The Complete Guide to Dealing with a Lost or Stolen Motorcycle: Step-by-Step Instructions

The Complete Guide to Dealing with a Lost or Stolen Motorcycle: Step-by-Step Instructions

A bike is one of the man’s most treasured possessions. For many people, buying a motorcycle is a dream come true.  As riders, people try to guard their motorcycles against any kind of risk. Usually, these safety measures defend your bike, but sometimes, these measures fall short, too.

A theft of a bike can be every bike owner’s nightmare. It is, therefore, essential to stay calm in such situations and follow the required procedures carefully.

In this blog, we will dive into the process that one needs to undergo if his/her bike is stolen.

 How to Find My Bike?

If you feel that your bike has been stolen, the first step you should take is to try to find the bike on your own. This is an essential step as you may find your bike easily around where you park. You can do this by following the instructions given below:

 If the Bike Was Parked at Your Home

If the bike was parked at your home or any other residential area, search for the bike in the immediate 1 km periphery of the parking area. You may find your bike without any further effort.

 If the Bike Was Parked at a Public Place

  • If the bike was parked at a public place, start by enquiring around to see if someone has seen your bike
  • Enquire if the Road Transport Officer (RTO) has lifted the bike. You can do this by enquiring in the surrounding area or visiting the nearest RTO to your parking lot; you can also check for messages sent by RTO, if any.

Usually, you will receive this text on the mobile number linked to your Aadhar card and, hence, all the other relevant documents, including your licence.

 Track Your Bike

If you have installed a GPS tracker on your bike, you can easily track your bike and see where it is going. Many companies have now started to provide trackers for the bike. Examples of these GPS trackers are the Invoxia GPS tracker and See Sense AIR. This way you can quickly regain your motorcycle.

If searching for the bike doesn’t help you within one hour of the loss, you should immediately start the further procedures.

 Starting the Report Procedure

The following report procedure should be started if the first step did not help to regain your bike and surety is obtained that the bike is stolen:

 Filing an FIR

Start by filling out a First Information Report, or an FIR, at the nearest police station. The police will ask for certain information and file a report. The theft of a bike is covered under comprehensive bike insurance.

If the police cannot find the bike, you can claim the Insured Declared Value of your motorcycle. Comprehensive insurance policy can be purchased from trusted insurance providers like Tata AIG.

 Notify the Theft to the RTO

The bike theft should also be reported to the Road Transport Officials. This is to be done at the RTO where the bike was registered. The RTO officials will help you complete the essential paperwork.

 Obtain a Non-Traceable Report

Once you have filed your report, the police will search for the bike. If your motorcycle is not found, apply for the Non-Traceable Report from the police. The police will provide a Non-traceable report, and the court will pass the final report. This certificate is an important document that must be filed with the insurance company.

 Informing the Theft to Bike Insurance Company

Once you have filed a FIR and informed the insurance company of the theft, you will have to submit the following documents:

  • Filled out claim form of your two wheeler insurance policy,
  • Copy of the policyholder’s driving licence,
  • If the bike was driven by someone else, a copy of his driver’s licence,
  • Copy of the Registration Card (RC),
  • The FIR and Non-Traceable Report,
  • Any other document asked by the two-wheeler insurance company in addition to the above list.

 What Happens at the Backend?

After filling out the claim form and submitting the documents to your two-wheeler insurance provider, the insurance company will verify all the records and conduct compliance activities.

After the compliance procedure is over and the insurance company is satisfied that the claim is authentic, they will approve your claim.

 Which Type of Bike Insurance will Help You?

Only comprehensive bike insurance can protect your bike against the threat of theft. However, bike insurance for theft will not cover the loss if the vehicle is lost due to the owner’s mistake. For example, if the policyholder leaves the key to his bike, he may not be able to claim the theft of the bike under bike theft insurance.

 Conclusion

A bike is one of the most important possessions for any rider. Leaving your bike uninsured can cause heavy financial losses. Multiple stolen bikes are recovered by police, but only a small number can be traced back to their actual owners.

Ensure that your liabilities are covered with the help of a comprehensive insurance policy. You can easily buy a bike policy online. Stay safe if your bike is stolen or lost. You can quickly recover all your losses by following the procedures given above.