How To Safeguard Your Vehicle Against Damage During This Monsoon

By DriveSpark Bureau

It's almost that time of the year again — plants and trees flourish in all shades of green, rivers flow in all their glory, and the air feels fresher - yes, we're talking about the monsoon season! Now, although the rainy season packs along with immense beauty, it also comes with its own set of heavy-rain related mishaps - long traffic snarls, waterlogged areas, poor visibility, etc. Not to forget, the season poses a major risk to vehicle owners as the accident rate sees a sharp surge during this time.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways[1], there were 44,011 accidents in India back in 2018 where 14,590 people were killed as a result of rain-related accidents. The increased growth in road accidents and vehicle damages can be owed to slippery roads, potholes turned into death traps, open manholes, over-speeding, rash driving, and drunk driving. Especially if you own a two-wheeler vehicle, it's important that you practice better precautions during the rainy season, as over 89% of motorists change the way of driving during the rains, according to the survey[2]. Also, two-wheeler accidents accounted for the highest share of 35.2% of the total road accidents in India followed by car/jeep/van/taxi (24.3 %) & truck/lorry (12.3%) in 2018. Motorists blamed poor road signs and lack of warnings as the main reason behind these accidents.

Safeguard Your Vehicle From Damage During Monsoon

Image Courtesy: Bajaj Allianz

So, how can you make sure that your vehicle is ready for the upcoming rainy days? Now, there are several precautions that you must be taking and investing in bike insurance during the monsoon, let's have a look!

Maintain Tyres, Brakes, Battery

It's very important to maintain your tyres and brakes since riding on a wet road is more difficult as compared to riding on dry surfaces. Wet roads usually form a barrier between tarmac and ill-maintained tyres, hence leading to tyres losing grip. This is why monitoring tyre conditions and regularly maintaining tyre pressure can help negate this. If you find that the tyres are completely worn out, buy a new one with higher tread level and grip.

Similarly, make sure the brakes, both front and back, on your bike are working fine. Monsoons cause reduced visibility and the chances of slipping are higher on wet roads. This is why it's important that you get your brakes checked regularly by a mechanic before and during the rainy days. So, getting the brake fluid, brake pads, and the brake line on a regular basis, is must to ensure safe driving. Also, brake gently on wet roads as braking too hard can cause your vehicle to skid on the road.

Additionally, heavy rains and waterlogging can cause a breakdown of electrical components. So, it's advisable to get all electric components checked and outer wires insulated. Also, applying a coat of petroleum-jelly on battery terminals at regular intervals helps maintain it better.

Avoid Driving Through Water-Logged Areas

This is quite self-explanatory but only ride your bike through heavy rains and waterlogged areas when absolutely necessary. Open manholes, lack of signs, and uneven roads can lead to severe accidents and cause heavy damage to your vehicle. Also, even when you're not in a water-logged area, drive responsibly, at a cautionary speed and follow the traffic rules. In case your two-wheeler stops in the middle of the road, avoid cranking it, and call a tow vehicle to take it to the nearest garage.

Additionally, if your two-wheeler vehicle has been affected by any form of flooding caused by heavy rain or flash floods, do not attempt to start it. Call the Roadside Assistance toll free number instead to help you out in the best way possible.

Practice Basic Safety Precautions

If you practice the necessary safety precautions, you stay safe, no matter whether it's a rainy day or sunny day. So, always wear a helmet while riding your bike as it'll protect you in case of accidents. Make sure your indicator lights are working fine since visibility reduces dramatically during monsoon and indicators act as a right guide during heavy rains. Go for bright coloured gears as it'll help you stay visible during heavy rains.

Moreover, always try to park your bike in an area that's covered as it'll prevent water from collecting on different parts of your bike and will help avoid breakdown of your two-wheeler.

Stay Insured

Now, even if you follow all the basic safety steps during monsoon, accidents can still happen, and it's better to be ready to face the financial setback that comes along. One of the best ways to make sure that you and your bike stay protected during unforeseen situations is to buy a two-wheeler insurance policy. In addition to being a mandatory requirement (Motor Vehicles Act, 1988), insuring your bike provides a financial cover and slew of benefits against risks including accident, theft, and natural calamities. So, choose the right insurance company that can offer you maximum benefit at the best price with its two-wheeler insurance policy.

Bajaj Allianz, one of the leading and largest general insurance companies in India, offers a 'comprehensive package' policy that covers both 'third party liability' (offers cover for the damage to a third party as well as damage caused to that person's two-wheeler vehicle) and 'own damage' cover. To protect you during monsoon, the policy provides bike protection against natural calamities (flood, fire, storm, landslide, earthquake, lightning), accidents, bike thefts, and third-party damage. Moreover, you can also include add-on covers like Roadside Assistance Cover (RSA), Engine Protector, Consumables, and Zero Depreciation, etc, to widen your insurance coverage. For example, with RSA cover, Bajaj Allianz insurance would arrange for your two-wheeler to be towed to a network garage if your vehicle stalls because of waterlogging or flooding.

What more? It's super simple to buy a Bajaj Allianz two-wheeler insurance policy. Just go online, log onto their website, provide the required details, pay the premium amount, and you're done! You can evaluate the premium using their online bike insurance calculator. The company also has a speciality of fast claim servicing and adopts a simple process for settling claims. There's a Motor On-The-Spot feature which allows the owner to file a claim right from the accident spot using just their smartphone. The Motor OTS offers on-the-spot settlements and claims up to Rs 10,000 for your two-wheeler. Telephonic assistance is offered to customers to deal with their claim related inquiries and SMS alerts are also provided as a benefit 24x7. Another great feature is the 'No-claim Bonus Transfer'. You can earn this bonus for every claim-free year and get accumulated over time. So, you can transfer up to 50% of your No Claim Bonus from any insurance provider.

To sum it up, two-wheeler accidents have become a big concern during monsoon for both urban and rural areas across India. So, if you want to make sure that your vehicle stays protected, a combination of comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy, add-on covers, and practising the necessary road safety precautions will carry you through all the tough times during rainy days. An all-encompassing policy like a Bajaj Allianz two-wheeler policy is a great choice to make sure you're able to protect your two-wheeler vehicle and have a hassle-free monsoon! If you already own policy then you must verify whether it is valid and undergo the two-wheeler insurance renewal process immediately if it has expired.

References:

[1] - https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/Road_Accidednt.pdf
[2] - https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/poor-road-signs-lack-of-warnings-cause-most-mishaps-in-mumbai-1429138

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Article Published On: Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 19:14 [IST]
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