/ 24 November 2010

End-of-school parties could trash your car cover

If your teenager's not covered by insurance, don't let him or her drive -- or "borrow" your car and tell you later.

If you’ve cut back on your motor insurance premiums, don’t even think of letting your teenager borrow your car for an end-of-year school party, says Debbie Barrett, general manager marketing at FNB Insurance Brokers. If your car isn’t properly insured, you could be held liable if an accident occurs.

Because families have cut costs and restricted their car insurance over the past couple of years, some have opted to insure for “self and spouse” or “named drivers over 25”, which means that teens are not covered.

“Scaling back can contain insurance costs effectively, but it is vital consumers operate within agreed limits,” cautions Barrett. She advises parents to tell their children not to “borrow” the car and let them know later because of the implications — insurance claims can be repudiated and lives can be lost.

Keep a close eye on your car keys and arrange your children’s transport to and from the venue.

It’s not just your kids who can be injured in a crash, but other children, too, and with drunken driving common at this time of year the consequences really don’t bear thinking about.

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