The leading cause of car insurance claims in South Australia is damage to vehicles while parked, according to data released by RAA Insurance.
This issue accounts for over 10,000 claims annually.
RAA reported that “damaged while parked” represents 18% of all motor claims, making it the most frequent reason for insurance claims.
Following this were claims for hitting fixed objects (17%), windscreen damage (16%), and rear-end collisions (12%).
Jess Lyons, head of claims at RAA Insurance, said the company receives over 1,000 car insurance claims every week.
“In the 2022-23 financial year, we paid out more than $250 million in car insurance claims,” she said. “The list of most common claim types makes for interesting reading – with the most common cause being vehicles damaged while they’re stationary.”
Lyons urged South Australians to gather the details of the driver who hit their parked car to ensure a smooth insurance claims process.
“Having your vehicle hit while parked is unfortunate and often out of your control – so you probably don’t want to be footing the repair bill yourself,” she said. “In this instance, we always recommend getting the details of the driver who hit you if you can, so your insurer can help you investigate potentially having your excess waived if you weren’t at fault.”
Meanwhile, those who accidentally hit a parked car are advised to stop and provide their information.
“If you’re the one who hits a parked car, you must stop and provide your details or report the incident to the police,” Lyons said. “We also receive a lot of claims for damaged windscreens, which can be a real safety hazard, so we recommend getting these repaired as soon as possible.”
In Queensland, the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) has urged motorcyclists to prioritise safety following a significant rise in rider fatalities on the state’s roads.
RACQ reported 94 road deaths in Queensland between January and April this year, with motorcyclists accounting for 31 of these fatalities. This marks a 46.2% increase compared to the five-year average.
Joel Tucker, manager of road safety and technical at RACQ, said that motorcyclists represent a significant proportion of road fatalities.
“Riders account for 33% of the growing road toll, yet motorcycles make up around 4% of vehicles in Queensland. Motorcyclists are dying at disproportionate rates,” he said. “We estimate around 280,000 RACQ members ride motorcycles, and most would agree it’s a fun and cost-effective way to get around, but it’s a riskier mode of transport than a car.
“We are less protected on a bike, and we know it, so we need to avoid doing things that further increase that risk, such as not riding to the traffic or road conditions and not riding within our skill level.”
