Documents Checklist (Product-wise)

What the checklist is

The documents checklist is the set of papers, records and evidence the insured submits in support of a claim. Each insurance product has its own list, because each kind of loss has to be proved in a different way. A document is asked for because it answers a question: did the event happen, was it reported, what was lost and what was it worth.

Product by product

Motor. For a motor theft claim an FIR (First Information Report) is required; it is the official record that the theft was reported to the police. In an accident claim, the driving licence to be submitted is that of the person who was actually driving at the time of the accident, not merely the policy owner's licence.

Health. Reimbursement claims usually need the original hospital bills, discharge summary and prescriptions. Originals also guard against the same bill being claimed twice. Some insurers accept scanned copies first and call for originals only if needed, so the insurer's own list decides.

Fire. The fire brigade report is a critical document, because it confirms the cause and extent of the fire.

Marine cargo. For goods shipped by sea, the specific document is the Bill of Lading. It is the transport document for carriage by sea and evidences the contract of carriage and the receipt of the goods. For air or road consignments the equivalent is the airway bill or the lorry receipt.

What the rules say about missing papers

Incomplete documents delay settlement while the insurer asks for what is missing. They do not, by themselves, end the claim. IRDAI's Master Circular on General Insurance Business (11 June 2024) says, for retail general insurance policies, that no claim shall be rejected for want of documents, and that the insurer may ask only for documents necessary for settling the claim.

The practical effect is two-sided. The insurer cannot keep adding to the list with papers that have no bearing on settlement, and cannot reject merely because a paper is missing. The insured, for their part, still gains from a complete file, because every query adds time.

The role of a POSP

A Point of Sales Person (POSP) provides a product-specific documents checklist at the time of policy sale, without waiting to be asked, and helps the client gather and submit complete documentation when a claim arises. The decision on the claim remains the insurer's.

Rules at a glance

Key points

• Each product has its own claim documents, because each loss is proved differently.
• An FIR is required for a motor theft claim.
• In a motor accident claim the licence needed is that of the person driving at the time.
• Health reimbursement usually needs original bills, discharge summary and prescriptions, though insurers' lists differ.
• The fire brigade report is critical in a fire claim; the Bill of Lading is specific to sea cargo.
• Under IRDAI's 2024 Master Circular a retail general insurance claim shall not be rejected for want of documents, and only necessary documents may be asked for.

Common misunderstandings

• A missing document does not mean a rejected claim: it means delay while the insurer asks for it.
• The policy owner's licence is not enough in an accident claim: the licence of the person actually driving is what is submitted.
• A Bill of Lading is not the document for every transit claim: it is for carriage by sea, with the airway bill or lorry receipt for air or road.
• Originals are not required by every insurer at the first stage: some accept scanned copies first, so the insurer's list governs.

Questions people ask