Making a Car Insurance Claim

When making an insurance claim, you need to notify our claims team as soon as reasonably practicable after you are aware of any damage to your car. If you suspect theft, burglary, illegal conversion, arson or malicious damage, you must call the police within 24 hours.

You must also submit your claim online using our forms as soon as reasonably possible and in any case within 30 days of the incident of damage or loss.

If you were involved in an accident, then here are some quick points to remember:

If you or anyone else involved has suffered injuries, get medical assistance and call the police.

Safety is paramount so ensure the scene is secured, away from oncoming traffic etc
Do not admit liability
Obtain the other vehicle's full details, including the other vehicle's registration and the driver’s ID and phone number.
Get statements from any witnesses present
Make sure your own vehicle is secured
Contact Assurant

Please note: The above list is just a guide. Every accident scene is different. In general, the more information you can provide to us, the faster we can have your claim settled. Try to take note of as many details as possible while the incident is fresh in your mind.

Third Party Policies

We can post you a copy of the appropriate claim form, or you can download and print them off yourself using the links below. Once you have filled them out in full detail, simply send them to Assurant via post, fax or email. You still have to notify us of the claim as soon as reasonably practicable and before the claim form is submitted:

Accident Claim Form

Stolen or Burnt Claim Form (Fire and Theft Policies only)

Uninsured Third Party Claim Form (Fire and Theft Policies only)

What Are My Obligations To Ensure Cover Under Assurant's Car Insurance Policy?

Your car insurance policy forms a legal contract, and as with all legal contracts, there are some obligations that you must adhere to in order for the cover provided by your policy to remain in force. These include:

Maintain your car in a roadworthy condition. Make sure that it is always up to WOF standards, even in between WOF tests. This is not just to ensure cover by your policy, but also very important for your own safety. Keep your car secure. You must take all reasonable steps to ensure that your car is kept secure when it isn’t in use. For example, always lock your car whenever you leave it.

Keep us informed of any changes in your circumstances. For example, please notify us if you change address, lose your licence, or if you modify your vehicle. Under New Zealand law, all insurance policy holders have a duty of disclosure to inform their insurer of anything that (as a prudent insurer) they should be made aware of. If you are unsure whether a change in circumstances is relevant to your insurance, please call or email us and we’ll be happy to advise you.

Please note that the above list is intended to be a helpful guideline. If you have any questions or would like more information please don’t hesitate to contact us and one of our friendly team will be able to answer your query.

How Is The Value Of My Car Determined If I Make A Claim?

If your car is involved in a total loss claim (for example, if it is stolen or if it is written off in an accident), then there are two main factors used to determine the value. The first is the Sum Insured, which is the value that you specified when you took out your car insurance policy. This represents the upper limit of what we would pay out for the claim. The other factor taken into account is the market value of your car immediately before the loss occurred. This is called the Pre-Accident Valuation (or “PAV”), and this is determined by valuations from a minimum of two different independent valuers that specialise in your type of car. Each valuer would give a PAV value based on their opinion of what you would be able to sell your car for immediately prior to the theft or damage occurring. We will then average the values from all the PAVs, and this is used as the basis of the pay out, within the upper limit set by your chosen Sum Insured.

Please note that there may be additional amounts deducted from your pay out. For example, your excess may be deducted if the claim is deemed to be an “At-Fault” accident where your actions contributed to the cause of the crash. Also, if you have been paying for your insurance premium by instalments, then the remaining instalments for that year’s premium will also be deducted from your pay out.

How Do I Determine The Correct Value For The Sum Insured On My Car Insurance Policy?

The value of your car that you specify for your Sum Insured represents the upper limit of what we will pay out in a claim, so it is important to make sure you set it accurately. It will also have an impact on how much your insurance premiums will be. Assuming all other factors are equal, the more valuable the car, then the more expensive it is to insure, so it pays to make sure the figure you specify does represent the cars current market value. Please note that you can adjust the value you use for your Sum Insured at any time by calling us. We will also send you a reminder when your car insurance policy comes up for renewal, and this is a good time to review the value you have listed.

The best people to determine the market value of your car are the sales team at the dealership that you purchased your car from. If you don’t have a local dealership that specialises in your model of car, then you can look to online sites to determine the value. Note that you need to check the price that cars like yours are selling for though, which can be quite different to what the seller is asking for.

Why Does Insurance Cost More For Certain Types Of Car?

The type of car that you drive is one of the factors that we use to calculate your car insurance premium. This is based around two main criteria: the likelihood of that type of car to be involved in a claim, and the cost of repairing damage to the car. We look at the history of claims on each model of car (right down to the sub-model), and from this we can determine the risk involved for that model.

