Every vehicle on the road must carry third-party insurance. It is easy to assume that satisfying the law also satisfies your own exposure. It does not.
What third-party cover does
It pays for injury or property damage you cause to others. It pays nothing toward your own vehicle — not for an accident, not for fire, not for theft.
What comprehensive adds
Own-damage cover for accident, fire, theft and natural calamity, plus personal accident cover for the owner-driver. For any vehicle you would struggle to replace out of pocket, this is not optional in any practical sense.
The add-ons that change outcomes
Zero depreciation removes the deduction applied to replaced parts, which on a newer car is the difference between a full repair and a large shortfall. Engine protection covers water and oil-leakage damage that the base policy excludes — relevant in any city that floods. Return-to-invoice pays the original invoice value on total loss instead of the depreciated IDV.
IDV and no-claim bonus
Setting the Insured Declared Value artificially low to save premium reduces what you recover on total loss. The no-claim bonus builds with each claim-free year and transfers when you change insurer — so never let a policy lapse to shop around.
After an accident
Inform the insurer before repairs begin, register an FIR where theft or injury is involved, and do not attempt to restart a flooded engine. Consequential damage is excluded.