Frequently Asked Questions

• Explain what Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire & Theft, & Third Party is?

  Comprehensive Car Insurance (also referred to as vehicle insurance) provides the widest cover. It covers loss and damage as a result of:

  • Theft and hijacking.
  • Accidents.
  • Fire or explosion and natural disasters like hail and floods.

  Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance also includes cover for damage to your vehicle’s glass and liability to other parties (third parties) as a result of an accident.

  An example of Third Party liability would be the damage caused to another motorist’s vehicle in an accident for which you were responsible. The other motorist would probably claim the cost of this damage from you and you would then be compensated (up to the maximum value shown in your Policy Schedule) for this liability under the Third Party component of your cover.

  Third Party, Fire & Theft Insurance provides the same cover as Comprehensive, but without damages caused to your vehicle by an accident. Because accidents are a big risk to any vehicle, removing this cover leads to a dramatic reduction in your insurance premium.

  Third Party Insurance covers only liability to other parties and leaves you exposed to risk from theft, accidents and natural disasters.

  iWYZE offers all of these options and our call centre agents will assist you in tailoring an insurance policy that suits your needs and your pocket.

• Why do I need to have my vehicle inspected?

  Unless you are purchasing a new vehicle from a dealer and the vehicle will be registered as new, we need to establish the exact condition of your vehicle before we can insure it. There are two ways of doing this:

  • You can take your vehicle to one of Inspection Centres. They will inspect your vehicle and report on things like pre-existing damage, condition of tyres and windscreen; the presence and proper functioning of an immobilizer, any non-standard accessories and sound equipment, as well as the vehicle identification numbers. This information will be sent to iWYZE and will be used to verify and augment the information that you provide.
  • Alternatively, you can complete an Inspection Form yourself by downloading the PDF from this website (you will find the form under Downloads on the main menu) and submitting it to us directly.

• What's the difference between Retail, Trade & Market Value?

  As is normal in the short-term insurance industry and the motor trade, iWYZE uses the Auto Dealers’ Guide to determine the Retail and Trade Values of any vehicle.

  Retail Value is the retail price that the Auto Dealers’ Guide lists for a vehicle of a specific make and model, year, mileage and condition and is an estimate of the price at which most dealers would be able to sell the vehicle to a member of the public. If your vehicle is covered for its Retail Value, and it is either damaged beyond repair, stolen or hijacked without being recovered, the settlement amount will be based on its Retail Value less the relevant excess, which should allow you to replace your vehicle with a similar one.

  Likewise Trade Value is the estimate of the Auto Dealers’ Guide of the price that you are likely to get when selling your vehicle to a dealer.

  Market value is the average between Retail and Trade Values. If your vehicle is covered at Market Value then your premium will be lower, but a settlement in the case of a total loss of the vehicle may not quite enable you to purchase a similar vehicle.

  Do I insure my vehicle for Domestic or Business Use?

  Domestic Use is when you use your vehicle for social, domestic or pleasure purposes, and travel to and from work. iWYZE will cover vehicles used for these purposes under the Domestic Use classification.

  Business Use includes social, domestic or pleasure purposes, driving to and from work and certain professional or business calls (for example, driving to and from business meetings). iWYZE will cover vehicles used for these purposes under the Business Use classification.

  Note: Business Use excludes the hiring out of the vehicle, the transporting of passengers for reward, carrying of goods for commercial purposes, teaching someone how to drive in return for payment; racing, speeding or any other contests, on any racetrack; and any purpose related to the motor trade (except for the execution of normal maintenance or repairs). These uses are all classified as Commercial Use and iWYZE does not offer insurance cover for vehicles used for these purposes.

• Do I insure my vehicle for Domestic or Business Use?

  Domestic Use is when you use your vehicle for social, domestic or pleasure purposes, and travel to and from work. iWYZE will cover vehicles used for these purposes under the Domestic Use classification.

  Business Use includes social, domestic or pleasure purposes, driving to and from work and certain professional or business calls (for example, driving to and from business meetings). iWYZE will cover vehicles used for these purposes under the Business Use classification.

