New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- A motor insurance policy may look straightforward. Buy third-party cover, add own-damage protection and file a claim when something goes wrong. But claim disputes often arise from details that policyholders overlook-from an expired driving licence to previous scratches, incorrect disclosures or missing add-ons.

Take the case of Jamnagar-based Chirag Andani (23). His Honda City collided with a cow, following which sudden braking and swerving caused the car to hit an electric pole and stones, damaging the front and rear. The insurer rejected the claim, saying the damage did not match the reported accident.

Andani approached the ombudsman. "The ombudsman noted that the surveyor and investigator had not obtained CCTV ...