Please note that the model of car is only one of the factors we look at, so a good driver in a high risk car may still be eligible for a lower premium than a poor driver in a low risk car.

What Does It Mean If I’m Asked To Confirm I Need An Immobiliser When Getting A Car Insurance Quote?

For some car models where the theft risk is quite high, we may require your car to have an immobiliser. The immobiliser must be at least a 3-Star model, which equates to NZ 4601 standards. If you are unsure as to whether your car's immobiliser meets this requirement, check with the dealer you purchased it from, or check with your mechanic.

Please note that where we require that your car has an immobiliser, we’ll advise you during the quote process (prior to you purchasing your car insurance), and we’ll also note this requirement on your policy certificate. You’ll need to ensure that an immobiliser is fitted to your car within 7 days of purchasing your policy, or your car will not be covered for theft, and if the car is stolen within this 7 day period then a higher excess will apply if an immobiliser has not been fitted.

What Is The Procedure For Handling Car Insurance Claims?

When we receive your claim, there are a few steps to work through, but rest assured one of our experienced claim handlers will guide you through the process. First off, we will ask you to follow the instructions on our car insurance claims page which is the start of the claim process. As a Full Cover Assurant policyholder, you then have the opportunity to use our Accident Management service, which is set up to take all the hassle and stress out of organising the repairs to your car. You aren’t required to use our Accident Management service and you are more than welcome to choose your own repairer instead. You can learn more about our Accident Management service by reading our Accident Management FAQs.

At this point, an independent assessor (a freelance expert who specialises in assessing required repairs) will be assigned to your claim. During this process, multiple steps may be required as dictated by the circumstances of your claim. These may be such things as a Police Offence Report, a Traffic Crash Report, Ministry of Justice report, witness accounts, or liability disputes with third parties.

Where the cost of the repairs means that your car is likely to be written off, then we’ll organise a minimum of two approved independent valuers to supply a Pre-Accident Valuation, which will help us to determine the true value of your car. Once there is an agreement from all parties involved on the amount that the pay-out will be, we’ll send you a Discharge Form, which forms the settlement of your claim. When you confirm your acceptance of the discharge, we’ll pay out the settlement figure and the wreck of the car then becomes our property.

What is the Accident Management Service?

When you claim on “Full Cover” comprehensive motor vehicle insurance from us you can also receive the benefits of our Accident Management Service.

This unique service gives you the ease and convenience of:

1. Lodgement of your claim over the phone and allocation of a repairer from their approved national network

2. Delivery of your vehicle to the repairer if you are unable to

3. Access to a nationwide network of quality repairers that guarantee every repair for the life of the vehicle

4. Quick valet at completion

Q. What Happens If I Have An Accident Outside Normal Business Hours?

A. Our response outside normal business hours is focused on road-side emergency accident assistance including towing to the nearest secure over-night storage or accident management service provider.

Follow up actions including responses to general enquires will be responded to the next business day.

The facilities for repair quoting, claims follow up, assessing & courtesy vehicles are available during normal business hours which are Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm excluding public holidays.

Q. What Happens If My Vehicle Is Not Driveable Following An Accident?

A. Where the vehicle is not driveable Protecta Insurance will pay for the vehicle to be towed to an approved secure over-night storage facility or directly to an accident management service provider.

Q. Am I Eligible For A Courtesy Car?

A. The arrangement of a courtesy vehicle rests with the repairer and is subject to availability.

Q. Are You Able To Help With Pick-up / Delivery Of My Vehicle From My Home Or My Work?

A. Pick-up and delivery is available on request and our accident management team will make the necessary arrangements.

If for any reason pick-up & delivery is not possible, you will be advised of the options available.

Q. What Happens If I Want To Use My Own Panel Beater?

A. You are free to use a repairer of your choice; however we will not be able to assist you with the various benefits offered by our accident management service:

1. Access to a nationwide network of quality repairers that guarantee every repair for the life of the vehicle

2. Quick valet at completion

3. Priority repairs to minimise time-off-the-road

4. Our accident management service ensures compliance with current health & safety guidelines and conduct regular audits of the nationwide network.

Q. What Standard Of Quick Valet Will My Vehicle Receive At The Completion Of Repairs?

A. A good standard of cleaning on the repaired vehicle's interior & exterior will be provided including: full vacuum of carpets, seats & interior, full interior de-dust of hard surfaces, full exterior wash & dry.

Cleaning does NOT include full interior shampoo, de-odorising, or exterior cut/polish/wax.

