Claiming on Woolworths Comprehensive Insurance - 3 Years after Event

Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 20:02
Last edited 02/07/2024 - 13:02 by 1 other user

Hi all , wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation before?, I’m asking you special lot.

Almost 3 years ago I had a car bumped into one of the side walls of a shopping centre (no damage of the any part of the centre) but scraped my side of the car. Didn’t want to put the claim as I didn’t have money to pay for the excess at the time.

I didn’t lodge the claim as I didn’t see a point. But now I I have the money for the excess but can I call the insurer and be honest about it ? Will they be able to put the claim. Happy to pay for the excess now. Yes still with the same insurer

Happy with your inputs

Automotive Car Insurance Insurance

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Comments

  • randomusername2017 on 01/07/2024 - 20:11
    +1

    This post is 3 months too late 🤔

  • Caped Baldy on 01/07/2024 - 20:15
    +4

    Depends how bad the damage is. You could try buffing it or get a non-insurance repair.

    Morally, it's probably alright to claim on insurance and say it happen recently but will impact your no claim history and you will have higher premiums.

    • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 21:37

      Well half broken side corner of the car, lights all working , except I have tapped (with same colour of the car)the car so it doesn’t look that bad.

  • JIMB0 on 01/07/2024 - 20:15
    +10

    You've lived with it for 3 years. Save your money, drive it until it dies. Beater cars are the best for stress free motoring, never have to worry if someone puts a ding in your door.

    • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 21:40

      Hahahah, love your feedback, feel that way , cannot be bothered to fix , it could be valued less than 5k

      Car doesn’t do much kms (less than 8000km a year)

      Station home and weekend shopping

      • sumyungguy on 01/07/2024 - 21:42
        +4

        Value less than $5K? Switch to TPP and drive it until it dies or someone else is liable.

        • cameldownunder on 01/07/2024 - 21:46

          Just did that this year.

        • Hvrd on 02/07/2024 - 09:35

          i did this then crashed my car a few months later and missed out on a few k

  • Dollar General on 01/07/2024 - 20:18
    +13

    Read the PDS. Generally, when you renew, you are meant to let the insurer know of any existing damage

    • battler on 01/07/2024 - 21:13
      +3

      Correct. Insurance is for the period of cover specified when you renew the policy (i.e. for that year), and you must notify the insurer of any changes in circumstances (eg. damage, driving offences, demerit points, etc)
      They will deny your claim. If you tell insurer the incident was 'this year' then you are committing insurance fraud.

      If the world operated like OP then nobody would have insurance… but instead just take out insurance after the event… but then that wouldn't work cos there would be nobody paying premiums into the bucket you wish to claim from!!

      • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 21:41
        -1

        Glad I asked the question wouldn’t have known about this PDS clause. I know switching to new provider you have to but renewing your current one didn’t know you have to tell them

        • doctordv8 on 02/07/2024 - 10:19

          Well you should know… read the instructions for everything….including non tangible items.
          At least you will now know… save your pennies and repair it.
          Your next renewal is at stake…..legally speaking.

  • sumyungguy on 01/07/2024 - 21:26
    +2

    Did you get a quote to get the repair done yourself, non-insurance rate? For an insurance job you'll pay excess plus at least three years of loaded premiums having made a claim.

    • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 21:42

      Not yet , but planning to after this.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 01/07/2024 - 21:55

    If you gave it a decent enough pump to remove paint and primer, they'll know instantly it's not fresh damage.

    • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 21:58

      Part of the bumper and side is slightly damaged

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 01/07/2024 - 22:02
        +3

        Then the repair cost might be the same or cheaper than your excess, with the bonus of not committing insurance fraud.

        • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 22:05

          Might as well discuss with my current insurer about this and go with a quote

  • Shenzimtk on 01/07/2024 - 22:11

    Thank you all for your valuable feedback! Keeps my mind at ease, love OZB

  • subwoofer on 02/07/2024 - 09:44
    +1

    I have a feeling the car wasn't even insured at time of accident, never heard of anybody not lodging a claim because of the excess unless the damage done is worth less than value of excess

    • sumyungguy on 02/07/2024 - 10:45
      +1

      OP may have needed to cash flow a $900 excess which rated low priority if the car was driveable.

    • Shenzimtk on 02/07/2024 - 13:35

      It definitely was insured

  • Drakesy on 02/07/2024 - 10:37

    Ahh,
    Insurance fraud.

  • dtc on 02/07/2024 - 10:39
    +1

    motor vehicle insurance is 'occurrence based' ie it covers losses that occur during the period of insurance. So you are entitled to make a claim after the policy has expired. However, the insurer will likely say either that (a) there was a requirement to make a claim as soon as possible and you didnt and/or (b) given the length of time since the loss, they cannot make any assessment of what the loss was at the time and so they wont repair

    For (a) there is a lot of law about this and it boils down more or less to 'sometimes late notification doesnt matter, sometimes it does'.s54 of the Insurance Contracts Act "Under section 54 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth), an insurer is prevented from refusing to pay a claim due to an act or omission of the insured that occurs after the contract is entered into, which includes an insured’s failure to comply with a notice provision. However, the insurer’s liability in respect of the claim may be reduced by the amount that fairly represents the extent to which the insurer's interests were prejudiced as a result of the insured’s act or omission."

  • apple2016 on 02/07/2024 - 11:58

    usually you need to logde the claim within a specific time. however, you could have choose to repair you car at a later point in time.

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