  Note: Business Use excludes the hiring out of the vehicle, the transporting of passengers for reward, carrying of goods for commercial purposes, teaching someone how to drive in return for payment; racing, speeding or any other contests, on any racetrack; and any purpose related to the motor trade (except for the execution of normal maintenance or repairs). These uses are all classified as Commercial Use and iWYZE does not offer insurance cover for vehicles used for these purposes.

• Why does my premium increase yearly when the value of my car depreciates?

  Unless you have chosen otherwise, your vehicle is not only covered for theft or a total loss via accident, but also for repairs in the event of an accident. The cost of labour to repair your vehicle and the cost of the parts used, tend to increase every year. Insurance statistics show that the greatest portion of the risk associated with insuring a vehicle is this repair cost; meaning that the covering of this cost makes up the greatest contribution to your premium. The result is that your premium is likely to increase in line with these costs, despite the reduction in the total value of your vehicle.

• Do younger drivers pay higher insurance premiums?

  Unfortunately for young drivers, insurance statistics show that the risk of accidents reduces with age. Older drivers have fewer accidents than younger drivers. Consequently your age is a factor in the calculation of your premium and younger drivers pay a higher premium than older drivers. This effect on the insurance premium reduces as the driver ages and this will automatically be factored into your annual premium adjustment.

• For vehicle repairs, do you use original manufacturer parts only?

  All vehicles under factory warranty are repaired with original parts from the manufacturer. On older vehicles it is standard procedure in the insurance industry to use alternative parts or reconditioned parts on certain non-safety critical items in order to keep premiums as low as possible. The objective is always to restore the vehicle to its condition before the incident. Furthermore iWYZE guarantees all repair work for a period of one year.

• Does iWYZE cover damages incurred in an accident when a friend is driving?

  Yes, provided that all terms and conditions of your iWYZE vehicle insurance policy have been met. However, if your friend, or anyone else, becomes the regular driver of your vehicle, then iWYZE must be informed and this fact shown in your Policy Schedule.

  Also note that we offer an option under which you can stipulate in your iWYZE policy who is allowed to drive your vehicle and you will then receive a premium discount. You can name any two persons to be the drivers of your vehicle and their details will be shown in your Policy Schedule. Should anyone else then drive your vehicle, any loss or damage caused as a result will not be covered. If you have chosen this option and your friend is not one of the named drivers, the answer to the above question would obviously be “no”.

• I'm the regular driver of someone else's vehicle, can I insure the car with iWYZE?

  No, the owner of the vehicle needs to insure it and specify in the Policy Schedule that you are a regular driver.

• When calculating the insurance premium, what factors are considered?

  As with any form of insurance, there are many factors that impact on the calculation of the risk, and consequently, the premium. Amongst others, these include the make and model of your motor vehicle, where you live, where your vehicle is kept at night, who the driver of the vehicle is, what purpose my vehicle is used for and your previous claims history.

  It is very important that you are honest when answering these and any other questions we may ask, as your premium is based on your answers and any misrepresentation of the facts may lead to the rejection of a future claim. That said, a lot of the information you provide has the potential to lead to a reduction in your premium and this is another reason for being accurate when answering the questions asked.

  Taking other insurance policies with iWYZE (such as Household Cover) could also lead to a reduction in premium.

• Why do I have to pay a vehicle excess even if the accident was not my fault?

  An excess is payable whenever a claim is submitted and it is the first payment that needs to be made in the event of a claim – regardless of whether it was your fault or not. If you were not at fault, you can claim the excess amount back from the guilty party. Unfortunately, this can take a long time, especially if the guilty party was not insured. The legal recoveries department of iWYZE will do their utmost to recover your excess free of charge, but this cannot be guaranteed.

  Circumstances when recovery of the excess may not be possible include:

  • If the guilty party’s details are not available.
  • If the guilty party has no income or assets to attach.
  • If the legal costs outweigh the recovery costs (excess amount).
  • If the guilty party cannot be traced.
  • If the merits of the claim do not justify the recovery of the excess.

