Tag: accident

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Car Insurance

Does car insurance cover a hit-and-run accident?

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A hit-and-run is when a driver flees the scene after hitting another car, pedestrian or object without providing their contact information, assisting in any way or contacting the police.

Under the UAE Traffic laws, any motorist that causes an accident must not leave the scene without offering information about themselves and assisting the affected. In case of a minor accident, the driver is free to move the car to a safer spot then inform the police. The Traffic laws provide for either imprisonment or fines starting from Dh20,000 in case of a hit-and-run.

However, that is not to say all motorists comply. So, what happens when you are a victim of a hit-and-run?

When hit by another driver who leaves the scene, their car insurance coverage won’t be available to cover the damages. However, your auto policy may help cover the costs of the damages.

Some of the coverages to damages to your car include:

Collision coverage

Collision coverage protects your car against any physical damage. It will help cover the costs of repairs or replacement in case of a total loss after the hit-and-run. While collision coverage is not mandatory, it is common for rented or leased cars.

Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD)

Your insurance company is likely to consider a hit-and-run driver an uninsured. Therefore, without the collision coverage, you can opt for the UMPD to help cover the costs of damage from the accident.

Medical payments/personal injury protection (PIP)

The medical payments and personal injury protection work irrespective of who’s at fault hence can be used in case of a hit-and-run. The medical payments cover medical expenses from the accident for you and the passengers involved. PIP covers medical expenses and additional expenses like child care, lost wages, household-related and funeral expenses.

When involved in a hit-and-run, contact the police as soon as possible to file a report, document the scene for evidence, then contact your insurance company.

Bottom Line

You can never be too sure of the actions of the other driver who causes you an accident. However, you can keep protected at all times through the right coverage. Contact us today to help you find the right low car insurance coverage that will cover you in case of a hit-and-run.

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Categories
Travel Insurance

Travel insurance terms to know

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If you’re about to purchase travel insurance, it’s essential to familiarise yourself with the commonly used terms. This way, you understand the terms of your policy and know exactly what it covers. Here’s a list of standard travel insurance terms you’re likely to see in your policy.

1. Accident

In travel insurance lingo, an accident is an unexpected circumstance or event without deliberate intent. For example, if you lose luggage during your trip, that’s an accident, which can be covered in your insurance policy.

However, it’s essential to note that some providers only cover the bare minimum for accidents, e.g., they may only cover the loss of clothing items and not valuable luggage unless you get additional cover.

2. Accumulation limit

This is the maximum amount payable by your provider in respect of any one accident. If the accumulation limit is exceeded, the amount is distributed on a proportional basis to all the persons listed in your policy.

3. Beneficiary

In the event you pass, your beneficiary is the individual who becomes eligible to receive payment as stipulated in your retirement plan, will, life insurance policy, trust, annuity or other contract, unless you demand otherwise.

4. Cancel For Any Reason

This means you can cancel without giving any reason. However, you need to provide proof of health, weather, family or political emergency to justify the reimbursement and cancellation of trip costs.

5. Dangerous Sports Waiver

Most travel insurance policies don’t cover you for high-risk activities such as winter sports (snowboarding) or riding a motorcycle. So, purchasing a dangerous sports waiver as an add-on waives such sports, covering them in the event of injury.

6. Total number of travel days

This is the maximum number of days insured under your travel insurance policy. It’s vital to enter the correct number of days you’ll be travelling when purchasing your cover so that you’re covered throughout your trip.

7. Lapse

If you fail to pay the required renewal premium, your provider terminates your policy. This is known as a lapse.

It’s imperative to ask your provider to clarify any terms in your policy that you don’t understand to avoid surprises.

Feel free to use our tools and resources today to find your ideal travel insurance provider and buy travel insurance today.

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Categories
Health Insurance

What to know about claiming on health insurance

If you’ve had an accident or illness abroad, you will want to claim on your health insurance. But when is the right time to do so? Some companies only refund, whereas others will pay upfront. And, if you have only had to pay a minimal amount, your insurance company may not pay at all! Here are some tips on how to know when to claim on your insurance.

