With another year drawing swiftly to a close, and the holiday season approaching, your safety and comfort are paramount in our minds, so we would like provide you with some helpful insurance information.
HOME SECURITY AND ALARM WARRANTY
Many of you may be going away for the holidays or leaving your home unattended for an extended period of time. Please take the time to check that your alarm system is in good working order. Besides the peace of mind you will enjoy when absent from your property, proper maintenance of your alarm system is an insurance requirement. It is also important to bear in mind that where there is an alarm warranty in place, you are required to activate the alarm whenever you leave the property unoccupied.
By taking these precautions, it will ensure that in the event of an unfortunate incident, such as a break-in, you will not experience problems with your claim and will be adequately compensated for your loss by your insurer.
IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT
It is an unfortunate reality that during the festive season with many people take long trips, and higher volumes of traffic on the roads, the risk of being involved in a collision increases. If you are involved in a motor accident, do not allow unauthorised tow truck operators to tow your car away, and report the accident to the nearest police station within 24 hours of the event. We recommend that if you have Road Side Assistance, you contact them immediately after an accident, and they will be able to help you through the process. We remind you to save the relevant numbers, together with your policy number, in your cellphone. Roadside assistance is a 24 hour service, which will ensure that you can have your vehicle safely towed away from the scene of the accident and be given any first line assistance you need depending on the nature of the emergency.
Please see all the relevant numbers below which are listed by insurer.
– MUA: Road Assist and Home Assist Benefits: 0861 000 682 (MUA)
– ECHELON help: 0860 200 002
– AIG Assist: 0861 244 767
– HOLLARD Help: 0860 123 3279 (EASY)
– VANTAGE SPECIALISED HOME & ROAD SIDE ASSIST: 0800 214 763
– BRYTE Assist: 0860 001 121
– SANTAM: 0860 505 911
– NEW WHEELS: 0860 103 412
– CROSS COUNTRTY ASSISTANCE SERVICES: 0800 005 688
– OLD MUTUAL INSURE – SWIFTCARE (Personal lines): 0860 247 365
– OLD MUTUAL INSURE – SWIFTCARE (Commercial Lines) is the assist policy available to the Old Mutual Insure Commercial Clients who have the Multisure policy. Clients can call 0860 247 365 within South Africa or +27 11 374 4880 from outside South Africa.
REMOTE JAMMING
Remote jamming is still an ongoing reality, and is especially prevalent in the festive season when there are higher volumes of shoppers at centres and malls. It is extremely easy for thieves to remotely jam a vehicle, so it is important that you take all necessary and reasonable steps to safeguard your vehicle, as well as any valuables carried around with you or left inside. We suggest that you check that your vehicle is indeed locked when you walk away from it and to always be aware of your surroundings.
Also, it is advisable to avoid leaving items of value, such as laptops and iPads in your unattended vehicle and, if it is not possible to remove them and take them with you, you must ensure that they are concealed from sight, preferably in a locked boot or compartment inside a locked vehicle.
Please check your policy wording as many insurers will not cover theft from an unattended vehicle in the absence of forcible and violent entry. This is with the exception of a few insurers who offer limited cover, but still apply the same criteria, that all valuables be concealed from view.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
We always recommend to our clients that if you suffer a loss, whether it be burst geyser or a break in at home or at your business premises, theft or loss of possessions, that you treat yourself as uninsured. By this we mean taking steps to minimize the loss, or damage, and, depending on the circumstance, that you secure your property from further risk of loss, contact Home or Road Assist, or a plumber/electrician to fix the problem, and to obtain quotes for the damages or lost or stolen items. In the event of a theft, please report it to the police.
Please remember that you have 30 days to report and submit a claim to us, so you can still enjoy your holiday and on your return, notify us of the incident and we will be able to provide you with a claim form and proceed further.
On that note, we wish all our clients a happy and safe festive season, and look forward to offering you the high level of service we pride ourselves on in the New Year.