• Cancelling a policy, notice period and refunds on premium?

  You may cancel your policy or any item at any time, either telephonically or in writing and this will be with immediate effect. However, iWYZE may retain the initiation fee.

  Example: Should you sell your insured vehicle, you may contact us and cancel the insurance immediately. Cover for that vehicle will terminate and we will refund you the related premium for the balance of the insured period.

  iWYZE may change or cancel your policy by giving you 30 days’ notice to your email or postal address. Any changes will only come into effect after this 30-day notice period has lapsed. If a premium has been paid for any period beyond the date of cancellation of the policy, we will refund the relevant portion.

  Should you be involved in an accident, it is important to contact the iALERT emergency assistance line on 0800 123 000 or our Call Centre on 0860 082 949. iWYZE will then organise for one of our approved towing operators to tow your vehicle to the nearest iWYZE-approved auto body repairer. All towing and storage costs will be borne by iWYZE, unless your claim is later rejected (under the Terms and Conditions of your policy), in which case you will be liable for these costs.

  Should you choose to make use of a towing company not on iWYZE’s list of approved towing operators, iWYZE will only reimburse you for the cost that would have been charged by one of our approved operators and the balance will be for your own account. The same principle applies to storage costs, with iWYZE paying the costs charged (or that would have been charged) by one of our approved auto body repairers.

• Do I have to pay for towing and storage costs?

  Should you be involved in an accident, it is important to contact the iALERT emergency assistance line on 0800 123 000 or our Call Centre on 0860 082 949. iWYZE will then organise for one of our approved towing operators to tow your vehicle to the nearest iWYZE-approved auto body repairer. All towing and storage costs will be borne by iWYZE, unless your claim is later rejected (under the Terms and Conditions of your policy), in which case you will be liable for these costs.

  Should you choose to make use of a towing company not on iWYZE’s list of approved towing operators, iWYZE will only reimburse you for the cost that would have been charged by one of our approved operators and the balance will be for your own account. The same principle applies to storage costs, with iWYZE paying the costs charged (or that would have been charged) by one of our approved auto body repairers.

• Does iWYZE settle vehicle damage claims in cash?

  If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, we will repair the vehicle at one of our specially selected and approved repairers. We prefer to use one of our repairers as it allows us to maintain repair quality standards and provides recourse in the event of any issues. Thus, in this instance, iWYZE does not reimburse you with a cash amount.

  If your vehicle is damaged beyond repair, then iWYZE will pay you a cash amount based on the insured value (be that Retail, Market or Specified Value). However, if the vehicle is subject to a credit agreement in terms of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (Hire Purchase), our responsibility is firstly towards such an agreement. In this case, you will only receive the balance of the settlement after the outstanding value on the vehicle has been paid to the credit provider.

  You can contact the iWYZE Claims Department on 0860 082 949 to register a claim.

• How long does it take to settle a vehicle claim?

  This depends on the location of the incident and the extent of damages. iWYZE aims to assess the vehicle within 48 hours and will finalise the claim as soon as possible thereafter.

• Where can I have my vehicle inspected?

  All approved Inspection Centres are listed (with detailed maps)on the Supplier Maps on the iWYZE website. Alternatively, you can speak to an iWYZE call centre agent, and they will advise you of your nearest inspection centre.

• My vehicle is imported and can't be registered in SA. Can I insure it with iWYZE?

  Unfortunately iWYZE does not offer insurance for vehicles not registered in South Africa.

• Why do I need to install extra security devices in my vehicle?

  Insurance statistics prove that this kind of preventative approach reduces the risk of vehicle theft. The initial cost of installing such devices is more than justified by the high value of a vehicle. iWYZE, like most insurers, will require the installation of certain approved security devices if we feel it is justified.

iWYZE is underwritten by Mutual & Federal Insurance Company Limited, a member of the Old Mutual group. Mutual & Federal and Old Mutual are Licensed Financial Services Providers.