How to avoid pitfalls in third party liability insurance?

Compulsory car insurance must be purchased by every vehicle owner. Its purpose is to cover the costs of repairing any damage that may arise as a result of an accident. However, the insurance conditions provide for the possibility of avoiding liability of the insurance company in certain cases. The insured must therefore be careful, because in the event of failure to exercise due care, he will have to pay the victim funds, without being able to collect money from the insurer.

Late payment

In most cases, the insurers will agree that the premium is paid in installments. It is a very convenient system for the vehicle owner, because he does not always have sufficient financial resources, and the insurance premium can be very high in some cases. The fee may include up to 4 installments, paid quarterly – of course, the more installments the insured is entitled to, the more money he will have to pay, so before deciding on the method of payment, it is worth comparing the costs. However, this is not the only reason why installment payments are not always a good solution. The contract provides for precise deadlines within which the payment must be made. For people who have no memory of dates and are sometimes late with payment, a one-time payment is a better option. The system of several days delay does not work here. If the insurance company does not receive the money on time, it does not guarantee protection. The insurance therefore usually loses its validity until the premium is paid. However, if we cause an accident in the meantime, we cannot claim reimbursement from the insurance company. Our third party liability insurance does not work.

Driving after alcohol

Social campaigns for sober driving are aimed at reducing the number of people behind the wheel of a car after drinking alcohol. Insurance companies have also prepared a whip for drivers who do not follow this fundamental principle of sober driving. Each time the police are called to the scene of an accident, police officers check the sobriety of both drivers. If the perpetrator of the accident has blood alcohol content in his blood, he is subject to criminal liability. The same applies to people who drive a car after consuming psychotropic substances. There remains the question of redressing the damage caused in the context of the injured person. In this case, the perpetrator of the accident will not be able to cover the repair costs from third party liability insurance. Moreover, if the person has motor own damage insurance, it also loses its validity. In this particular case, the drunk driver does not have any coverage under third party liability insurance. The insurance company’s liability does not depend on the exact result shown by the breathalyzer, so be careful not to drive until you are completely sober.

Failure to perform a review

It is the responsibility of the car owner to carry out annual inspections of the car. If it is equipped with gas, the gas installation must also be inspected. Many people wait until the last day of validity of the previous inspection to get another one. This method works only when we remember exactly about the need to transport the car to a vehicle inspection station. The car cannot have a day’s break in terms of technical examinations. Otherwise, the third party liability insurance becomes invalid. This rule applies in particular when the technical condition of the vehicle contributes to causing the damage. 

Other cases

Among the cases in which the insurer may refuse to pay compensation, the situation in which the damage was caused intentionally should be mentioned. Moreover, if the person driving the vehicle did not have the appropriate driving license, the insurer may avoid liability. This will not happen only if the car was driven by such a person in order to save the life of a third person or one’s own. The insurer will not pay compensation if the person who caused the damage fled from the scene of the event. Such a situation may also expose her to criminal liability, especially in the event of injured persons requiring assistance. 

In order for the insurer to cover the costs of repairing the damage caused, you must exercise caution as in many cases it may refuse to pay compensation. The above-mentioned situations usually relate to the insured person’s failure to exercise due diligence, therefore the insurer’s recourse is also consistent with the general principles of social coexistence. Moreover, the insurance company may also require the insured to reimburse the amount of compensation paid, if the payment did not meet the standards contained in the general terms and conditions of insurance. This is precisely the case where the insurer may refuse to pay you compensation. Therefore, it is worth being cautious about driving and insurance coverage.