Can my Car Insurance Claim Be Rejected by my Insurer during the lockdown curfew times?

The good news is your car insurance should still cover you if you are involved in an accident after curfew however as long as lockdown is with us, we need to be aware of what those cut-off times are. But we all know with car insurance there is always a catch …

In respect to claim rejections and your policy, take into consideration the 4 factors below

You need to know all about exclusions in your car insurance contract

An exclusion is a scenario in which your car insurance claim is automatically rejected. It is very important to go through your policy wording with the exclusions and familiarize yourself with them

How to contest a rejected car insurance claim

Here you have 2 options,

1 contest the rejection internally with the insurer OR

2 contact the FAIS Ombudsman for short term insurance

An insurer’s risk model could work in your favor

The business model of an insurance company is to assess a pool of risk and a specific customer’s risk. Large insurance companies have been known to stipulate that they have acknowledged most clients/motorists would need to drive out during curfew for emergencies etc.

Engaging in illegal activity during curfew hours may lead to a rejected claim

Here’s the catch, however. Most insurers agree that if a vehicle was used for legal purposes during curfew hours, even without the motorist holding an essential-worker permit, the claim arising from an accident should not be rejected. But if it can be proven that the motorist was engaged in illegal activity at the time, the insurer may have possible grounds to reject the claim. It is important to remember that when the lockdown level states that alcohol sales are prohibited, it is illegal to transport any amount of alcohol in your car. While this has not been tested in court, it is technically possible for an insurer to reject a claim if the motorist was transporting alcohol at the time of the accident.

Are you one of those South Africans that has a vehicle but no cover? Do not sweat it, AB Insurance Brokers is here to help. Send us an email on abbrokers@abbrokers.co.za or send us a whatsapp(072 930 2743) and a consultant will call you back.