Category Archives: Car insurance

Surprise breakdowns are no fun, and can be quite a spanner in the works. Do you have AA Roadside Assist as part of your vehicle cover? Ask us for more details if you have existing cover with Insurance People or for information if you’re looking for new cover. Plus, check out the new AA Roadside Assist App – an incredibly handy tool to have when your driving is unexpectedly interrupted.

The list of services and benefits of Roadside Assist service with your Insurance People cover is a long one. You can browse all the details provided below.

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE – Services provided with Vehicle Insurance through Insurance People.
Phone 0800 734 543. Quote either your registration number (your number plate) or you’re your insurance policy number.

• Every time we attend a breakdown we want to get you going again and we do this in 93% of our breakdowns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.
• When we can’t get you going we will promptly organise for the vehicle to be transported to the nearest repairer or place of safety.
• An Emergency Taxi is available to get you on your way should the vehicle not be mobilized. A Taxi will be arranged to travel to any destination of your choice, we will cover first $60 of the fare in metro areas and $100 in rural areas.
• The number of breakdown callouts offered each year is not limited but is subject to qualifying criteria being met. Your vehicle will need a WOF and need to be currently registered.

The following explains how Roadside Assist services look after you if you have a breakdown:

Engine, Electrical or Cooling Faults
We will attempt to diagnose the problem and where possible, provide emergency repairs to your engine, electrical or cooling system at the roadside at no charge. If the fault can’t be fixed then we will transport the vehicle to the nearest available repairer or place of safety.

After Hours Recovery
If you breakdown at night and your vehicle cannot be mobilised then we will transport and safely store your vehicle overnight at no charge then deliver your vehicle to the nearest repairer the following business day.

Caravans/Trailer towing
If you are towing a caravan or trailer when you have a breakdown and we can tow the caravan or trailer behind the recovery vehicle we will do so at no charge. If the trailer or caravan can’t be towed we will arrange for towing to be provided but this towing will be at your expense. Trailer size is limited to a maximum 7 metres in length (excluding tow-bar) 2.44 metres wide and /or 3 metres high.

Wheels and Tyres
We will change a damaged tyre/wheel with your spare, as long as it’s roadworthy and safe to use, at no charge.  Where the spare is not roadworthy or safe to use, recovery to the nearest place able to supply and/or repair the tyre/wheel can be provided, however this will be at your expense.

Flat & Faulty Batteries
We will provide a jump start and any other practical assistance at the roadside to get your vehicle going again at no charge. Sometimes the problem with your battery may be more serious, after a quick test we will be able to tell you if your battery is faulty and needs to be replaced. A new battery will be offered to you at a special discounted rate but you will need to pay for this.
If we can’t get you going again due to a faulty battery, and the battery cannot be replaced then we will recover your vehicle to the nearest available repairer to have a battery installed, this recovery will be at no charge but any new battery will be at your cost.

Lockout
If you have locked your keys in your vehicle we will attempt to re-open your vehicle. We will however need proof of your ownership or the owner’s permission to re-open the vehicle.

Lost Keys
If you have lost your keys and you don’t have a spare set immediately available we can either;
1. Arrange for a replacement set to be couriered to you at no charge as soon as possible; or
2. Arrange for a locksmith to attend to make a new key. We will pay for the locksmith to get to you but any charges for the new key will be at your expense.

Fuel
If you run out of petrol or diesel then we will deliver to you up to $20 worth of fuel to get you going again. The delivery is free however you will be charged for the fuel itself. If we can’t get fuel to you then we will transport your vehicle to the nearest service station.

If you run out of CNG or LPG we can transport your vehicle to the nearest LPG/CNG equipped service station but all transportation cost will be at your expense.

If you have accidently filled up with the wrong fuel then we can arrange for your vehicle to be transported to the nearest repairer or service station where arrangements can be made to get you going again. The transportation of your vehicle will be at your expense.

Accident / Theft / Break-in
An accident, vehicle theft or vehicle break in can be a traumatic experience, so you can trust one of our Case Manager to help guide you through it.

We can assist you and facilitate recovery of an immobilised vehicle to your choice of approved repairer.  We will even alert your insurer of the incident and vehicle location.

• Reassurance by phone and activation of emergency services (if required)
• Notification to friends, family or colleagues of your delay
• Provide you with “what to do next” information
• Ensure that you are made mobile
• Notify attending services of all relevant information, i.e. vehicle location & other relevant factors We can offer medical advice and counselling
• Make any alterations to travel plans you may require

Driverless cars – in one form or another- are scheduled to roll off the production lines as early as next year, with several car makers offering ‘traffic jam assist,’ a system that takes over braking, steering and acceleration when you’re stuck in traffic – leaving you free to catch up on Downton Abbey or how many wickets we’ve taken.

But if you drive into the car in front of you, who would be at fault?

These soon to-be-a-reality driverless car functions are causing many insurers to scratch their heads, especially given the pace and future scope of the technology. If the car’s computer causes an accident, wouldn’t the car-maker be responsible? And does this means all cars of the same model would have to be parked until the fault could be rectified?
Google announced last May that it’s producing 100 prototyped driverless vehicles that have dispensed with steering wheels and pedals altogether. The two-seater electric cars will have a top speed of 40 km/h and foam bonnets to minimise the impact of a crash.

So does this mean lower car insurance premiums could be on the distant horizon?

If accidents are reduced, naturally the number of claims will drop. And super-safe Volvo predicts they’ll be able to eliminate crashes for anyone driving its cars by 2020; with Nissan announcing similar plans. So while this is hard to believe today, even if car accidents drop only 25 percent, a $1,000 car insurance policy would drop to $750.
Many industry experts predict that people will turn their backs on car ownership and the need for car insurance altogether – they’ll simply call a driverless car with their smart phone as and when they need to get somewhere.

Makes today’s cars seem as old fashioned as the horse-driven carriages in early episodes of Downton, doesn’t it?

If you’ve got a horseless carriage that needs insurance, give us a call today on 0800 823 823 or contact us here.