Isaac Moledi

Isaac Moledi

You might have signed up for vehicle insurance to give you peace of mind in the event of something happening to your car - but do you know what you can and can't claim for?

Scores of South Africans pay for insurance but don't pay much attention to what exactly they are buying or how they can make their insurance work for them - until they're in a crisis.

Insurance experts agree that many car claims are being rejected by insurers because the vehicle insured did not comply with certain stipulations in the policy.

Kedi Maponyane of Prosper Insurance advises that if you're paying for insurance, it's well worth the effort to get to know your policy.

If you understand the ins and outs of your policy, he explains, you are more likely to get value out of it.

Says Maponyane: "Each short-term insurance company has its own set of procedures for submitting claims and claims assessments.

"These measures aren't designed to make claiming from insurance difficult. Consumers must simply familiarise themselves with their provider's procedures so they know what to do and what to expect."

"For instance, if you are in an accident or your car breaks down and you need it to be towed, it's better to call for an authorised towing service rather than allowing just anyone to tow your vehicle away.

If you don't, says Maponyane, your insurance provider cannot guarantee the safety of your car or the quality of the service you get.

Maponyane says there have been numerous incidents in which people have allowed their cars to be towed without first checking the credibility of the provider, only to be charged exorbitant fees for the service or to have their vehicles released from unauthorised storage yards.