiced mixture of minced meat, eggs, tomatoes and onions. It looks something like a fluffy omelette folded and cut in squares. You will find this dish almost everywhere you go in Saudi Arabia. It is affordable, quick and filling when you’re on-the-go.

Sambusak

Another popular street food is sambusak or ‘samboosa’. This deep fried snack will immediately remind you of our Indian favourite, the samosa! In Saudi it is made with a variety of filling such as minced meat, cheese and vegetables. If your taste buds are not feeling very adventurous towards foreign dishes, this is the perfect local snack to try out.

Here Is A List Of Documents You Must Keep In Your Car

If you are driving on public roads in India, you should always carry the documents listed below. Not having any of these on your person can lead to heavy fines.

Registration certificate

This document acts as proof that you have registered your vehicle with a regional transport office. When you get a new car, you need to apply for registration at the regional transport office within 7 days of the purchase. A registration certificate is valid for 15 years, and can be renewed for a periods of 5 years. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 makes having a registration certificate mandatory for all motor vehicles plying on Indian roads.

PUC Certificate

A pollution under control certificate proves that your vehicle meets the emission requirements defined for motor vehicles on Indian roads. If your vehicle does not meet the pollution control norms, it is not allowed to be driven on Indian roads. To get a PUC certificate, get your car tested at any of the authorised testing centres. You could find these at most petrol pumps.