Accidental damage is one of the biggest reasons why people claim on their car insurance policies. We all know that comprehensive car insurance can take care of most repairs to accident-damaged body panels.
But the downside to claiming on your car insurance is that it can affect any no-claims discount you might have built up. Of course, there is a way that you can avoid having to make accidental damage claims on your insurance. In today’s handy guide, I will show you how to minimise the risk of your car getting damaged.
Be a safer driver
I can guarantee you that all motorists on the road today will have momentary lapses in concentration. Unfortunately, it is in those time periods when something bad happens to you or your car.
For instance, many people will take their eyes off the road for a second or two to change the radio station on their car stereos.
In this short period, an animal, bird or even small child could run out in front of your car. That will result in injury (or worse) for those concerned. It also means you are liable for the accident because you weren’t concentrating at the time.
To avoid such accidents, you need to be a better driver. Whilst there are some advanced driver training courses available, you can also follow these top tips:
- Allow plenty of time for your journey;
- Get a good night’s sleep the night before you travel;
- Perform some basic safety checks on your car, such as checking your tyre pressures;
- Stay focused when driving, and don’t crank up the stereo;
- Take a break every two hours or so on long journeys.
Choose less-risky parking spaces
I remember parking my car somewhere recently, and coming back to find a massive dent on one of the rear doors. It was a windy day, so I can only assume someone’s vehicle door flung open in the wind, and onto my car!
The bad news for me was that the other party didn’t own up to what they did, and I now have to pay for an expensive bodywork repair bill. In hindsight, I should have chosen a better place to park.
When you park somewhere, make sure it is somewhere where you are less likely to encounter such problems. For instance, in large car parks, park your car near the exit. The exercise will do you good, and it means you can leave quicker instead of queuing up to get out!
Buy a smaller car
Do you live in a European country such as the UK? You will doubtless notice that parking spaces are narrower in comparison to those in the United States.
When you next buy a car and you search for Fords at Motorpoint, for example, make sure that you look for cars that aren’t too wide. You might have to compromise on size, but at least you can minimise the risk of people damaging your car!
I hope you have found these tips useful. Thanks for reading!