Warning over 'hefty' insurance bills if you don't check for these loopholes
23.02.2022 - 10:43
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Drivers are being warned they could get a 'hefty' and unexpected bill if they do not check their insurance small print for "loopholes".
Consumer group Which? analysed 49 policies from insurers and said it found some gaps in coverage for personal belongings and "surprising" exclusions for courtesy cars.
The majority of policies it looked at contained some kind of coverage for belongings - so if a person's car is damaged or stolen, they can claim for items that need to be repaired or replaced.
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But, Which? discovered that not all types of belongings are covered.
Some things not included in the policies are cash, documents and credit cards with four in 10 (40 per cent) policies with personal possessions cover excluding mobile phones from coverage.
Which? also found that only around a quarter (24%) of policies will pay for someone to recover illegal clamping or towing fees, while just three in 10 (31%) will help deal with legal costs related to a car’s licence plate being cloned.
While all policies have some provision for courtesy car cover as standard, only a fifth offered a temporary replacement vehicle if someone's vehicle is stolen, and just a fifth do so if it is written off.
Most policies have the option to upgrade to this feature to make it more comprehensive, but drivers should not assume the cover as given, Which? cautioned.
Which? found the “rarest” feature it looked at is guaranteed cover for driving other cars, but in more than a third (37%) of policies, it applies only in emergencies.
Meanwhile, seven in 10 (69%) policies offer help in the event that someone fills their petrol tank with the wrong fuel, but only one in five (18%) will assist with both draining the tank and repairing the engine - half