Tips to get your car insurance claim approved
You’ve done the research, spoken to your broker or insurer, and bought the right insurance cover to protect your car.
Here’s a list of reasons why insurance claims are rejected:
1. Unlicensed driver
It’s illegal for someone without a valid driver’s licence to be behind the wheel. Make sure that the person driving your car has a valid driver’s licence. If they only have a learner’s licence, they must be accompanied by a licenced driver.
2. The driver may not be the regular driver
Some insurance policies require that the regular driver be specified. If someone else is going to be driving your car and your policy requires that the person is specified, make sure that they are. Adding additional specified drivers to your policy may affect your premium.
3. Driving under the influence
The legal limit is a breath alcohol content of 0.24mg per 1,000ml or a blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 100ml (as at the time published). This means that just two beers could put you over the legal limit. A claim under these conditions will be rejected.
4. Satellite tracker data
Some insurers may require you to fit a tracking device so they can track your car in the event of theft. If this was not done and your car is stolen, your claim will be rejected.
5. Insufficient cover
There are different types of car insurance available, namely comprehensive cover; third party fire and theft cover; and third-party cover. Some insurance policies only cover you under certain circumstances, so it’s important to understand the plan you choose.
6. Mechanical failure
RSkipping services won’t just void the manufacturer’s warranty but can also result in serious mechanical issues.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the care of your car to avoid a rejected claim in the future.
7. Inspection not carried out
Typically, an insurer would require that your car gets inspected as early as possible after your policy starts, this to ensure that the insured asset exists and is in the specified condition. Failing to do this in the required window period could result in a future claim being rejected.
8. Using your car for business
If you use your car for business purposes, you need to disclose this information to your insurer, and you may be required to insure your vehicle under a commercial policy.
Ebrahim is head of operations at Standard Bank Insurance.