Read your policy carefully

It’s important to know exactly what your policy includes when you buy it. If you read it carefully, it will tell you a lot of important things. These include:

Your excess – this is the amount that you must contribute up to. If you pay less than your excess, then your insurance will not cover it. You can generally reduce or even eliminate the excess by paying for a more comprehensive insurance package.

Whether the insurance pays upfront – for some things, you might be able to just give your insurance details. In other cases, you may have to pay and then the insurance will compensate you. Don’t worry – for very expensive things, you can normally just give your insurance details.

Speak to the admin staff when you arrive at hospital

If you are able to, contact the payment staff when you first get to the hospital. This is when you should make them aware that you have insurance and work out whether you will be paying upfront or if the insurance will pay them directly. Use this as an opportunity to find out roughly how much the total bill will be too – medical care can be very expensive in some countries and this will avoid any nasty surprises!

Make sure that you don’t leave without paying or signing

In some hospitals, it can be easy to walk out without paying. Make sure that you do make a payment or sign a form stating that your insurance will pay, otherwise you could be given a hefty fine.

If you know exactly what your mediclaim insurance policy entails, you should have a good idea of how much and when they will pay.

Categories
Car Insurance

Important factors to consider when looking for car insurance as a new driver

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So you’ve passed your test – congratulations! However, for some newly qualified drivers, the realisation of how much car insurance can cost comes as a shock to the system. If you’ve so far got by on temporary coverage, or been added as a provisional driver to a long-standing insurance policy on a parent or friend’s vehicle, you may now be facing the unexpected challenge of finding a online insurance that covers you on your own vehicle.

Size really does matter

One key factor in determining the cost of insurance premiums is the engine size of the vehicle. So if you haven’t yet bought a car, make sure you research the comprehensive insurance costs of all the options you are considering. Even cars that at first glance seem similar may have noticeably different insurance premiums due to just a small variation in engine size.

More mods mean more money

Although it might be tempting to raise or lower the car or add alloys or larger wheels, this may not be a great idea. Insurers do not tend to look favourably on modifications. They can noticeably increase the cost of insurance, and failure to declare modifications that you have made can render your insurance invalid, so take great care when making changes!

Mind the gap

A final factor to consider is whether the full value of your car would be protected if you were to have an accident that wrote the vehicle off. New vehicles lose a lot of their value in the first year. This depreciation means that if a car is damaged in an accident, and the insurance will only payout on the current value, you could stand to lose a significant amount of your initial investment. This can be particularly problematic if you have bought your car on finance – you could end up with a big bill, which would not be entirely covered by the insurance payout.

This is where a relatively new insurance product, gap insurance, comes in. Designed primarily for new drivers and nearly new cars, this insurance will cover the difference between any outstanding finance payments you owe on the car, and the payment from your main insurance policy. For new drivers with new cars, this is definitely a factor worth considering.

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Categories
Car Insurance

What to do after a car accident that’s not your fault

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After you’ve been in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, it can be difficult to know exactly what to do next in order to make a successful insurance claim. Once you’ve made sure that nobody has been seriously hurt, it’s important to take the following steps:

Gather necessary information

The driver who caused the accident is responsible for reporting it to their car insurance company, but many drivers are reluctant to do this. It is important that you get in touch with their insurer as well and collect the following information:

– The other driver’s address and name
– The other driver’s insurance policy and the name of their company
– Contact information and statements from witnesses
– Photographs of the scene of the accident (before the cars are moved)
– Any dashcam footage of the accident
– Any other evidence that may support your claim

Notify the right people

When you contact the other driver’s insurer to let them know that you have been involved in a crash with them, make sure that you give them full details of the incident without explicitly placing blame; simply give them the facts. Even if you don’t believe that you caused the incident, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your own insurance company anyway. This can be useful if the other driver denies any responsibility for the accident and you need to make a claim. Before you send your vehicle to a garage for repairs, make sure that you have written authorisation from your insurance company first.

