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Consumables are those items that cannot be reused after an accident or damage. Consumables in vehicles include Engine oil, gear oil, nuts and bolts, grease, washers, oil filters, air filters, steering oil, AC gas, radiator coolant and other similar items which cannot be repaired and reused. These items would not be payable under the comprehensive vehicle insurance policy as they come under consumables. Hence a consumables cover was introduced to cover the cost of consumables at the time of claim settlement. For instance, your comprehensive vehicle insurance policy would not cover the consumables such as air filters, AC gas, nuts and bolts that are damaged due to an accident; having a consumables cover could help you pay for these consumables in case of a claim. The higher the vehicle's value, the higher the consumables cost, which is to be replaced in case of damage.

During a robbery or attempt to rob a vehicle, the first that would get damaged is the vehicle's lock. The cost of the lock would be high, and it needs to be paid completely in a comprehensive policy. The damages to keys are also not covered under the comprehensive policy unless it is damaged along with the vehicle. Key protection covers the loss or damage to the key and lock of the vehicle due to any accident or forceful entry, such as robbery or theft. For high-end cars, the cost of the key would run into lakhs as it is highly sophisticated and needs to be covered against perils. Only some vehicles get their keys replaced by the manufacturer, as the local-level manufacturing of the key would not be possible. It would also hamper the warranty with such acts. For this reason, it is important to take a key protection cover if your vehicle is high-end or if replacing the key and lock is costly. Under this cover, a maximum of Rs.3 Lakhs would be paid to the insured for each claim during the policy period, with the maximum number of claims limited to 2 during the same policy year.

Invoice cover, or as it is generally called, vehicle replacement cover, provides the insured with the invoice value of the vehicle in case of total damage or theft of the insured vehicle. When a vehicle is damaged due to an accident and the repair cost exceeds 75% of the IDV value, the invoice value would be paid to the insured. In addition to the invoice value, the vehicle's registration charges and road tax are paid. Vehicle replacement cover would come into play only at the time of total damage or theft. It is important to note that this cover is available only for 2-3 years from the vehicle's registration date. In the case of partial loss, the depreciation cover would help the insured with claim settlement, but in the case of a total loss, the invoice cover would help the insured. Invoice cover would provide a higher claim when compared with the Zero depreciation cover in the case of a new vehicle; this is because the zero depreciation cover works on the IDV, which is far less than the invoice value of the vehicle.

The windshield is a glass window at the front of the vehicle, protecting the driver from wind and providing a view for driving. The windshield is made of glass and is susceptible to damage due to accidents such as falling objects, flying objects while driving, etc. Windshield replacement can be done under the comprehensive vehicle insurance policy, but the No claim bonus accrued would be lost. To prevent such situations, insurance companies have launched windshield glass cover, which covers the cost of replacement of the windshield damaged due to an insured peril. This cover protects the hard-earned no-claim bonus of the insured even after claiming the windshield damages. This add-on has a catch: if the vehicle is not repaired at a garage of the insured's choice, it would be treated as a separate claim, and no claim bonus would be affected.

Deductible or excess is the amount the insured would agree to bear in case of a claim. There are two types of deductibles; compulsory and voluntary. The IRDA decides on A compulsory deductible, which is mandatory for every claim under the motor insurance policy. In contrast, the insured can choose a voluntary deductible which is not mandatory. Under the voluntary deductible cover, the insured can choose the deductible amount they wish to bear during claim settlement. The higher the voluntary deductible, the lower the premium due to higher discounts. A deductible is shifting a part of the responsibility to the insured at the time of claim settlement.

There could be situations when your vehicle breaks down suddenly on the road in the middle of nowhere. Such situations can be handled by a roadside assistance cover which assists the insured in case of any mishap while traveling. Insured can call the toll-free customer care of the insurance company to avail of roadside assistance services such as battery jump-start, tire replacement, fuel delivery, alternate accommodation, travel arrangement or taxi service to a nearby hotel etc. Insurance companies would arrange a mechanic or a person to help you with the breakdown if the roadside assistance add-on is opted for. The cover would also deliver spare keys to the insured from their home to the breakdown location. Towing service to the nearby garage can be availed under the roadside assistance cover. The premium for roadside assistance cover would be very less when compared to the other add-ons, and it is recommended to have this cover.

