Introducing the new Apia Car Advantage Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for policies renewing on or after 23 March 2021. The PDS contains important information you need to know about your Apia insurance product. Please ensure you read it carefully.
We’ve changed the layout of the PDS to help make it easier to understand. And we have also made other changes to the policy – we have added and changed covers and we have added and changed exclusions and conditions.
Below are some examples of things we have changed:
- Extra support (new section in your PDS)
- Your responsibilities
- When you need to contact us about changes (we have expanded the situations when you need to contact us)
- When you replace your car
- Excess (when and how to pay)
- Things we don’t cover
- Damage by uninsured drivers
- How we settle your claim
- Unavailable parts
- Contribution to repairs
- Joint policyholders
- Conduct of others (new section in your PDS)
For full details, please refer to your PDS.
Details of some of the changes to the PDS
After claim expenses
Additional features ‘Emergency travel, accommodation and repairs’ and ‘Personal property in your car’ have been removed and a new additional cover ‘After claim expenses’ has been added.
Conduct of others
When we consider a claim, we will have regard to any prejudice you have suffered due to the conduct of others and we may meet the claim when we are not legally required to do so.
Hire car after theft up to 21 days
The payment for a hire car after theft is revised from the reasonable cost of a ‘compact’ category hire car to the reasonable cost of a hire car that meets your transport needs or the reasonable costs of arranging alternative transport.
Summary of cover table
New ‘Summary of cover’ table including insured events, additional covers and optional covers to assist you with navigating the new format.
Transport cover
‘Taxi and transport cover’ is now called 'Transport cover'. What we will pay for taxi costs or other transport arrangement costs to your destination or to and from the repairer or hire car provider has been revised from up to 2 journeys, to a limit of up to a total of $250 per claim for any one incident.
Changes when there are joint policyholders
During the period of insurance, we might ask all joint policyholders first before we action a request or direction in relation to your policy (e.g. before we cancel your policy, reduce your cover or remove another policyholder). This way we can help protect the interests of all policyholders.
Excess
We have clarified that there is no requirement to pay the excess upfront when you first lodge your claim.
New car after a total loss for cars less than 2 years old
The section 'New car after a total loss for cars less than 2 years old' has been updated to provide that, if you choose not to accept the replacement car offered, or we cannot supply a replacement car, we will pay the amount covered shown on your certificate of insurance (less applicable deductions).
Trailer cover
Accidental loss or damage to a trailer is now covered up to $2,000 when it becomes detached from a moving car, as well as cover for when it is attached to your car.
When you need to contact us
We have expanded the list of situations in which you need to contact us. For example, you need to contact us if you or anyone who is likely to drive your car has their driver licence cancelled, suspended, disqualified or restricted.
Details of some of the changes to the Claims Section
Contribution to repairs
We have clarified when we may ask you to contribute to the cost of repairs where we are unable to safely carry out insured repairs due to pre-existing damage to your car. Examples of this include neglect, wear and tear, weathering, rust, mould, mildew or corrosion.
If you do not want to pay these amounts, we will pay you the amount of the assessed quote directly related to the accepted claim.
Our right to recover from those who are responsible
We have added examples of the assistance that may be required from you if we take action against a party for the recovery of your loss.
How we settle your claim
Apia has updated the settlement options. If you choose not to accept repair/replacement of the car and request a cash settlement, we will pay the amount of the assessed quote.
