Almost everyone can tell of a story that they heard (or experienced themselves) where there was a car accident and the insurance company did not pay out for the repair or replacement of the insured vehicle or they paid out way too little!
Now we know what the first things everyone says are:
"Why should I pay insurance if they just look for reasons not to pay out when I claim?"
"All I need is third party cover!"
"Insurance companies just do what they want!"
This is not the case! If you give the insurance companies the correct and true details that they request from you when working on a quote for you, there is a much lower chance of them repudiating a claim! Insurers do not look for reasons to repudiate a claim however they do hold you (as the client) as well as themselves to the details stated in the contract (policy) which was agreed on by you AND the insurer!
One of the most important things to make sure is correct on your insurance policy is the regular driver details! Majority of the risk is calculated on the details of the driver (how long have they had their license, what license code is it, how old is the driver, how many accidents has the driver already had? etc.)
We constantly receive questions from clients regarding the regular driver details on their vehicle insurance and feel that the following points should provide some clarity to you as a client:
1. What does "regular driver" actually mean?
This is simply the person who drives the vehicle most often! To work and back home, to university and back home, to school and back home etc. This can be tricky when the vehicle is shared amongst family members, however there should still be one main driver, if you have any doubt, mention it to your insurance broker!
2. Honesty is the best policy!
Don't give details which are untrue or not 100% true to the insurance company or note drivers on the vehicle who aren't actually the regular drivers! Firstly your claim might be repudiated completely, or, you might be liable for extra excesses after an accident! We know you want your premium to be as low as possible and noting your 18 year old child as a driver destroys any hope of that but rather do it right so you have no problems when you need to claim!
Another benefit of noting regular drivers correctly on the policy is that they will start building up an insurance history on their name meaning later if they need to take out a policy of their own, they are going to receive better premiums providing they haven't claimed much!
3. Insurance companies can't smell when things in your life change!
ALWAYS remember to update your insurance policy if you move homes, change vehicles or change regular drivers so that your insurance contract is always up-to-date and that you are correctly covered!
4. Can someone else drive my car???
Yes they can! Provided they are not driving under the influence and have a valid driving license and are meeting any other conditions set out in the insurance policy! if there his an incident and it is discovered that the driver is in fact the regular driver of the vehicle but it was not noted on the policy, there is a high chance that the claim will be repudiated or that the client will be liable for extra excesses but if the driver at the time of the incident was for example your spouse who quickly took your car to the shop, you will still be covered!
Remember that insurance is based on good faith and mutual trust between the client and the insurer in question and because the premium is based and calculated according to the information supplied by the client, the insurer will always check the regular driver as part of the claims process. If you were not honest when taking out the insurance policy (possibly to keep your monthly premium lower) it means that it is at the discretion of the insurer to declare the policy void which means they do not have to pay the claim.
Luckily having an insurance broker to talk to about your insurance makes life a whole lot easier! It is always much easier to update your insurance policy with your broker than calling in to the call centers!
We make sure your insurance is done right and always recommend the best policies for your needs!
If you think your policy might not be 100% correct or you want a broker to take care of your insurance and any claims in the future, contact us today for some quotes and expert advice! Who knows, we might even be able to save you some money on your monthly premiums!