The most frequent vehicle insurance claims over the holiday season – and how to prevent them

The Christmas season is a time of long-awaited vacations and celebrations. It’s also known for seasonal spikes in traffic accidents and vehicle-related crimes like theft and hijacking.

According to Ernest North, co-founder of Naked Insurance, these are the most prevalent vehicle insurance claims during the December holiday season.

According to Stats SA, 42,000 households experienced car theft in 2021/22, while the number of hijacking victims more than quadrupled, rising from 64,000 in 2020/21 to 137,000 in 2021/22.

According to Stats SA’s research, 13% of those who experienced crime in the last 12 months had their vehicles highjacked.

Given that these accidents and vehicle-related crimes tend to peak in December, whether you are planning a long road vacation, a quiet drive to a neighbouring location, or festivities with friends and family in your local city, North advises being prepared.

How to Avoid Making These Claims:

Car Accidents

Increased traffic, impaired driving, and unroadworthy cars all contribute to an increase in accidents over the holiday season.

To avoid an accident, North advises South Africans:

• To improve road safety and ensure a hassle-free claim experience if something terrible happens, make sure your car is roadworthy. Ask a tyre fitment centre to check that your tread isn’t worn out. Ensure your indicators and brake lights are working. Get your brake pads checked if they have not been replaced for a long time.
• Keep your insurer’s roadside emergency number on hand or install its app so that you can call for help if you have an accident or engine trouble.
• Obey the rules of the road. The most important of these, which traffic police (and your insurer) will scrutinise the most, is never to drink and drive. Plan and arrange alternative transport if you have a few drinks.
• Get a good night’s sleep before a long drive and take regular breaks. Share driving duties with someone else if you can.
• Never overload your vehicle: Do not exceed the size or weight limit of the roof rack, bike rack or storage mechanisms like a Thule.

Motor vehicle theft

Car theft is on the rise, and thieves’ strategies for stealing keyless vehicles are growing more sophisticated.

Given this, North provided the following advice to assist reduce the chance of having your automobile stolen:

• While a fob (the small handheld remote control device that controls a remote keyless entry system) is convenient because most of us don’t have to bother physically locking and unlocking our cars, they create risk. Criminals keep getting more sophisticated in how they hack the signal on your fob to access your vehicle. A faraday pouch or fob guard helps to block key fob signals. You could also consider deactivating the keyless entry function.
• Double-check that your car is locked when you park it. Manually try the door to ensure that a criminal hasn’t used remote jamming to prevent it from locking.
• Park in a safe place, such as a mall parking garage. If you must park on the street, park in well-lit areas at night and areas with a lot of foot and vehicle traffic.
• Consider installing a vehicle tracking system. Consider getting one if your car doesn’t have a factory-fitted immobiliser and alarm.
• If you have added expensive accessories and extras to your cars – such as a roof rack, bull bar, xenon lights, or extra sound equipment – update your policy to ensure they are covered.

Hijacking

Criminals compel traffic to halt by laying spikes on the road or throwing rocks and bricks from bridges, according to North.

He advised the following precautions to prevent being a victim of highjacking:

• Avoid driving through known crime hotspot areas if you can, and use a safer alternate route, even if it’s a bit longer.
• Minimise driving at night when visibility is limited, and crime risks are higher.
• Watch for people on the side of the road or top of bridges, especially when driving through known hotspots or travelling at night.
• Keep within the speed limit to spot potential road hazards sooner and control your car better.
• If your tyres are damaged when driving near a crime hotspot area, and your car is still drivable, drive slowly to a petrol station or other place of safety before you stop to change them.