The daily allowance cover is an add-on cover under motor vehicle insurance, which provides the insured with a daily allowance for commuting if the vehicle is under repair in the garage for more than 1 or 2 days. This is also known as the conveyance benefit, provided to the insured to commute from office to home or any other place while the car is being repaired. The conveyance amount would vary from one insurer to another.

Spare car clause provides the insured with an allowance to avail of the services of car travel during the period the insured vehicle is being repaired in an authorized garage or workshop. The insured would be allowed to travel in a rented car, or the insurance company would provide a spare car under this clause. In most cases, the insurer would provide a daily allowance if the vehicle is in the garage for more than a day, and the benefit is payable for a maximum of a certain number of days as decided by the insured in the policy.

No claim bonus is the benefit available to the insured in the discounted premium for not making claims during the previous policy period. No claim bonus (NCB) ranges from 0% to 50% with every claim-free year, and in case of a claim, it drops to 0% and again increases to 50% with every claim-free year. One claim can set you back to 0% NCB, and the renewal premium would increase drastically depending on where you are on the NCB slab. To overcome this issue of losing NCB at the time of claim, insurance companies have introduced no claim bonus protector cover, which works in two ways; one is the NCB would be intact even after 1 or 2 claims in a policy year, and the other is NCB would fall to the next lower slab in case of a claim. In any case, the insured could retain their no-claim bonus even after availing of claim benefits. This add-on would be applicable only for a limited number of claims during the policy period.

Tyres are an important part of the vehicle and are costly. Any damage to the tires will be covered under the comprehensive policy if they are damaged together with the vehicle. The comprehensive vehicle insurance policy does not cover stand-alone damage to the tire. To address this issue, insurance companies have introduced the tire cover, which compensates the insured in case of loss or damage to the tires due to an accident. It covers the loss or damages to the tire due to an accident and provides for repairs or replacement of the tire up to the sum insured limit. There can be certain instances where only the tire is damaged, and the vehicle is intact and other instances where the tire damage could lead to vehicle damage. The latter is covered under the comprehensive policy, but the former is covered only if there is a tire protection add-on under the comprehensive policy. The cover is not applicable for old tires, which are worn due to natural wear and tear.

The engine is the vehicle's most important part and must be covered against any mishaps. Engine protection cover compensates the insured in case of loss or damage to the engine due to water ingression or oil leakage. A comprehensive motor vehicle insurance policy would not cover the stand-alone engine damage due to natural calamities or accidents, thereby requiring an add-on to cover the stand-alone damage to the engine. For instance, during floods, one may have to start the engine of the vehicle and move it to a safe place or drive through water-clogged areas, and in this process, the water would enter the engine and lead to hydrostatic lock, a phenomenon in which the air would get trapped in the engine leading to malfunction of the engine. The hydrostatic lock would prevent the engine from running and, if forced, can damage the engine permanently. Other such damages to the engine can occur when engine oil leaks, leading to overheating the engine and ultimately damaging it beyond repair.

Personal accident cover is mandatory for the owner/driver under the motor vehicle insurance act for a sum of Rs.15 Lakhs, which covers the death or disability of the driver due to an accident while driving the vehicle. PA cover is also available to the passengers traveling with the insured with a sum insured of Rs.2 Lakhs which can be enhanced up to the maximum limit available with the insurance company. The personal accident cover can be enhanced for the paid driver or the passengers by paying an additional premium.

A rim damage cover compensates the insured in case of any damage to the wheel rims due to an insured peril. This cover is similar to the tire protection cover, which operates on a stand-alone basis. If only the rim is damaged while the vehicle is intact, then the claim is not payable under comprehensive vehicle insurance. Still, the claim will become payable if the rim damage cover opts. The number of times one can avail of this benefit would be limited to 4-wheel rims during the policy period.