For a car owner, along with a valid driving license, registration certificate, and a PUC certificate, having an insurance policy is also a must. Car insurance policies are available for every type of car, be it a sedan, hatchback, sports utility vehicle (SUV), or the likes. If you are an SUV owner then getting a reliable long-term car insurance policy is all the more important for you because maintaining such vehicles can be quite expensive. The benefits that a car insurance policy provides include:

·        coverage for damage to the vehicle due to various reasons, such as an accident, natural disasters, and fire

·        coverage for theft of the vehicle

·        personal accident cover

An insurance policy for your SUV can be costly because the insurer considers the risks associated with such a vehicle, including the possibility of the SUV causing more damage to itself and the passengers in it in the event of an accident. Here are some things to help you buy the best insurance policy for your SUV:

Know the types of SUV insurance offered

There are three main types of vehicle insurance available for SUVs in India, including:

a)     Third-party liability coverage

As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, having this type of coverage is mandatory for all vehicles. With this insurance, you are protected against any legal liability you may have to face if your vehicle is involved in an accident and causes damage to a third party or their property.

b)     Comprehensive coverage

This type of insurance offers enhanced coverage in the form of cover for third-party legal liability, theft, damage to the vehicle, and the likes. There is also a provision of add-on covers that can help you get more protection. These add-ons include:

Zero depreciation cover

A zero depreciation cover offers coverage for those parts of your SUV that a standard car insurance policy does not include.

Return to invoice cover

With a return to invoice cover, the insured can get compensated for the full value of the vehicle if the vehicle suffers complete damage or is stolen.

Cover on select car accessories

Some insurers offer coverage for select expensive car accessories such as a GPS tracker, and LCD screen. Having coverage for such accessories can save you big bucks if they get damaged.

Accident cover

Typically, a long-term car insurance policy only covers the policyholder if the insured vehicle is involved in an accident. However, with an accident cover, the coverage extends to other individuals such as drivers and employees.

c)     Collision coverage

With collision coverage, you remain protected if you get involved in an accident or if your vehicle is damaged. However, this coverage is not valid for loss or damage due to vandalism or theft.

Compare policies

Researching different policies is necessary to know what products are available and which one suits your needs the best. To narrow down your choices, compare policies based on the premium, claim settlement process, overall service by the insurer, and policy coverage.

Buying bike insurance is not just a routine legal requirement. It is something you must be completely aware of because it is an important aspect of automobile ownership. When you purchase bike insurance, you get a comprehensive policy, which covers a number of things. First, the common covers that everyone needs to buy and then you are presented with the choice to purchase some optional extras known as add-ons. Here is a brief introduction of all of these:

Common Covers under your Bike Insurance

Damage to your bike: This is the main cover offered by your bike insurance policy. It is based on the Insured Declared Value (IDV) of your motorcycle or scooter. IDV is the maximum value the insurance company places on your bike. It is decided as per the depreciation table defined by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). If your bike suffers an accident, the company will pay the claim as per the amount defined in your damage cover. Keep in mind that there are a few exclusions to your damage cover, including:

·       Common consumables in your motorcycle

·       Regular wear and tear of bike components

·       Damage caused when driving intoxicated

·       Damage caused because of the negligence of the driver

·       Depreciation of vehicle as per standardised calculations.

Damage to any third party: This is the legally required cover offered by bike insurance and also of the auto insurance policy of any kind. It is what fulfils the legal requirement of a motor insurance policy. This is the component that covers any damages that may occur to any third party if your two-wheeler is involved in an accident. Generally, when the court pronounces and damages to be paid to another person, who became the victim of an accident, this third-party liability cover is, where the money will come from while third party liability insurance is also sold as a separate policy, buying only third-party policy is never recommended. Also, know that the pricing for third party cover is decided by the IRDAI so all companies sell this component of bike insurance at the same price.

Driver Personal Accident Cover: The IRDAI has mandated that any person, who drives a vehicle, must have a personal accident cover of at least Rs 15 lakhs. This is another important cover of your bike insurance. If your only automobile is the bike, you should make sure that personal cover is purchased in the policy when you buy. If you own more than one vehicle, you only need to purchase this personal accident cover with one vehicle and can unbundle the same from remaining vehicles you will need to insure.  

