Explained: Six questions about car insurance

Car insurance is one of those things we rarely think about until we actually need it. But, just as there are different types of cars with different levels of safety, so too there are different types of insurance coverage that offer varying levels of protection.

Because of that, there are some misconceptions about precisely what is – and isn’t – covered under a comprehensive car insurance policy, and what you can do to ensure you understand and have the level of protection you require.

Bingle Insurance is helping us clarifying six common car insurance questions .

A comprehensive car insurance policy doesn’t usually provide emergency assistance or vehicle repairs if your car suffers a mechanical or electrical breakdown without being involved in an accident, as this is considered general wear and tear on the vehicle.

However, all new vehicles come with a manufacturer-backed warranty – some of which include roadside assistance that provide repairs and towing – for a certain period of time after the purchase.

If your vehicle does suffer from a mechanical or electrical breakdown, check the warranty status and included roadside assistance (if applicable) to see if it helps.

In any event, properly maintaining your vehicle by regularly checking the oil and water levels and tyre pressure as well as following the prescribed servicing schedule from the manufacturer can help prevent the likelihood of a mechanical breakdown.

A comprehensive car insurance policy from Bingle covers your car for accidental loss or damage, but it does not cover any personal items within it that may be damaged in an accident or stolen from the vehicle.

It does provide coverage for most legal accessories and modifications made to the vehicle, such as audio systems, window tinting, alloy wheels and such, as well as baby capsules and child seats. But, if your vehicle is stolen or broken into, it does not provide coverage to replace personal possessions.

As a general rule then, don’t leave valuable items like laptops and phones (even your wallet!) in the car. At the very least, secure them out of sight in the boot or glovebox, to prevent any temptations for an opportunistic thief.

And, of course, lock your vehicle each time it is unattended.

Broken windows, windscreens and glass repair are covered under car insurance
If the only damage to the vehicle is broken glass – either a smashed window or a cracked windscreen – a standard comprehensive insurance policy from Bingle would not cover repairs or replacement. (You’d probably be better off taking care of it yourself as the cost to do this is likely to be less than your comprehensive policy’s excess).

However, choosing Bingle’s Windscreen and Glass Only optional extra on your policy can provide this cover -- without you having to pay an excess.

This is really two different questions, as it is two completely different scenarios.

Firstly, Bingle’s Comprehensive Car Insurance does provide coverage if someone else is involved in an accident while driving your vehicle (and they would have otherwise met our acceptance criteria to be a listed driver). However, if the driver is not listed on the policy and they are a household member or regular driver they may incur an additional excess.

Make sure you consider listing all household members that are eligible and/or likely to drive the vehicle and other regular drivers who drive your car on your policy.

If you have an accident while driving someone else’s vehicle then, similarly, their insurance policy may provide coverage for any costs and repairs, assuming they have the same level of comprehensive protection. But other restrictions could apply so make sure you check the fine print first!

Teaching your kids to drive can be challenging for both the student and the teacher, and, with years of driving experience it can be difficult to remember just how complicated it is to drive a vehicle for the first time. While the aim of the game is to teach young drivers how to prevent being involved in an incident, sometimes they happen.

Bingle’s Comprehensive Car Insurance considers a learner as a listed driver within the policy as long as a listed driver is in the vehicle at the time.

In the event of a claim, an age excess may apply (in addition to the standard excess) if the learner driver is under the age of 25.

There are many factors that are applied to work out the cost of individual car insurance policies. Obviously, the age, make and model of the vehicle is pivotal to the outcome but so are where you live, your age, driving and claims history, plus things like how you use the vehicle, if you have finance on it and the annual kilometres travelled.

These are all factors in determining the likelihood of you making a claim against the policy and the potential costs in repairing or replacing the vehicle.

And, finally, the level of protection you choose, whether you opt for basic third-party or full comprehensive coverage, the level of excess you are willing to pay against a claim and any additional policy items will also contribute to determining the eventual annual premium.

So, there you go, quick and easy answers to six of the most common questions about car insurance.

Make sure you check your car insurance policy for clarification on any of these topics, as different insurers may offer varying levels of coverage in each of these scenarios.

Disclaimer: Insurance issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as Bingle Insurance. Before buying insurance, read the Product Disclosure Statement and consider whether it is right for you. The information is this article is intended to be of general nature only. Bingle Insurance does not accept any legal responsibility for any loss incurred as a result of reliance upon it – please make your own enquiries.