Is it wiser to just keep your mouth shut sometimes !

Hi Robin, I would have said the same as your friend in the circumstances as I, coming from a working life as a towie, know that Total Care, Roadside Assistance call it whatever your manufacturer calls it will only cover you for vehicle breakdown. In the event of a crash they will help you arrange towage, give phone numbers etc but they will firmly handball the recovery and assessing to your insurance company.

In the instance you mention it mattered not that he quoted "write-off", just saying he crashed was enough to back out of responsibility.

It is exactly the same for anyone covered by RAC, RACV, NRMA etc even on top cover if you have a crash don't bother calling them, contact your insurance company.

Cheers Neil.

It isn't that one needs to be careful about what you say, but it is about understanding precisely what your insurer, whether it be comprehensive vehicle insurance, manufacturer’s warranty insurance or total care support (presumably roadside breakdown) is covering you for and what the terms and conditions are that you have agreed to.

In general, they all play a different role in the insurance mix, but some of the benefits may overlap in certain areas.

Not having the full facts in this instance makes it hard to make a precise assessment, so commenting generally, some roadside assistance programs do provide additional benefits when there has been an accident.

Noting, that insurers don’t get to pick and choose what assistance they provide in the event of a breakdown, or accident, it is either covered, or it isn’t.

Your friend needs to review the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) associated with the cover and check to see what is covered and what isn’t and then refer back to the provider if there is a dispute as to the service the was offered at the time.

Non-covered accessories are always contentious, I advise my insurer of all items fixed to the vehicle, and I assign a nominal value if I am not seeking insurance cover on them.

And on total length of vehicles and trailers, it is almost certain that all roadside assistance providers will have limitations on size and weight. Accessing the service for both tow vehicle and trailer, or caravan will be limited to these restrictions normally, so it is important to ensure you meet the restrictions when entering into the policy, otherwise you might find yourself in the same situation as the “Merc”.


Often insurers’ get a “bad wrap” for not proving a service that was "assumed" they were, which highlights the importance of understanding what a policy covers and what it doesn't

Policies are legally binding, it is important to read exactly what it offers, and determine its suitability to your requirements.


Above all else I hope they were all safe and uninjured...

What would be the point in keeping your mouth shut?
They aren't going to arrive at a written off vehicle & think its a flat battery!

After having been in business all my working life (46 yrs) and having to deal with insurance companies on a regular basis, and having had to claim everything from multiple MV claims, through multiple theft claims, through to house fire claims - as well as public liability claims - I can tell you this much.

1. The instant you get on the blower to the insurance company to report an "insurance event", everything you say is recorded. Therefore, recognise this and say no more than the minimum required.

2. The number of people who never read their insurance PDS is mind-boggling. Read your PDS thoroughly and carefully, and understand the T's & C's.

3. The crucial word in insurance is INDEMNIFY. This word means to be no better off, nor any worse off, financially, after the insured event. If you feel you're going to end up worse off, you need to argue on a different tack that you require increased or different compensation.

For example - you lose your Prado in a write-off. Your insurance company offers you $35,000 for it - but you reckon it will cost you $40,000 to get into a similar vehicle, with similar kms and in similar condition.
You can argue that instead of $35,000 payout, you prefer to be supplied with a Prado identical to the one written off. The company has no choice but to do as you request. They will often raise the payout figure when they realise they can't acquire a repalcement vehicle for that figure.

4. All insurance companies are out to keep payouts to a minimum. Some are a lot worse than others to deal with. Some will give you a right run-around, others will pay up only after protracted negotiation. A few are just plain excellent to deal with.

All insurance agreements are based on "good faith". This mean that the insurance company has accepted that what you have told them is the true situation - and that you have accepted that they will fully indemnify you (in line with their T's & C's) in any loss.

Some things can never be proven to exist, particularly after a fire. This is where a good company will accept your word about what was lost, and a bad company will contest it.

All insured items, particularly vehicles are subject to wear and tear. Some people expect to end up with a better item than what they had before the event - even though they've had substantial use from it. Insurance companies are keen to ensure that doesn't happen.

Insurance companies employ lots of people with good investigation skills, to investigate all claims - and they will operate like police detectives to further investigate any claim that has a whiff of fraud about it.
There are "indicators" in dodgy claims to them, that scream fraud - when an average person wouldn't pick that up.

Be honest and up front at all times when speaking to insurance companies, without compromising your position, by giving them unneccessary information that may give them ideas that a lower payout is warranted.

I had a situation with a car I had that melted a coil leed. The leed itself was on fire and because I am mechanically minded I noticed the problem quite quickly, pulled over , stopped the car and using a water bottle, doused the fire (the rubber on the leed was on fire - very small fire and no other damage.
I called the NRMA road service for a tow truck to get the car to my mechanic. They asked me what was wrong and so I said that a coil leed had melted causing a small fire and the car had stopped. Instantly they heard the word fire and said the same thing - call your insurance company.
Very frustrating when you seem to fall into a gap in some peoples understanding.
Everyone including my mechanic said I should have pulled over and let it burn to the ground which is how I felt after getting the run around and then paying out of my own pocket for a tow truck when I am in the top cover for roadside assistance.