As if car accidents weren’t stressful enough, the last thing you need to hear when you claim from your car insurance provider is that they won’t cover you. After going through the five stages of grief, you might come to realise, however, that your insurance provider may have had a point this time. There are certain conditions you need to meet for your car insurance company to hand over the moola.
In this article, we look at how you might miss out on that car insurance claim.
1. Premiums aren’t up to date
To make sure your car insurance policy pulls through for your when it matters, make sure you’re paying into your policy regularly and on time. This is probably the number one reason why car insurance companies would reject your claim. While insurers must offer a grace period to pay the outstanding premium. This grace period may not be less than 15 days and could be much longer, so check your car insurance policy. But it’s best to rather stay on top your premiums to avoid this kind of trouble.
2. Vehicle is considered unroadworthy
For a car to be insured, it must be inspected regularly and maintained according to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. Car insurance companies usually require a vehicle inspection be carried out when you apply for a policy to check for any pre-existing damage. If you have an accident and your car turns out to have been unroadworthy prior to said unfortunate event, your insurer can reject your claim.
The National Road Traffic Act provides the following checklist of items that must be maintained for a vehicle to qualify as roadworthy:
- The engine and VIN numbers must match those on the registration document. Said document must have no signs of tampering.
- The body or chassis may have no damage or rust present. Doors must be easy to open and firmly attached at the hinges.
- The speedometer, odometer, seatbelts, lights, and indicators must be operational.
- The windscreen wipers must be undamaged and in working order.
- Wheels and tyres must be the correct size for your vehicle and have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm.
- Brakes and shock absorbers should be in good working condition with no leaks in the hydraulic system.
- Wheels should be properly aligned and the steering system fully operational.
- There should be no leaks or damage to the engine compartment, including wiring.
- The car battery must be properly secured, and the transmission in good working order.
- There may be no excessive smoke or noise coming from the exhaust.
3. Unlicensed or unspecified drivers behind the wheel
Be careful who you let behind the wheel of your car – and we’re not even talking about your drinking buddies. Your car insurance provider will insist that you specify who would regularly drive your car. This would typically be you or your spouse. If someone other than you or they take the wheel, your insurer needs to know the new driver’s details. However, if an unlicensed driver is involved in an accident in your car, your insurer can reject your claim.
4. Driving recklessly or under the influence
If you damage your car while doing the wrong kind of driving, do not expect your car insurance to pull through for you. Driving under the influence, whether that influence be drink or your smartphone, is a bad idea on any given day – you’re breaking the law after all! Should it really come as any surprise that your insurer won’t reward you for your bad behaviour?
That said, if you do find have an accident under these circumstances (no matter how small), do not leave the scene. You still have a responsibility to go through the duties for anyone involved in a car accident. You need to make sure the people in the other car are uninjured, swap insurance details, and report the accident to the police.
5. Vehicle not parked in a secure location
Insurers need to know where you park your car on the regular, especially at night. A car that’s parked safely away in a garage every night is a safe bet for any insurance provider. A car parked in the street, on the other hand, makes car insurance companies very nervous.
Finding the best car insurance to cover you under any and all circumstances is difficult. There’s a lot of legwork involved in finding auto insurance premiums you can afford that translate into an insurance pay-out, on which you can get by. All Things Motor takes the pressure off by finding you car insurance quotes that fit neatly into your budget. Apply for a quote today!