This is an insurance question which comes up now and again, especially from the 4×4 folk!
I mean think about it, you’re travelling in Zimbabwe and manage to hit the one and only cow walking on the one and only road in the middle of nowhere.
Firstly, are you still covered by your car and home insurance while travelling in Zimbabwe?
Secondly, will your insurance company get a towing company to come out and fetch your car?
Let’s look at both questions for the respective insurance companies mentioned below.
You would need to check the section relating to territorial limits in your insurance policy wording.
In the case of Santam you’re covered in:
- The Republic of South Africa.
- Namibia.
- Lesotho.
- Botswana.
- Swaziland.
- Zimbabwe.
- Malawi, and
- Mozambique.
If you take out their 4×4 cover option, then it also includes:
- Angola.
- Zambia.
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Burundi.
- Rwanda, and
- the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Only emergency repairs are covered outside of South Africa. Major repairs for damage will only be authorised by Santam once the vehicle is back in South Africa. Santam will also pay up to R25, 000 in order to get the vehicle back to South Africa if it was involved in an accident.
If the car is a write off, then you need to be able to prove this to Santam before they will pay the claim.
By the way, you don’t need to own a 4×4 in order to qualify for their 4×4 cover product.
When it comes to the brand-new Discovery insure product you are covered in:
- The Republic of South Africa.
- Namibia.
- Botswana.
- Zimbabwe
- Lesotho.
- Mozambique, and
- Swaziland
Only emergency repairs may be carried out in any of the above-mentioned countries. Major repairs will mean that the vehicle must be returned to South Africa. You will also need to get your vehicle back to South Africa. Discovery Insure will reimburse you for these costs up to a limit indicated in your schedule. Once the vehicle is back in South Africa, Discovery Insure will arrange for the towing and repair costs.
With Momentum short-term insurance you are covered in:
- The Republic of South Africa.
- Botswana.
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mozambique.
- Namibia.
- Swaziland, and
- Zimbabwe
Now they specifically note that it is for private use only. If you are doing business in any of these countries, then it needs to be noted as such on the schedule. With business use you can also add additional countries such as:
- the Democratic Republic of Congo (in certain areas only)
- Kenya.
- Tanzania
- Uganda, and
- Zambia
Interestingly enough, the policy wording doesn’t mention anything about getting the vehicle back to South Africa?
Of course, if you take their “Explorer” option, then the number of countries covered for private use includes:
- Angola.
- Kenya
- Tanzania.
- Uganda.
- Zambia
This option includes repatriation of your vehicle but this is limited to R65, 000. Emergency repairs are covered up to R7, 500.
So why don’t you whip out your insurance schedule right now and double check the territorial limits applicable to your policy?
Who knows, it might prove useful on your next trip into deepest Africa!
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Until next time.
The InsuranceFundi Team