Choose your battles

If the other driver’s insurance company claims that it has no evidence that its policyholder was at fault after your accident, you will need a lawyer, especially if you have been seriously hurt. A lawyer can help you navigate a large insurance claim, but they will take a portion of the settlement awarded to you. If your claim is small, you can take the driver at fault to small claims court.

To save money on third party insurance, get in touch with our team at Compare Insurance today.

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Categories
Car Insurance

Do car insurance premiums increase after an accident in UAE?

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Accidents happen. Despite our best efforts, things don’t run smoothly all the time and we can’t control everything around us. Driving is one area where an accident can cause lasting problems, and one of the concerns is that car insurance premiums will go up. There are many drivers from different cultures in UAE, which increases the risk of accidents occurring. So just how much is your insurance premium likely to increase if you are unlucky enough to have an accident?

What will insurance companies consider?

Insurance premiums won’t always go up – there are several factors insurance companies will consider. The UAE insurance industry is quite accommodating and less likely to seize an opportunity to make more money than in many other countries. There is no mandatory premium loading in UAE, so a single accident won’t necessarily cause your premium to rise.

Loading insurance premiums is common amongst many insurers in other countries. It defines the amount that will be added to a car insurance premium to accommodate the perceived increase in risk with a driver who has recently had an accident. With some providers, an accident could lead to your premium increasing by 20-25%. But if you explore some other providers after having an accident you could find yourself a better rate. Bear in mind, however, that you will not get a protected no-claims discount.

What if the accident wasn’t my fault?

This is why you should get a police report immediately after an accident. If you have evidence that the accident wasn’t your fault, it could help with your car insurance premium. The insurance company of the person at fault usually covers the costs, but you may have to claim against your own insurance if the person at fault isn’t found (like in a hit-and-run).

So what factors affect insurance premiums after an accident?

The main factors that will have an impact are:

  • The severity of the accident
  • Who was at fault
  • Your overall driving history
  • Responsible driving

So if you have a minor accident that wasn’t your fault, and you have a clean driving history with no speeding offences, your insurance premium may not increase substantially. Nevertheless, it’s important to use a comparison website like Compare Insurance to look for the best car insurance. This will enable you to find the right deal for your lifestyle, your vehicle and your wallet.

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Categories
Car Insurance

Why does your profession affect your car insurance?

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You’ll need to submit information about yourself when hunting to buy car insurance online. This includes detailed such as if you’re married and whether you own your own home. You will also be asked about your profession. You might well ask: why does it matter what you do for a living or what industry you work in? However, the answers you give can actually be vital for determining how much you can expect to pay for your cover. Let’s have a look at exactly why your profession affects basic car insurance.

Use

Your job tells providers quite a lot about what you’ll be using your car for. Just some of the assumptions they’ll make include where it will be parked and what hours you’ll be working. This is very important for them to know, especially because they can marry it up against pre-existing data on when and where car accidents are most likely to happen. If it’s determined that you work in a profession where you’re more likely to have an accident – and therefore make a claim against your insurance – then you can expect to receive a higher quote.

Reliability

Rightly or wrongly, car insurance providers make assumptions about your reliability based on your profession. It’s not necessarily fair, but it’s just one of the factors that will be taken into account when determining your quote. Different providers will rank different professions in their own unique way, so it’s hard to say which jobs will make a quote go up and which ones will make it go down. A general rule is that you can expect to pay a higher amount if you’re unemployed. If you aren’t truthful when declaring your profession then it might invalidate your insurance in the event of an accident.

Be sure to shop around

If you are concerned that your profession will push up the price of your car insurance then you need to shop around to get the best deal. You can do this easily by using Compare Insurance, a service which will bring up multiple quotes from different providers for you to choose from.

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