Optional Covers under Bike Insurance

Zero Depreciation Protection: This is the most important add on for two-wheeler insurance that must be purchased by everyone, who has purchased a new bike. This cover removes the deductions in claims that are made to account for depreciation in the value of the motorcycle.

Engine Protection Cover: This is an add-on, which is meant to cover any damage or problems that may occur in the engine of your motorcycle.

Consumables Cover: This is an add-on that covers the cost of consumable parts, such as engine and brake fluid and battery, which is not covered under an own damage cover.

In India, road rage is a major concern. Every day, there are a number of road accidents happening around the country. Having a motor vehicle insurance plan is essential to keep yourself financially safeguarded in these situations. According to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, third-party insurance is necessary to make your vehicle road legal. However, third-party insurance may not be sufficient for you, as it covers the damages only partially. Moreover, they do not provide healthcare in case of an accident, which is quite essential in today's time as the healthcare cost is increasing significantly.

In such a situation, insurance add-ons come quite handy. While buying bike insurance, you can look at getting some bike insurance add-ons to take care of aspects that are not included in the bike insurance.  

They help Cover Personal Accidents

Some comprehensive bike insurances provide personal accident cover for the driver; however, the passenger remains uninsured. In case of an accident, the bike insurance add-ons provide you with the benefit of covering the passenger. Now, according to the insurance regulator IRDA, bike owners can get a maximum personal accident benefit of Rs 15 lakh for a yearly premium of Rs 750.

Get the Price of Your Vehicle mentioned on the Invoice

In case of any theft or loss, the insurance company pays up to the Insured Declared Value of the vehicle. However, if you buy bike insurance with ‘Return to invoice’ as an add-on, you may be able to receive the total invoice price of your vehicle along with the road tax and registration charges.

Receive the Full Value and Cover Depreciation

In case of a claim, the insurance provider considers the depreciation in the price of damaged parts. So, it means that the insurance provider does not pay the price that you pay for replacing the parts is not considered. To overcome this limitation, you can buy bike insurance with ‘zero depreciation’ as an add-on, so that the company does not consider the depreciation while processing your claim. So now at the time of your renewal, consider buying a zero depreciation policy instead of a regular comprehensive or third-party insurance policy.

Cover Roadside Assistance

You can buy a bike insurance policy, which provides roadside assistance. So that if you are ever in a situation of a breakdown of your vehicle, in the middle of the road alone, you can get the help you need immediately. Various bike insurance add-ons provide you with the facility of roadside assistance, you just need to call the service provider and they will be there to help you in no time.

To Cover the Cost of Consumables

Most of the vehicle insurance providers do not cover for the overall repair and replacement of damaged parts. Did you know that your insurance providers also provide an add-on that covers the cost of consumables, such as nuts, bolts, engine oil, and lubricants? If you want to cover the extra cost of consumables, then you need to consider buying bike insurance add-ons that cover it.

Luxury cars are something everyone admires and many people dream of bringing one such car to their home. If you are a car lover and are fond of rare beauties, you would have also dreamt of owning the same one day. However, the car, you have been eyeing, may not be available in India. In such a scenario, you need not to worry as you can purchase the car and import it to this country quite easily.

Before you import your car, there a few things about the import process and legalities that you need to know about. Let us have a look:

What are the situations in which importing is allowed?

Following are the scenarios under which the Indian government allows you to import cars:

· One can import a car only if the same is not under the list of manufactured cars in India.

· The dues of the car need to be fully paid in advance.

· You cannot import a car if you are planning to buy it with the help of a loan or a lease.

· The import of the car will not be allowed if the car is registered under a specific law of any foreign country.

What are the ports where one can get their car imported?

The ports that allow car import in India are Cochin, Nhava Sheva, Tughlakabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi Air Cargo, and Chennai.

Importing from a dealer? Things to know

You can take help from a car dealer to make the process easier and hassle-free. However, you need to adhere to certain guidelines while doing the same.

