Common But Crazy – 5 Exclusions on Car Insurance Policies

Five Crazy But Common Car Insurance Exclusions

You buy your car insurance, you glance at the policy documents, and you assume you’re covered for all eventualities where your car is stolen or damaged. Think again.

Be sure to read your policy documents thoroughly. If you are over the age of seventy-five and are injured in a motoring incident, your insurance company may not pay compensation. If your car is stolen as a result of you having been decieved into handing over your keys willingly, there is a chance that the insurer will not pay. A small number won’t cover damage to your car that’s caused in a road rage incident. Gap insurance cover is not something that is provided as an industry standard; what this means is that should your car be “written-off” or stolen your insurance company will only pay a fraction of what you paid for your car, leaving you out of pocket.

There are exclusions in every car insurance policy. Many of the exclusions would be extremely frustrating if they happened to you, and you then discovered that you’re not covered by your insurance firm. Some of them are downright crazy. Five of the most crazy but common car insurance exclusions are:

1. Nuclear Fallout

If Britain was wiped out by a nuclear bomb and you managed to survive, you wouldn’t receive a pay out from your insurer for the damage caused to your car.This is a pretty standard exclusion by motor insurers – even if they have survived the blast themselves, they will not cover for damage caused by nuclear fallout.

The same applies if your local nuclear power plant explodes and destroys your car, or if your car is contaminated by radioactive waste: you will not be compensated for the damage caused.

Currently this exclusion applies to policies bought from almost all the major motor insurance firms, including Admiral, Direct Line, Aviva, Churchill, Saga, Prudential, Sheila’s Wheels, and Co-operative Insurance to name a few.

2. UFOs

Most car insurance firms will not pay out if your car is damaged by pressure waves from aircraft travelling at or beyond the speed of sound.Sonic and supersonic UFO damage may be included in this.

If you are cruising alomg the motorway and happen to be zapped by an alien laser beam, it is unlikely that your insurance company will pay out.  This is because such aggression would be considered an act of war.  Car insurance firms usually exclude cover for damage caused by war, civil war, acts of a foreign enemy, or revolution.

Currently this exclusion applies to policies bought from almost all majorcar insurance firms, including Direct Line, Aviva, Admiral, Churchill, Saga, Prudential, Sheila’s Wheels, and LV=.

3. Car Stolen by Jealous Husband or Wife

Motor insurers will not provide cover if your car is taken without your permission by any member of your household or family. This includes your spouse or partner, your children, your parents or a lodger in your home. If you report the car as stolen, and go on to prosecute in court, this rule does not apply.

Currently this exclusion applies to policies bought from almost all major motor insurance firms, including Direct Line, Admiral, Co-operative Insurance, Sheila’s Wheels, and LV=.

4. Earthquakes

Fortunately for us Brits, the UK is not prone to earthquakes or tremors. However, were the worst to happen and the ground opened up and swallowed your car, or even if a less violent earthquake shattered your windscreen, it’s probable that your insurer would refuse to pay out. 

A small but significant number of car insurance firms do not cover for damage caused by earthquakes. One insurer with this exception which comes to mind is the famous sea-farer. Other insurers who refuse cover for earthquakes include Saga, Prudential, and Sheila’s Wheels.

Remember that t’s not only earthquakes which could be demmed an “act of God”, so do check your insurance policy wording. There is one specific ladies’ breakdown service which comes to mind which will not be held liable if an “act of God” leaves you stranded by the roadside.

5. Blind Drivers

Unsurprisingly, there is not a single insurance firm who will provide cover for drivers who can’t see. This is never stated explicitly in insurance policy documents, but insurance companies cover their backs by saying they won’t pay out for claims resulting from damage caused by “unlicensed drivers”.

No licence or insurance was no obstacle for one blind driver who got behind the wheel anyway. In 2006, 31-year-old Omed Aziz was banned from driving for three years and given a suspended jail sentence after police caught him driving on the wrong side of the road.

This is a common exclusion amongst almost all the major motor insurers.

How do you go about finding the insurance cover that is best for you and your vehicle?Firstly, don’t simply commit yourself to the insurer with the cheapest quote.  Research what’s covered and what’s excluded by each company you’re considering.  Secondly, if the level of cover you want isn’t available from standard car insurance firms, consider taking out extra insurance, such as gap insurance, from a specialist insurer.

In most policy documents, a proper read will reveal the car insurance exclusions.

To be sure you’re not hit by a nasty surprise when you need to make a claim, make some time to read through policy documents when choosing your car insurance.Most insurance documents are available online for you to download for your reference.

For peace of mind, you can always choose to take out extra cover such as gap insurance, which will ensure your receive the full amount you paid for your vehicle if it’s stolen or written off. You should be aware that the exclusions mentioned may not still be in place as insurers can change these at any time. This article is not intented to advise or recommend and should not be taken as a statement of fact. Make sure you get the full details from your insurer.