4 Lesser-known Car Insurance Inclusions

Car Insurance doesn’t only provide cover for vehicle damage sustained in a road accident – there are several other benefits you might not know about. In this article, brought to you by Budget Insurance, we list 4 lesser-known car insurance inclusions.

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Given the challenging economic climate, this may not come as a surprise to many: a Deloitte report on consumer spending in South Africa has found that consumers are prioritising essential expenses like groceries, housing and transport over ones that are deemed non- or less essential, such as education and healthcare. Some may believe car insurance falls into the latter category, but they’re mistaken…

Many people believe their insurance benefits are limited to placing claims and that if they don’t have an accident with, or need to repair their car, they aren’t actively benefiting from the cover. While it’s true that car insurance provides you with a wider level of protection against out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an accident, other benefits (that you may not have considered before) can also protect your finances.

Here are a few inclusions, which your car insurance policy can provide, that you may not know about.

Besides accidents, your insurance can cover you for…

1. Property damage

Suppose you have comprehensive car insurance coverage and are involved in an accident where you accidentally damage someone’s property with, or as a result of your vehicle. In that case, you’ll be covered for this damage should the property owner take a 3rd-party claim against you.

For example, a person may collide with you while driving through a residential area, causing you to mount the curb and crash into someone’s wall. Comprehensive Car Insurance will cover this type of damage.

2. Bodily injury

You may have considered that you could get injured in an accident, but have you considered what would happen if a passenger was injured or you injured multiple people in an accident? Unfortunately, whether or not you’re responsible for the accident may not prevent others from claiming against you.

Comprehensive Car Insurance covers some medical expenses of passengers or drivers injured during a car accident or collision. For your own safety, we recommend taking out Personal Accident Cover, which will cover you should you be injured in a car crash.

3. Breakdown assistance

In the chaos accompanying a car accident, it’s easy to forget that you can’t leave your car where it is, but you may not be able to drive it away either. This means it would need to be towed and taken to a safe storage facility to be kept there until you can move it to a repair centre. You may be unable to manage this if you’re injured in the accident.

However, your Comprehensive Car Insurance and Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance can manage this. Budget Insurance’s Road Assist, for example, includes Accident and Breakdown Assist benefits.

4. Some weather-related damage

Extreme and damaging weather events like flash floods and hail storms are not uncommon. If your car should fall foul of such an event, Comprehensive Car Insurance can cover damage caused by extreme weather conditions, ensuring you don’t have to worry about finding money to repair your vehicle.

**Things a standard Car Insurance policy doesn’t cover**

While Budget Insurance offers some unexpected inclusions as part of its car insurance coverage, it also has exclusions you should be aware of. Here are some of them.

1. Theft of contents inside your car

The items you store in your car must be insured separately with Portable Possessions Insurance. This will allow you to list what you keep on your person when you leave the house, sometimes also covering what you take with you in your car to work or for leisure activities.

2. Custom parts, modifications and upgrades

Modifying your car can involve changing its functionality and performance. This can lead to issues related to the car warranty. For this reason, many insurers do not cover, or only partially cover, cars that have been modified, customised or upgraded. Car owners are encouraged to inform their insurers if they’ve had any modifications made to their vehicle so that their claims do not get rejected.

3. Tyre and rim damage

It’s recommended that you take out separate tyre and rim Insurance if you drive for long distances on roads that have, for instance, a lot of potholes as your insurance may not cover this kind of damage.

4. Off-roading accidents

Accidents and damage related to off-roading are not covered by a standard car insurance policy. That’s why it’s recommended that you take out a specific policy if you enjoy this type of recreational activity.

5. Loss above your policy limits

A car insurance policy will have limits, which are influenced by various factors, including your coverage options and deductible choices.

Get a Budget Insurance quote

The best way to know exactly what your insurance covers and doesn’t cover is to choose the right policy and have someone talk you through your options. If your current insurer hasn’t done this, the Budget Insurance team are ready to help. All you have to do is request a Budget Insurance quote today.