Many drivers don’t realise that should their car be involved in an accident due to lack of maintenance, their insurer is unlikely to pay out.
Gerhard Genis, head of Santam’s claims administrative services, says: “Policyholders are covered against their own negligence, but insurers are entitled to decline a claim if the policyholder’s behaviour is reckless or if their vehicle was not roadworthy and, as a result, this lack of maintenance led to an accident.
“The insured must take all reasonable steps to safeguard the vehicle from loss and damage and maintain it in an efficient condition at all times to remain covered.”
Recklessness is where policyholders know there is a possibility of loss or damage to their property but, despite this, choose to ignore it because they are insured, says Genis.
“If, for example, you leave your keys in your car and it is stolen, your insurer would conclude that reasonable steps were not taken to safeguard your car.”
Similarly, insured parties need to maintain the efficient condition of their car, ensuring that tyres, brakes, gears, wipers and everything else that contributes to the effective and safe operation of the vehicle are in working condition.
“If you had an accident on a rainy day and your wipers were not working, the insurance assessor would not certify the car roadworthy,” he says.
Worn-out tyres and faulty brakes would also not meet the “roadworthy” specifications and the claim would likely be rejected by the insurer.
Smooth tyres are one of the leading causes of a vehicle not being roadworthy. If it is found that worn tyres caused or contributed to an accident, the damage to the vehicle will not be covered.
“The additional plus side of maintaining your car and keeping its services up to date is that the more roadworthy it is, the more fuel-efficient it will be,” adds Genis.