Frequently Asked Questions

What is an excess?
An excess is the first amount payable by a customer in the event of a loss, and is the uninsured portion of your loss, so when you submit a claim you’ll have to pay an excess. When you have to pay an excess for damages arising from an accident, it is irrelevant who was to blame for the accident, this serves to deter customers from submitting minor claims and/or fraudulent claims, and keeping premiums down. It is important to read your policy documentation regarding excesses as there may sometimes be additional excesses depending on the facts of your claim
You can reduce your excess by paying a higher premium
It is very important to make sure that the car exists and to record all current damage. If the vehicle has any accessories fitted, these will be noted on the inspection certificate, which in turn speeds up the claim finalisation process. This inspection is conducted free of charge to you. We do not inspect cars which are insured for Third Party only.
  • Un-roadworthy vehicle
  • Reckless driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Driver not the “regular driver”
  • Vehicle used for business
  • Vehicle not parked securely at night
  • Unlicensed driver
  • Tracking device not fitted
  • Vehicle inspection not carried out
  • Material non-disclosure at underwriting stage
  • Security device not fitted

 

!!! It is therefore very important to always read the Terms & Conditions and inform your broker or Insurance Company of any changes.

Numerous things are taken into account, for example:

  • The risk address where the insured goods are kept.
  • The regular driver
  • The use of the vehicle
  • The year model & make
  • Previous claims history
  • Insured amounts
  • Age & marital status.

 

!!!It is therefore very important to inform us should any of these change, because they will affect your policy, but can also play a role when claiming.

Most insurers require tracking devices on “high risk vehicles”, or if the vehicle is over a certain value. On the other hand if you have a tracking device installed you will enjoy a reduced or zero theft excess, depending on the company.
This refers to the purpose in which you intend to use the vehicle. For example, if you primarily drive your car to and from work, the usage is considered “private use”. If you’re self-employed and you primarily drive to see clients, the usage is considered “business use”.When my vehicle is damaged in a collision, can I have it repaired at the panel beater of my choice?

Most of the insurance companies make use of a supplier on their panel. Their motor body repairers guarantee their workmanship, once the vehicle has been repaired. This allows us to constantly monitor the quality of the repairs carried out by the motor body repairers that we work with. However with most companies ; should you insist that you want your vehicle repaired by a panel beater of your choice we will give you a cash settlement in lieu of the amount that it would have cost us to repair your vehicle. In such an event, we can obviously not guarantee the repairs of the vehicle.What is a No Claim Bonus?
This is the discount allowed to drivers who have enjoyed continuous comprehensive cover and have submitted no claims for a certain amount of years. An interruption of insurance for no more than 39 days will still qualify as continuous cover and claims for window glass, car sound equipment and hail do not affect the No Claim Bonus.

You can download the SAIA’s (South African Insurance Association) educational pamphlet or their educational book.