First, you need to check if your dealer is complying with rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989. Acquire a roadworthiness certificate from the concerned authorities of the country, exporting your car. And then submit a written declaration that you will submit the compliance certificate to the concerned authority in less than six months of the car import. 

Exceptions to the process

Following are the cases where the import of cars to India may differ:

· For non-resident Indians

· For cars, which were owned by a deceased person, living overseas

· If your imported car is a reward or prize

· If you fall under the category of differentially-abled person

Other important things to remember

Following are the other things you must remember before importing a car:

· The car should fulfil all the rules of the “Motor Vehicles Act of 1988”

· It should have legal permission to be driven in India

· It can be maintained and serviced in India

Tyres have an important role to play in daily lives of people, especially of two-wheeler owners.  The safety and comfort of a ride depends on the quality of the tyre, as it provides grip for brake and acceleration, maintains steering and directional control, supports the weight of the vehicle and acts as a shock absorber for vibrations from the road. Hence, when buying tyres, focus on the quality is a must.

 Let us have a look at some of the best tyre brands for two-wheelers in India:

MRF

Headquartered in Chennai, MRF is India’s largest tyre manufacturer. The company was established in 1946 and, initially, it produced balloons. At present, its product portfolio include radial tyres for passenger cars, bikes, buses and various other vehicles, and products, such as conveyor belts, toys and paint. It leads the tyre industry in innovation and R&D to enhance the comfort and safety of riders.  

Apollo Tyres

Apollo Tyres is a leading tyre supplier in India and Europe and the 17th largest tyre manufacturer in the world. Based in Gurgaon, Haryana, the company was founded in 1976. It makes radials for cars, bikes and a host of other commercial vehicles.

JK Tyres

Based in Delhi, JK Tyres is one of the leading radial manufactures in our country and offers the entyre range of 4-wheeler radials, for buses, trucks and cars. The company was established in 1974. Research and development is one of the focus areas of the company. It has R&D units that plan technologies to reduce production cost.

CEAT

Mumbai-headquartered CEAT is one of India’s leading tyre manufacturers. Founded in 1958, the company makes tyres for various types of passenger vehicles, including cars, bikes, SUVs and commercial vehicles, such as trucks, auto-rickshaws, buses, tractors and others.

The company has a presence in over 100 countries with R&D facilities in 26 nations. It delivers around 1 million tyres per day. Their ZOOM RAD X1 tyres are specialised bike tyres for premium bike owners. This product aims at giving superior performance and control to the rider at higher speeds. Its radial ply design provides a higher tyre life and is available in tubeless format. It is one of the best tyres for KTM bikes and is compatible with several other bikes, such as Bajaj Dominar, Yamaha R15, and TVS Apache RR310 as well.

Goodyear

USA-based Goodyear is one of the most well-known and popular tyre brands with a huge global presence. It was established in 1898. The company manufactures tyres for a wide range of vehicles and sectors. It makes tyres for cars, SUVs, light trucks, commercial trucks, farm equipment, and heavy earth-mover machinery, including airplanes. It is also famous for producing radials for Formula One cars, making it the number one tyre company in the racing circuit.

In 2009, Goodyear and NASA developed “spring tyre,” an airless tyre to transport large, long-range vehicles across the surface of the moon. With 800 load-bearing springs, the tyre allows broader exploration and the development and maintenance of a lunar outpost.

Michelin

Clermont-Ferrand-based Michelin is among the giants in the tyre industry. It is one of the most preferred choices for drivers in India as well. Founded in 1889, the manufacturer is known for its high-quality radials with different features that an individual can ask for combined in a tyre.

Michelin is also the owner of BFGoodrich, Tigar and Uniroyal tyre brands.

Conclusion:

A good quality tyre is a must-have in a two wheeler. It performs multiple functions with various safety features and offer comfort to the rider.

Now that you have known about the importance of quality tyres and the companies that make these tyres, it is time to look into another aspect that makes it safer being on the road – two-wheeler insurance. This is the type of insurance that covers any damages that may happen to your two-wheelers in cases, such as accidents, theft or any natural disaster. Two-wheeler insurance also offers protection against injuries caused to a third party, making it a good option for you to meet the expense arising on the account of damages.