New Zealand insurer AA Insurance recently released several warnings about auto coverage holders, said Insurance Business Magazine. According to the firm, car owners should take care when parking in shopping centers during the holiday season in light of the high traffic and activities in these places.
AA’s data revealed that around 11% of all auto insurance claims files within 12 months up to November 30 are from damages sustained by parked vehicles. Moreover, about 16% of car accidents occur during the holiday rush, which starts in December and ends in January. These claims cost nearly $3.5 million.
The number of owners who found their parked cars damaged without receiving a note from the party responsible is alarmingly high. The AA study showed that a whopping 86% of these individuals did not get any note from the party at fault.
AA Insurance customer relations manager Amelia Macandrew said that one-third of New Zealand residents have suffered from damaged vehicles caused by unattended trollers at supermarkets. More than 50% of Kiwis have also found their vehicles damaged in parking lots.
As a precaution, Macandrew told owners to take measures to identify the person at fault. The manager said that it is important to gather the culprit’s details as the company would not be able to contact the person who did the damage without such information.
In turn, the policyholder would not be able to file a claim. Owners would also be paying for minor damages in the event that they fail to get pertinent info about the culprit.
Meanwhile, Macandrew was cited by NewsHub saying that it is a legal requirement for parties at fault to leave their details to the owner. They are also required to report the accident to authorities within 60 hours should they fail to find the owner.
