3 Ways Your Private Car Insurance Will Burn A Hole in Your Pocket
In Malaysia buying a car serves as a mark of independence and adulthood in most of our lives. However, do you know what is the extent of coverage that your standard private car insurance policy provides and what it does not cover?
What your Standard Private Car Insurance Policy WILL NOT Cover.
1 There are many instances that the insurance company will deny liability, and some of them are called “Special Perils”, which includes flood, typhoon, hurricane, storm, tempest, volcanic eruption, earthquake, landslide, landslip, subsidence, or other convulsion of nature.
2 Furthermore, the generic Policy does not cover loss or damage caused by riot, strike, civil commotion, and also Legal Liability to Passengers.
2.1 For better understanding of the calculations herein, we shall use the example of a motor car insurance for a Toyota Avanza, a 7-seater car with an engine capacity 1,496 cc, and insured at a sum of RM70,000.
Flood, Storm, and Tempest
3 Going through the list of special perils as stated above, one cannot
help but wonder “Would I be covered if my car is stuck in a flood?” The answer to that is No.
4 Your common Policy does not cover for the payment of any
mechanical breakdowns, engine failure or other damages that are caused by flood water entering the interiors of your car.
4.1 One of our clients had to replace the engine of his C Class, after his car was hit by flash flood in the City, the replacement cost for the engine was a whopping USD20,000 (RM80,000).
Endorsement for Flood
5 You have the option to supplement your policy by the payment of an additional premium with a flood, storm, hurricane, and tempest Endorsement.
5.1 An endorsement is basically an additional coverage that you may subscribe together with the original Policy with a fee.
5.2 For the Endorsement for Special Perils, the additional premium required is 0.5% of the value of the car.
5.2.1 For example, the calculation for a car with a sum insured of RM70,000 is as follows:
0.5% x RM 70,0000.00 = RM 350.00
Riot, Strike, and Civil Commotion (RSCC)
6 In view of the current events, riots and other public disturbances are becoming a common issue worldwide.
6.1 The generic Policy does not cover for damages inflicted upon your car consequence to a violent act, or any disturbance of the public peace.
Endorsement for RSCC
7 To avoid being devastated by such events, subscribing to the endorsement providing protection against riots, strikes, and civil commotions will be beneficial as it specifically covers the following:
7.1 The act of any person taking part in any disturbance of the public peace or the acts of a lawful authority done in suppressing or minimizing the said disturbance; and
7.2 The wilful act of any striker or worker done in demonstration of a strike or resistance to any lockout from the working premises, or the acts of any lawful authority done to suppress or minimize the consequences of the worker’s acts.
7.3 To obtain the Endorsement for RSCC, one has to pay a premium of 0.3% of the sum assured.
7.3.1 For example, the calculation for the additional premium for a Toyota Avanza with a sum insured at RM 70,000.00 is as follows:
0.3% x RM 70,000.00 = RM 210.00
Legal Liabilities to Passengers
8 The generic Policy has a clause on the Exclusion of Legal Liabilities to Passengers (“LLP”). The insurer will not cover you for any injury sustained by the passengers.
Endorsement for LLP
9 You can choose to extend the cover by removing the existing LLP clause (Endorsement 100) for a fee, then, the Insurers will cover you with some exceptions as stated herein.
9.1 The premium for LLP endorsement is 25% of the Third Party Premium whereby RM 10.00 is added for every seat that is in excess of five seats.
9.2 For example, for a Toyota Avanza, with a sum insured at RM70,000 the Third Party Premium is estimated to be RM 168.75. Therefore, the calculation for the LLP Endorsement is as follows:
25% x RM 168.75 =RM 42.19
RM42.19+ RM20.00 (for the additional two seats) = RM 62.19
10 The Insurers WILL NOT pay for any bodily injury or death of a passenger who is:
10.1 paying for the ride; or
10.2 your employee; or
10.3 your family member, transported in the course of a leisurely travel .
11 In the case Union Insurance Co. v Chan You Young [1995] 4 CLJ 92, decided by the Court of Appeal of Malaysia, the wife of the Insured was able to claim from Union Insurance Co. as at the time of accident, she was being driven because she was heading to work instead of being on leisurely travel.
Vehicles Entering Singapore
12 Another point to note is that, if you are planning to drive to Singapore with your vehicle, you are required to have the Endorsement for LLP as it is compulsory in Singapore.
Disclaimer
13 This article is a part of Alex Chang & Co’s Corporate Social Responsibility effort to share our thoughts on some legal matters. Please consult your legal advisors and/or your insurance brokers on your specific needs.
13.1 The Copyright of this article is reserved, however, feel free to share the link to this article.
Annexure, Example of Calculation
www.alexchanglaw.com
Nice Article…Great stuff, Thanks for sharing such a great article