How does motor insurance work?

Motor insurance is still the most popular policy. According to the Act on Compulsory Insurance, they are included in the property insurance segment of Chapter II. There is no insurance company that does not have such an offer. That is why it is worth knowing what scope of protection you will be able to provide when buying such insurance.

This is how the most popular motor insurance is presented

1. civil liability insurance (Liability)

This is the only type of policy you will have to buy as a car owner, on the day of registration at the latest. The scope of insurance will be the same for all insurers and is regulated by the Compulsory Insurance Act. Motor Third Party Liability Insurance guarantees that the insurer will cover the damage that we will cause to other traffic participants. The insurance will cover the property, health and life of persons injured in an accident that occurred through our fault. Motor Third Party Liability is an insurance that you will not forget because there are financial penalties imposed for lack of a policy and the amount will depend on the type of car and the period without a policy. For lack of Civil Liability the highest fee will always be charged after 14 days and it is 3500 PLN for passenger cars.

2. AC (autocasco) - motor insurance against theft and damage

It is a type of policy that guarantees financial compensation in case of damage or loss of the car and its equipment. This is a voluntary insurance which, unlike the Oc insurance, will provide compensation directly to us as vehicle owners.

Scope of protection to be afforded to cars with an AC policy

- collisions of vehicles, collisions with persons, animals or objects outside the car, damage to the car by third parties, fortuitous events such as fire, explosion, sinking, natural forces, thermal or chemical influences from outside the car, theft of the car or parts of its equipment.

The insurer will be able to refuse to pay compensation if it considers that the the theft of the car will be the result of negligence, e.g. leaving the keys in the ignition or causing a collision under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The amount of the AC premium is calculated by the insurer depending on the wide range of protection we choose. In addition, the protection can also be extended with additional ranges.

3. assistance is not just towing

It is also another voluntary motor insurance, which will most often be offered in a package with a third party or AC policy. It's worth to decide on this, because it will provide us with 24-hour assistance in the event of a car breakdown or a crash. It guarantees primarily technical support. You won't have to worry about towing the car to the garage if the car suddenly refuses to obey us in the middle of town or on the road. Assistance is also medical and sometimes even legal assistance, which can be used by both the car owner and passengers of the insured vehicle. Additionally, specific services may be provided:

- organising and paying for the shipment of spare parts needed for repairs that the workshop does not have

- covering the cost of renting a replacement car for the duration of the repair

- the supply of fuel to the vehicle without the cost of fuel, of course

Sometimes, also as part of the basic offer of assistance insurance, it will be expected that assistance will be provided abroad. Often, however, this type of protection will require us to pay an additional contribution. Before buying out, it is worth checking what are the possible towing limits, whether we will get help only after a collision or also in case of a car breakdown.

The article has been produced in cooperation with the editors of auto-online.pl for which I thank its owners.