Crucial Aspects of Endorsements in a Car Insurance

When you purchase a new car insurance policy from any insurer of your choice, they would issue a policy document. This policy document is specific to you and it contains critical policy-related details like the premium payable, policy duration, policy’s expiry date, etc. Sometimes these details may be incorrect. Hence, it is paramount that you check the policy papers as soon as you receive it.

If you find that there are any discrepancies or some of the details are mentioned incorrectly, you must get it rectified immediately by the insurance company, i.e., you must make an endorsement in a car insurance policy. Many new car insurance buyers and even existing policyholders have many doubts about car insurance endorsement. So, let us understand what car insurance endorsement is?

This process of making corrections in the car insurance policy document is referred to as endorsement in a car insurance policy. Let us understand endorsement in a car insurance policy better with an example.

Let us assume you notice a printing error in your car insurance policy document where the expiry date is mentioned incorrectly. You must raise an endorsement request to the insurer and get it rectified. You must know that is not the only scenario where you can request the insurer to make amendments in the policy papers. Read on to know more about the crucial aspects of endorsement in a car insurance policy.

Endorsements in car insurance policy

Typically, the car insurance policyholders initiate the endorsements. It involves making changes in the policy papers. Based on the insurer-specific process, an endorsement certificate is issued with the modifications you want and mention in the car insurance policy papers that it has been endorsed.

Endorsements in car insurance can be of two types – basic and advanced. Basic endorsements can be changes required in the name (due to spelling mistake), address, or age. And, advanced endorsements could be change or removal of add-ons from the policy, changing the nominee’s name and address, that could have a direct impact on the policy scope.

Do the endorsements made to car insurance policy have any validity?

No, endorsements in car insurance policy does not have any validity; it lasts for the entire policy duration or until the policy expires. However, the exact details may vary based on the type of endorsement you want to make the insurance company’s terms and conditions.

Also, you must know that endorsements can be done immediately after purchasing the policy or during the policy renewal.

How often can you make an endorsement in car insurance?

While there is no hard and fast rule as to how many times you can make endorsements in a car policy, you can make an endorsement once or twice in a year. Experts suggest you must not make frequent endorsement as it can create confusion while creating and updating recordings in the insurer’s books, which in turn can create hassles while making a claim.

How to make a car insurance endorsement?

To carry an endorsement, you can raise a request on  insurance company’s website along with relevant documents (as necessary). Once the insurer receives your endorsement request, they will take necessary steps to make the necessary changes.

After the changes are done, the insurer will officially record it in their books and issue an endorsement certificate. It is an important document that you must keep safely for future purposes as it contains the details of the amendments made in your existing policy papers.

If you make any endorsement in the policy’s terms and conditions, they will send you a new policy document to your registered address.

Final Word

Now that you know about the different aspects of endorsements in a car insurance policy, use them to your benefit and ensure that you get the best coverage always. Remember, the car insurance policy document is a legal document, and if there are any mistakes, it may create unnecessary problems during claim settlement.