Insurance Expectations and gotcha's

[onair]

Hi,

I'm sorry for what is going to be an obvious noob question, but being very new to 4WD's and Diesels in general - I like to have a good understanding of what is reasonable for me to expect to be covered, and reasonable not to be covered, plus what are 'gotcha's that some insurances exclude. Can anyone advise:


a) What I should look out for / double check that insurance policies should cover. (What some insurance companies subtlety exclude that is of interest), and


b) What would not be covered by insurance that I need to be aware of?



As an example 3 examples:

1) I assumed (incorrectly it would appear) that misfueling would be covered by insurance. From what I can tell - insurance companies don't cover this. As a result I've put a special cap on for the time being to ensure I don't use the wrong bowser as many decades of muscle memory going for ULP could do damage I can't afford to cover myself. (I've been told I'll need close to $10k to resolve the damage if I, or someone else in my family does this).

2) Likewise - water damage in air intake - is this something that is covered / isn't covered / could be covered by certain insurance companies, etc..

3) Not covered for 4WDing. (Some insurance companies won't cover 4WD / river crossings / etc - whilst others I've found will cover anywhere where we are legally permitted to go).


They are just a few examples (and questions) I'm looking for answers to - but I'm also wondering if there is anything else that you or you have heard someone else caught out on, expecting that it was covered and it isn't (or wasn't by that particular insurance company)?


I personally don't plan on doing a lot of major 4WDing but I would like to be able to go through a creek, or take some tracks in the high country - or maybe end up going over to Fraser Island - and would like to know what I need to consider.

[Pixie_au]

Just on the misfueling matter... to do big dollars worth of damage you need to do two things

1) put the wrong fuel in; and
2) start the vehicle

If you only do 1) then it will still cost cleaning the fuel tank etc.

If you realise between 1) and 2) don't start the vehicle, even to move it, even if someone tells you to do so. Truck it off to a mechanic and keep the keys apart from it.

[onair]

Thanks @pixie_au,

Sounds like no one else has been caught out thinking they were covered for something they weren't before.

I'm going over a PDS at the moment, and found a few extra's I wasn't aware that I may not be covered for:

- Damage caused by cleaning. (So if I park incorrectly at a carwash, or something happens that damages the vehicle - it's not covered).

- Rioting or looting. (Something I never thought I'd have to be worried about until this year)...

- These in addition to incorrect fueling

What's interesting is that I couldn't find in the PDS any reference such to flooding / water in the air intake - or loss of vehicle if the vehicle was taken by the sea (either something disastrous happens at a boat ramp, or stuck on a beach with an incoming tide), etc - so I'm not sure really where I sit with that from a PDS - only from a hearsay perspective.

[Two Emms]

Something that has always concerned me is the idea of a suspension lift or other modification that affects the handling of a vehicle.

Replacing standard suspension components with others of the same spec should be fine. But if your vehicle was lifted the legal max and rolled over, would the insurance company try to blame the lift?

I think if you have informed them of the lift in some kind of disclosure/modification list then you would be fine but if not.....??

Fortunately i have never been in that particular situation (I'm not perfect , I"ve written off a couple of cars) But its always been in the back of my mind.

I seem to recall hearing that for modified (not extreme just "normal" suspension lift etc) vehicles, Shannons were one of the better companies to deal with, but having never used them I am not sure if this is true.

[BruceandBobbi]

Suspension lifts are regulated by ADR. If it's ADR legal how could an insurance claim be refused?

If insurance companies want the be picky all policies state the vehicle has to be roadworthy.

A vehicle with a busted headlight, no brake lights etc is technically not road worthy. Not forgetting oil leaks. Next time you are stopped at traffic lights or in a shopping centre carpark check out the oil stains on the bitumen.

[Two Emms]

Suspension lifts are regulated by ADR. If it's ADR legal how could an insurance claim be refused?

If insurance companies want the be picky all policies state the vehicle has to be roadworthy.

Makes perfect sense. Thank You

[Just Cruzin]

Suspension lifts are regulated by ADR. If it's ADR legal how could an insurance claim be refused?

Because it's an act of God and not covered by Mabo.

[onair]

Something that has always concerned me is the idea of a suspension lift or other modification that affects the handling of a vehicle.

The PDS for Club4x4 states in page 19 that they will not cover if:

your vehicle was converted, altered or modified from its manufacturer's specifications and is no longer roadworthy or legal within the state it is registered.

To my understanding- this means any other modifications - provided they are roadworthy should be fine.