FAQ

How to claim

At Suretimes (Pty) Ltd we make it easy for you to claim. When the need to claim arises all you need to do is contact our office on 0800 43 49 48 where our qualified staff will handle the claims process on your behalf. Please remember to obtain a claim number. According to the policy contract, you are obligated to submit notice of your claim as soon as you are able to.

Your checklist to speed up the claim process:

• ensure the information on your claims form is correct and includes full details of the third party as well as those of any eye witnesses to the accident
• report the case to the police immediately, they will give you a case number which you need to supply to Suretimes (Pty) Ltd  on registering the claim
• provide a clear, concise description of the manner in which the accident occurred
• include a clear sketch of the accident
• when registering have both your policy number and identity number at hand

About your excess

The excess is the first payment that needs to be made in the event of a claim, regardless of whether you are guilty or not. If the insured is not guilty, he or she can claim the amount back from the other party; this process could however take some considerable time, particularly if the guilty party is not insured.

There are certain circumstances when excess cannot be recovered; amongst others, these include the instances below:

• the insured does not have any third party particulars
• the third party does not have any income or any assets to attach
• the legal costs outweigh the recovery costs
• the third party has left the country or cannot be traced
• the merits of the claim do not justify the recovery

How to value your vehicle

Various factors influence the value of a motor vehicle, consequently it is important to insure your vehicle at its current market value. As a vehicle's value depreciates over time due to wear and tear this should be taken into account when deciding your vehicle insurance amount. The insurance company will base the original insured value on the retail value and calculate the premium accordingly.

The Auto dealers' Guide is a handy tool for determining market value however the following factors should also be taken into account :

• the popularity of and demand for particular makes in certain areas
• the condition of the vehicle
• the odometer reading
• extras which have been fitted to the vehicle

How to insure your vehicle

When wanting to insure your vehicle you have three options - Comprehensive Cover, Third Party Only Cover, or Third Party, Fire and Theft Cover.

Comprehensive Cover - you are covered for loss of or damage to the vehicle, Third Party Liability, and limited medical expenses

Third Party Only Cover - cover only in respect of liability to Third Parties

Third Party, Fire and Theft Cover - the insured vehicle is covered in respect of loss of or damage to the vehicle resulting from fire, self-ignition, lightning, explosion or by theft or any attempt threat. Cover for liability to Third Parties also applies.

Repair or replace?

A windscreen claim does not affect your no-claim bonus. It may however be useful to you to know that should you have the windscreen repaired rather than replaced, there would be no excess for you to pay. The insurer may however place certain restrictions on which dealers may be used, before contacting a dealer please check whether your insurer has any such restrictions in place. Once you have determined whether restrictions apply simply call the dealer of your choice, provide your policy number, registration number and the date of the damage, and they will schedule an appointment to carry out repairs.

Tyres

If it can be proven that a motor accident occurred due to tyres not having been maintained correctly, a short-term insurer can refuse to settle a claim for the replacement or repair of such a vehicle.

Vehicle owners tend to be negligent about their tyres yet they provide the only point of contact between yourself and the road. At most, the tyre surface area in contact with the road at any time is equivalent to four outstretched hands. This should suffice to convince any motorist - and policyholder - tyres which are not looked after could cost you dearly.

The tyres are one of the most significant parts of any vehicle - have the tyre pressure and tyre tread checked regularly, and ensure that the tyres comply with the legal minimum tread depth of 1 mm all round. When the insurance company has a vehicle repaired, it is standard procedure to check the condition of the vehicle when assessing damage; the vehicle will not be permitted back on the road if the condition of the tyres is determined as unacceptable.

Construction Insurance

Please click here to download pdf.