Age restrictions on drivers
When you take out a car insurance policy it is important to read the exclusions that come with it. This will differ from insurer to insurer, but there are some common exclusions such as an age restriction on drivers. What this means is that there is a minimum age limit, which is usually 25 years or 30 years and above, who will be covered. If you happen to give your car to a family member or a friend that happens to be below these age groups and they are involved in an accident or theft your claim won’t be paid out.
Drinking and driving
The festive season is known as the silly season, and somewhere during the holiday people are bound to drink. According to ASIC, Australians spend $14.9 billion on alcohol. However, getting behind the wheel after having a few is a definite way to have your policy not pay you out. You could also face some serious jail time. Therefore, always have a designated driver who is not under the influence to take you home.
Overloading your vehicle
Trying to squeeze everything or everyone into your car so that you can make one trip can put you and your vehicle at risk. It also an exclusion that is part of many car insurance policies that you need to be aware of. Carrying more passengers or items can also put your car under significant strain which can affect your car’s fuel economy and driving ability such as being able to brake without wearing your brake pads. If you are planning to tow anything make sure to check that it is to the car’s specifications.
Your car has parts that are not road worthy
That one faulty light that you have been avoiding, or those tyres you’ve been meaning to replace the need to be done before you even hit the road. This also means taking your car for regular servicing. Taking your car that is not roadworthy onto the road can be dangerous and increases your risk of being involved in an accident.
Reckless behaviour
It can be tempting to rev up your engine and make a dash for it when there are no cops or cars around. You may even feel tempted to take on a dare from friends because ‘hey it’s the silly season’. But this is also a quick way to kiss any protection from your policy goodbye.
Not paying your dues
You may have your premiums waved depending on your insurer but ditching your responsibility to pay your premiums will cancel out protection from your policy since it will be cancelled out. Before you hit the road, check that all is in order in terms of payments.
Modifications that are not approved
Whether you have been saving up for a few modifications that will increase your car's performance or appearance, check with your insurer to see if these are ok. Some insurers will increase your premiums to adequately cover your car, but some may not cover you at all depending on the modification.