Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Car Inusrance in SA

By Tom Martens

The automotive insurance market in South Africa is one of the more difficult ones in which to operate. Since the government does not mandate that all drivers carry car insurance, most drivers end up going without it. Also, drivers there are some of the worst around. In fact, South Africa has often had the dubious honor of being ranked number one in both traffic injuries and fatalities.

Car insurance premiums seem to rise all the time and this is due to more dangerous roads and too many drivers without insurance.

Although it is the most costly form of insurance cover, Comprehensive Cover provides the highest form of protection of all the other insurance covers. The cover includes protection not provided by the other two other forms of cover, Third Party and Third Party Fire and Theft. Third Party covers you in case there is damage another persons property in an accident or a person is injured in a mishap that you are responsible for. Third Party Fire and Theft covers you when your vehicle is destroyed by fire or is stolen. Comprehensive Cover on the other hand is an all inclusive cover. It covers damage to your car, medical expenses and replacement of broken glass

For the moment this may not mean a lot to you. But when you understand that each time you drive without a proper insurance cover, you put at risk your car, yourself, cargo and other road users. Can you afford to replace or get your vehicle repaired without insurance? In case you are involved in a car crash and you are at fault, can you meet the expenses to repair or replace somebody elses car or property? What if your own motor vehicle gets stolen, hijacked or smashed up? If you cannot afford to meet these kinds of expenses from your own pocket, you definitely require insurance.

Now that you understand about the necessities of insurance, get details about the different options available, so you could lower your premiums.

The best way to reduce your car insurance premiums is to maintain a clean driving record. Since every claim that you make on your insurance costs your insurer money, the more claims you have made, the more that they will need to charge you. By the same token, maintaining a clean driving record will lead to lower premiums.

The kind of car you drive also makes a difference. Expensive sports cars cost more to insure because accidents or thefts are more likely and repairs cost more.

Some insurances allow for lesser rates if you make your car more safe. Consider putting in a GPX or extra locks to hold down insurance costs.

As you start to look into the available insurance alternatives, you will find that a price and policy comparison is simplest to do on the Internet. If you purchase a policy online, you may even qualify for a discount. But remember that the lowest cost insurance is not always the best one to choose. You should try to locate insurance that fulfills your needs and is affordable.

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