Do you know motor insurance is a statutory requirement under the Motor Vehicle Act 1988? If you are caught driving a vehicle that is not insured, you can become subject to fines and other punishments by the police. Even if the vehicle is insured and the insurance papers are at home, you are sure to be punished. But, not anymore.
A few years ago, the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India launched e Vahan Bima (a digital motor insurance initiative) which eliminates the need of carrying bike or car insurance papers along with you. It comes with a QR code, which is scanned by the traffic police to verify the insurance information fetched from the insurance company's database. Telangana was the first state to implement e-Vahan Bima and today it is implemented across the country.
Clearly, e Vahan Bima is here to minimize the mess of carrying physical copies of your policy papers. Today, in the modern digital age, it has evolved as a boon for daily commuters who may be asked for random verification of their car or two-wheeler insurance papers. Once you have enrolled for e Vahan Bima, you will find it very easy and convenient to carry a soft copy of insurance papers in your mobile phone.
A soft copy of insurance papers helps you in the following ways -
Escape from the hassles of collecting insurance documents after paying challans. Easy to store policy information in the mobile and present it to the police, when asked for verification. It also facilitates verification within just a few minutes; all you need to do is to show the QR code and the rest will be done automatically. Put a stop to the black economy with the increasing penetration of motor insurance. It has also helped in increasing compliance. Contribute to the protection of trees and the environment as this digital insurance policy is completely paperless. It leads to cost savings by eliminating the need of sending hard copies of insurance documents to policyholders. The customers benefit from the reduced cost of policies.In addition to the insurance papers, one can present all other types of documents (in electronic format) that are required for verification. These include a certificate of registration, driving license, fitness and permit, a certificate for pollution under check etc.
According to the Union transport ministry, people can use the mParivahan app or the Digilocker app to produce the required documents or other related information.
The information about the
renewal of insurance policy is also updated in the database of e Vahan Bima on a daily basis. Hence, in case you have just renewed your car insurance policy and are asked for random verification by the cops, no need to worry. Through the QR code, they will get all the details and will not seize your car.
All-in-all, e Vahan Bima is a boon to Indian citizens. Now, drive freely without the fuss of carrying hard copies of insurance papers in your vehicle. Just make it a point to get your vehicle insured with a comprehensive motor insurance policy.