The purpose of an auto insurance policy is to protect the policyholder if there is an accident or theft that results in the damage or loss of his/her car, an injury to the policyholder or third party. In this article, we discuss how to file an insurance claim.
How to File an Insurance Claim Due to Theft or Hijacking
It is common knowledge that South Africa has a high rate of car theft. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation you have a few options.
- The policyholder must report the incident immediately to the South African Police Services (SAPS) within 24 hours and get a case number.
- He/she must call the insurance or submit an insurance claim either electronically or fill a claims form.
- The policyholder must also submit his/her ID and policy number.
How to File an Insurance Claim Due to an Accident
Accidents happen on the roads most of the times. Some are minor and may result in little to no damage on vehicles and third party properties.
Whenever an accident occurs, whatever its magnitude, a policyholder should do the following:
- They must immediately notify his/her insurer of the accident and the claim.
- He/she can also take pictures or video of the accident scene using a phone, digital camera, etc.
- If the accident involves other parties, the policyholder should collect the following information from them:
- Full name and ID number
- Contact details
- Vehicle details (make, model and registration number)Insurance information
Things to take into account
- If there are any witnesses to the accident, the policyholder can also get their names and contact details.
- When the policyholder is ready to submit a claim to his/her insurer, he/she must submit the following documents:
- SAPS case number
- Driver’s licence and public driving permit (PDP) if applicable
- Third party information
What if the accident wasn’t my fault?
If a policyholder is involved in any accident in which another driver is at fault, he/she may seek compensation from the driver. Before the policyholder can be compensated by the third party, he/she must prove that the third party was negligent or did not follow road rules. The result being damage to the policyholder’s vehicle.
The policyholder can claim compensation for injuries sustained because of the accident. He/she will have to submit a patient number and prove that his/her injuries were as a result of the accident.
The policyholder will then be compensated by the third party’s insurer or the matter can be taken to the Small Claims Court or the Magistrates Court. The policyholder must be truthful and his/her account of the story leading to claim must be consistent all the time. If the claim is successful, the insurer will pay for the repairs or replace the vehicle.
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