What Happens When You Get Into An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?
When you’re behind the wheel, the chances are that the thought of an accident doesn’t enter your mind very frequently. However, a recent report published by the Automobile Association of South Africa shows that almost 800 thousand vehicles get into accidents every year.
Now, this isn’t even the most worrying part. The study also shows that in South Africa, 65%-70% of these accidents involve uninsured motorists. Do you know if you have the best car insurance to match your needs? Use The Panda’s free online car insurance comparison tool:(estimated time 6 minutes)
So, what happens when you get into an accident with an uninsured motorist? Let’s find out.
What You Should Do
Car Insurance in South Africa is still not something that every motorist has. Therefore, the most likely outcome in case of an accident will be that you will have to file a claim with your car insurance company.
Firstly, call the police so that you have a record of the accident.
To have an ironclad case, you need to be thorough. Take lots of pictures of the damage your car sustained, note down the contact details of the uninsured motorist, the policemen involved in the case, and any witnesses to the accident. Also, learn the police report number, and write down any other relevant details you can remember.
The insurance company will demand to see all the accident evidence and may even want to get some details from the witnesses or the person causing the accident.
Talk to the police and your car insurance company as soon as possible, as some places have a limited time frame in which one can file a police report or an insurance claim.
What Will Happen
If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, your insurance company will pay for the physical or financial damage you sustained in the car accident. The best car insurance companies offer packages that include this cover at an affordable premium.
If your insurance doesn’t cover it, you can file a lawsuit against the person causing the accident. However, this is a very long path and doesn’t always result in you getting paid for the damages you incurred.
Third-party car insurance was mandatory in South Africa until 1997. After that, the authorities replaced it with the Road Accident Fund (RAF). The RAF is a fund that covers the costs of physical injuries sustained in a car accident by an uninsured motorist but does not cover any damage to your vehicle.
How You Can Prepare In Advance
When getting car insurance quotes in South Africa, make sure that third-party coverage is the first thing you include. This coverage allows you to pay off any damages incurred by the other person involved in the accident.
When you compare car insurance, comprehensive cover is also a great option as it covers the damages sustained by your car and the other person’s car in case of an accident. You can also include underinsured motorist cover in your policy.
Conclusion
Since the South African roads are some of the most dangerous globally, your car insurance in South Africa should either have comprehensive insurance with underinsured or uninsured motorist cover or at least third-party coverage.
Having car insurance in South Africa will allow you to drive around without worrying about getting into a costly accident, and the best car insurance companies will take out time to guide you about your options.
