#YouOttoKnow: How to choose the right motor insurance or takaful
September 19, 2024
The future of insurance/ takaful claims is digital!
October 10, 2024Don't get tow-tally stressed!
A guide to managing car troubles
Here’s what you should do:
1
Move to a safe location
If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road or a safe area away from traffic. This helps avoid further accidents and ensures your safety while waiting for assistance. Turn on your vehicle’s hazard lights to alert other drivers, and if it’s dark or visibility is low, consider using your car’s parking lights or placing reflective triangles behind your vehicle.
Ot-to Guide 1
Touts and unauthorised workshops can pose significant risks to vehicle owners, like misleading information about vehicle and repair costs, hidden costs, lack of warranty, substandard parts, safety risks, and legal issues.
While facing a roadside emergency, it is best to contact your insurer/takaful operator to protect yourself from these risks and for a smoother claims process.
2
Call for Roadside Assistance
For quicker roadside assistance, download your insurer/takaful operator’s digital roadside assistance (DRA) mobile application when you sign up or renew your motor insurance/takaful plan. In the event of a breakdown, open the app and request services such as towing, emergency transport, or medical assistance, depending on your policy.
Types of common tow trucks
Hook & chain
Get your car towed easily and faster, but not recommended for all wheel drive. Often used for wretched vehicles that have been involved in accidents.
Flatbed
One of the most convenient and safest options for towing. Suitable for long distance interstate travel.
Baby tyre or wheel lift
Most suitable for vehicles with overall weight below 10,000 lbs. It is useful to tow small vehicles, and not heavy ones.
Ot-to Guide 2
Some motor insurance policies/takaful certificates include towing coverage. Check your policy/certificate to check whether you’re already covered before paying for the tow service out of pocket.
If your insurance/takaful coverage does not include roadside assistance, you may consider purchasing it as an add-on.
3
Complete the paperwork
If you are involved in an accident, exchange details with the other party and document everything with photos for insurance or takaful purposes. For breakdowns, have your insurance or takaful details ready in case they are needed by the tow service. Refer to our article on Got into an accident? Key things you must do for the required steps.
4
Gather your belongings
Before the tow truck arrives, grab your essentials—handbag/wallet, phone, keys, electronics and any valuables you don’t want to leave in the car. It’s also a good time to grab any documents, like your registration and insurance/takaful, if you haven’t already.
Ot-to Guide 3
Consider adding roadside assistance to your insurance policy/certificate for a more comprehensive coverage. Even if you only utilise it once a year for towing or locksmith services, the peace of mind it provides is invaluable.
5
Stay safe while waiting
Once you’ve packed your belongings, stay close to your vehicle but at a safe distance from oncoming traffic. If you feel unsafe waiting in your car, stand in a safe spot a few feet away. Stay close to your vehicle until the vehicle is secured by the insurer’s/takaful operator’s towing service. Their towing assistance normally assists to bring the vehicle and driver to the police station to lodge a police report, and later tow the vehicle to an approved repairer.
Ot-to Guide 4
Download your insurer’s or takaful operator’s DRA app or have important contact details keyed into your mobile phone, to ensure it’s readily available when needed.
6
Check for updates
If you’ve the insurer’s or takaful operator’s DRA app, you should be able to see the claims and repairs progress. Otherwise, keep in touch with your insurer or takaful operator via other means such as phone calls, or messages, for updates.
Common roadside assistance
Most motor insurer/takaful operators offer roadside assistance as a policy add-on. Remember to always check with your insurer/takaful operator on what your policy/certificate covers.
Apart from tow service, here’s what roadside assistance could encompass:
Towing assistance
Petrol delivery
Car inspection and servicing
Jumpstart your car
Replace damaged engine belt
Chauffeured taxi or car rental services
Battery replacement
Ambulance services
Arrange hotel accommodation
Changing of flat tyre
Locksmith services
Complaint management
With a little preparation, you can keep a cool head and get back to your day sooner. Safe travels, everyone!
This article is part of a ‘Jom, Level Up’ campaign under Phased Liberalisation 2.0, Consumer Education Programme (CEP), by Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (PIAM) and Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA).
Disclaimer: The information is provided for general information only. PIAM and MTA make no representations or warranties in relation to the information, including but not limited to any representation or warranty as to the fitness for any particular purpose of the information to the fullest extent permitted by law. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in this article is accurate, reliable, and complete as of the time of writing, the information provided in this article should not be relied upon to make any financial, investment, real estate or legal decisions. Additionally, the information should not substitute advice from a trained professional who can take into account your personal facts and circumstances, and we accept no liability if you use the information to form decisions.