Claim Intimation Process

What intimation is

Claim intimation is the act of notifying the insurer of a loss or event that may give rise to a claim. It is the first formal step in the claims process; the survey and the settlement follow from it. Until the insurer has been told, nothing else can begin.

Intimation is not the same as proving the claim. At this stage the insured gives basic details: the policy number, the date and time of the event and the nature of the loss. The surveyor's report comes later and is not something the insured supplies at intimation. For a theft or a fire, the police or the fire brigade must be informed straight away as well.

When notice is due

Policies ask for notice immediately or within a stated time. The standard motor policy condition requires notice in writing immediately upon an accident or loss. Insurers also state their own time limits, so the period that applies is the one in the policy concerned.

Health policies set their own periods too. For a planned admission, most health policies ask for notice 48 to 72 hours beforehand so that cashless approval can be arranged, and for emergencies policies usually allow notice within 24 hours of admission. The exact period is in the policy.

How notice is given

Notice goes through the insurer's notified channels: the toll-free number, mobile app, email, website or branch, and an official WhatsApp line where one is offered. An informal message on social media may not count as intimation.

After receiving intimation, the insurer issues a claim reference or acknowledgment number. It is used for all later correspondence on the claim and is the insured's record that notice was given and when.

What delay does

Unexplained delay can prejudice a claim. The insurer may be unable to assess the loss properly, and the claim may be reduced, disputed or rejected. Prompt notice lets the insurer see the loss while the evidence is fresh.

Delay is not, however, an automatic bar. In Gurshinder Singh v. Shriram General Insurance (24 January 2020) the Supreme Court held that delay in informing the insurer of a motor theft cannot by itself defeat a genuine claim where the FIR was lodged promptly. The decision concerns theft where the police were told promptly; it does not make notice periods meaningless.

A Point of Sales Person (POSP) explains the intimation procedure to the client at the time of policy sale or delivery, so that the client knows what to do when an incident occurs.

Rules at a glance

Key points

• Intimation, notifying the insurer of the loss, is the first formal step in a claim.
• Only basic details are needed at intimation: policy number, date and time, and nature of loss.
• The standard motor policy asks for written notice immediately; other policies state their own periods.
• Notice is given through the insurer's notified channels; a social media message may not count.
• The insurer issues a claim reference or acknowledgment number after intimation.
• Delay can prejudice a claim, but delay in intimating a theft cannot by itself defeat a genuine claim where the FIR was lodged promptly.

Common misunderstandings

• Intimation does not need the full set of documents: basic details are enough to register the claim, and the papers follow.
• Telling the police is not telling the insurer: for theft or fire both must be informed straight away.
• A social media message is not a safe way to give notice: it may not count as intimation.
• The 2020 Supreme Court ruling is not a licence to delay: it protects a genuine theft claim where the police were informed promptly.

Questions people ask