Why do you need car insurance?
Car insurance provides you with cover if you’re involved in a car accident, or if your car gets stolen. Depending on the type of car insurance you have, it will even cover the cost of repairing or replacing your car if it’s also damaged in the accident.
Types of car insurance
- Comprehensive: Comprehensive car insurance is a premium level of cover that is able to help you out when you’re in trouble. Out of the 3 broad categories of car insurance policies, comprehensive is the only category that covers damage to your own car and provides additional perks!
- Third party only: Third party car insurance is the minimum level of car insurance you can get. It provides you with cover against damage you may cause to other vehicles or property. It also covers the cost of compensating others that may have been injured during the accident.
- Third Party, fire and theft: These policies are similar to third party car insurance but include additional coverage for fire and theft. This means you will get compensated if your car ever caught fire or is stolen or damaged by a third party!
Agreed vs. Market Value
When you take out comprehensive insurance for your car, different policies use different methods to work out the value that your car is insured for.
- Agreed value: Value of the car is fixed when the agreement is signed. Insurers generally give you a range to pick from. When your car is written off, you will get exactly the sum that was agreed when you signed the agreement.
- Market value: This is the average value of your car in the local car market. When your car is written off, this is what you will be paid for your car.