Should I send original documents to the insurer?

Send originals only where your policy's claim procedure or the insurer's written request asks for them, and scan every page before anything leaves your hands. For hospital claims, much of the paperwork sits with the hospital, which the insurer is meant to collect from. If you are claiming under two policies, ask the second insurer to accept copies certified by the first rather than splitting your originals.

Your policy should tell you. Insurers must list the documents needed for a claim, and the procedure, in the policy document and on their website. Look at the claim procedure clause for the words "original" or "in original".^[1]

Wordings differ in how strict they are. New India's Arogya Sanjeevani wording, for example, lists "Original bills with itemized break-up" among reimbursement documents, but adds that the insurer "may specify the documents required in original and waive off any of above". Its Mediclaim wording asks for "all original bills, receipts and other documents upon which a claim is based" to go to the TPA.^{[2, 3]}

For a hospital claim, the health master circular puts the collection of hospital documents on the insurer and its TPA. For motor and other retail general claims, IRDAI's circular says the customer submits only documents "directly related to the claim".^{[4, 5]}

Claiming under two policies

If you hold two health policies, the originals can only go to one insurer. One wording deals with this directly: where originals were submitted to another insurer, the company "shall accept the copy of the documents and claim settlement advice, duly certified by the other insurer", subject to its own satisfaction. Ask the first insurer for certified copies and its settlement advice before you claim from the second.^[2]

Before any original leaves your hands

1. 1

   Scan every page

   Both sides, in colour if stamps or signatures matter. Name each file with what it is and its date.

2. 2

   Number the set

   A covering letter with a numbered list of enclosures, marking which are originals. See a covering letter outline.

3. 3

   Send it so you can prove it

   A trackable courier or registered post, or hand delivery against a stamped copy of your letter. See proof of sending.

4. 4

   Ask for an acknowledgement

   Ask the insurer or TPA to confirm, in writing, which originals it received.

ClaimAssure is an independent private platform. It is not an insurer, IRDAI, Bima Bharosa or the Insurance Ombudsman, it never files anything on your behalf, and it cannot promise any outcome. What it does is read your documents and show you what they say.

More on claim documents and evidence