Q. What Happens If I Am Not Happy With The Service Provided By A Panel Beater That You Directed Me To Use?

A. If you are not happy with the service or workmanship received, please talk to Protecta Insurance in the first instance. We will liaise with the repairer and attempt to resolve the matter to your satisfaction.

What Are My Options For Paying For My Car Insurance Premium?

Assurant offers you a number of ways to pay your car insurance premium. If you wish to pay your full annual premium upfront, you can pay by direct credit, credit card, or DPS Account2Account. If you prefer, we can split your annual premium into instalments, which you can pay via direct debit or credit card.

Direct debit is one of the safest and most convenient ways of paying your bills. Payments are made automatically, so bills are never forgotten. Your money is protected in the unlikely event that there is an error in the payment of a direct debit, for instance if a payment is collected on the incorrect date, or the wrong amount is collected.

If you do choose to pay by instalment, please note that Assurant is one of the few car insurance providers in New Zealand that don’t penalise you for this. Your instalment amount will simply be the annual price divided by the number of instalments you wish to make – there are no additional charges or penalties added to your premium for these options. We also don’t charge any more for people paying by credit card, it’s our belief there should be one price for your car insurance no matter how you choose to pay.

If you wish to pay via credit card or Account2Account, you can purchase your insurance online from this website. If you prefer to pay by another method, or if you wish to change how you pay for your existing policy with us, then please contact us and we can arrange it for you.

For more information about the payment methods available on this website, please see our Privacy Policy.

What Do I Do If I’m Involved In A Crash In My Car?

Having a crash in your car is never a pleasant experience and it can be a confusing time with a lot going on. It can be hard to remember what to do at the time, but one of the most important things you can do is to remain calm. Take deep breaths, and try to remember the following steps:

Safety first - secure the scene. Make sure everyone is safe, the health and well-being of the people involved needs to always come first – see if anyone needs medical assistance and if so, call 111 immediately. If it's safe to do so, post a helper to warn oncoming traffic of the accident until you are able to clear the road. Turn off your vehicle's ignition (as a fire precaution) and turn on your hazard lights. If an ambulance has been called, make sure room is cleared for the ambulance to get as close to the scene as possible, and have your helper guide it in when it arrives.
Do not admit liability. Don’t try to apportion blame at the side of the road, just make notes about the crash, and if possible sketch a quick diagram or take some photos of the crash scene. It’s up to the insurance companies to work out who was at fault, and rest assured that as your car insurance provider, we’ll act in your best interests (as they are also our best interests).
Obtain the other vehicles details. Note the make, model and registration number of the other vehicle, and also get the drivers name, phone number, address, and drivers licence number. Try to note exactly where the accident happened, and which direction each vehicle was travelling.
See if there were any witnesses. If there were, also get their name, phone number and address.
Secure your vehicle. Take all reasonable steps to secure your car and prevent any further damage or loss. Our full cover car insurance policy does include recovery expenses, so if you require towing let us know and we can organise for a tow truck to take your car to a repairer. Only drive your car if the damage is minor and you are sure it is safe to do so.
Contact Assurant. Call us on 0800 776 832 or email [email protected] to advise us of the accident, and we’ll also help you with what to do next.

I Own A Trailer – Does My Car Insurance Cover It?

Yes – if you have full cover car insurance with Assurant, your insurance policy automatically covers your trailer. Please note however that this benefit is for standard trailers up to $1,000, and doesn’t cover boat trailers, caravan or camper trailers, or horse floats. There is a $100 excess on this benefit. Please refer to your policy wording for the full details, or contact us if you have any queries.

Does My Car Insurance Include Windscreen Cover?

Please check your Certificate of Insurance to see if your policy includes this benefit. When included, this benefit covers all windows in your car, including the sunroof if your car has one. Please note that there is no excess if the broken windscreen or window glass is the only damage to your car, and it won’t affect your No Claims Bonus.

To make a claim under this benefit, just call us on 0800 776 832 and one of our experienced claims handlers will step you through the process.

Is My Car Insured While Being Transported?

Yes - Assurant’s full cover car insurance includes Transport Cover, which means we’ll cover you for any damage while your car is being transported anywhere within New Zealand territorial waters. Under New Zealand law, carriers are only liable for $1,500 worth of damage, but Assurant’s car insurance automatically protects you beyond that limit.

This is an automatic benefit, you don’t need to advise us ahead of time or select any special options. If you have purchased a car from out of town and are having it shipped to you, take out your car insurance with Assurant before getting it shipped and you can relax knowing that your vehicle is covered.

For more information on this benefit, please see Insurance for cars and motorcycles being transported, or refer to your policy wording.