In many ways, even though you pay for it every month, car insurance is
something you hope you never really have to use. Many people who are faced with
having to claim for the first time are unsure as to how to go about it. There
are certain steps that you need to follow in order for your claim to be
correctly validated.
Below is a brief guide to the things that you need to bear in mind and the
process you need to follow when you make an insurance claim:
- The first thing you need to do is inform your insurance company that you
have had an accident or that your car has been stolen. Your insurer probably
has a toll-free number that you can phone, or a 24-hour call centre. Have
your insurance policy number to hand before you call. Get a reference number
for your call, and make a note of the name of the person you spoke to.
- Ask the claims consultant that you speak to, to tell you the exact
procedure that you need to follow, and make sure that you do follow it.
- If there is criminal activity involved in the loss or damage of your
car, you must report this at a police station within 48 hours, and make sure
that you get a case number - you will need this as a reference for your
claim.
- At some point you will have to make a written representation of the
circumstances leading to your claim, so it's a good idea to write down what
happened as soon as possible, while it is still fresh in your memory. Make
sure that your version of events always remains consistent - even if you
innocently change a detail of your story, it can lead to suspicion being
cast on your claim.
- Keep all documentation regarding your claim. This includes all
correspondence with your insurance company, affidavits you may have made to
the police, and records of phone calls you made to the insurance company
(with dates, reference numbers and the names of the people you spoke to).
- If your car needs repairs, you will most likely be given a list of
approved repairers that you must use, from the insurance company. You must
then get quotes for the repairs from them and get approval from the
insurance company before having the repairs done. DO NOT just go ahead and
have your car repaired before you have approval from the insurance company.
- If your car has been stolen and you have made your insurance claim, the
insurer will send a claims assessor to interview you. Due to the high
incidence of insurance fraud in South Africa, these assessors are trained to
try and find inconsistencies in your story and to test if you are making an
honest claim or not. It will most likely feel as if you are under suspicion,
even though you are the one who has suffered the loss. Just try to be
patient, and answer truthfully and consistently. If you are subjected to
what you believe is unfair treatment, don't hesitate to complain to your
insurance company or the insurance Ombudsman.
- Once all the paperwork and interviews are done, your claim will be
processed and you will be paid out the amount that you have claimed (all
other things being equal). Or you will be given the go-ahead to have the
repairs done, and the insurance company will settle with the repairer.
- Not all claims are straightforward - if you have been involved in an
accident and liability is disputed, there may well be a court case, and your
claim will be subject to the outcome, which can take a while.
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