Policy Exclusions - Personal
Effects
A comprehensive policy will usually provide
some limited cover for your personal possessions. This cover
might have its own special section in your policy.
Important points to watch out for are:
Look for the exclusions in the 'small print'. You won't be able
to claim for money or valuables. It is not the intention of a
motor policy to cover valuable items in your car. You can
obtain cover under your household contents policy.
There is usually a limit of £100 or £150. This
has not changed for many years! So if you have more personal
effects than this in your car, your policy limit will apply and
you will receive the limit. From where I sit, it is amazing how
many people have just about £100 worth of personal effects in
their car all the time!!
It is not 'new for old' cover. Insurers can
deduct for fair wear and tear. If you have a tatty worn out
coat you can't expect to be paid the cost of a new one. You
would be getting better than you had before and that is
contrary to the principles of insurance. Again from where I
sit, nearly everyone who claims have new or almost new personal
possessions. And of course, no one keeps receipts to prove
that.
Many insurers now apply your excess to this
part of the policy. So if you have just had your personal
effects stolen and there is no other claim for your car, forget
it. Don't bother to report it to your motor insurer. If you
have adequate cover on your household contents claim on that
instead.
Also, don't try and claim for the same loss on
both policies without telling them you are doing so. You cannot
be paid out by two insurers for the same loss in such a way as
to make a profit. There are sophisticated computer database's
that insurers subscribe to for the very purpose of catching
people who try this sort of fraud.
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"I didn't think the speed limit applied after
midnight" |
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Extracts taken from actual claim
forms submitted to
a number of UK car insurance companies |
Next.....
UK Car Insurance - Your Obligations
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