wow that's BS, im with FMG and no where in their policy does it disclude beach or off road use.
I pulled a van off the beach once a few years ago that a group of tourists decided it would be a great idea to take a non 4x4 van on to a beach.
Upon pulling them out, the driver failed to stop and rear ended my ute. new tailgate, new paint up one back quarter. Other driver had no insurance and on a learner license. FMG paid out no problems and then chased the other driver for blood ;)
pp-race,
Jul 16, 4:59am
So a car park in a shooing center is not a public road either then. It is a public place. they now could deny a claim, How ever if you are drunk and driving in a carpark you get a dui charge. Same as if you are in a private address but public have access to it. As in if you had a party in a paddock and the public have access to said paddock and someone was driving in paddock drunk they can get a dui. It this accident happened on an unformed paper road are you covered? OP a beach is classed as a public road.
You bring up good points here. I have camping trips on my farm with a car club i belong to. Should any of them come a gutser in the paddock, they may not be covered if with the wrong insurance company. Looks like everyone should read their policy. If in doubt FMG are a much safer bet in my experience.
3tomany,
Jul 16, 5:24am
Article says if you can drive on it and get access it is a road. That definition would include a farm.
tony9,
Jul 16, 6:04am
"Vehicles are largely banned from beaches throughout New Zealand unless they are launching or retrieving a boat or carrying out surf life saving, police, council or government activity."
and. "According to NZTA's website, the Land Transport Act considers that beaches are roads, which allows local authorities to set speed limits on beaches.
It also means police can enforce traffic laws such as registration requirements.
The website says the definition is in place to ensure that the Land Transport Act applies to beaches and the public is protected from the misuse of vehicles.
It does not give drivers right of access to all beaches across the country."
So if public vehicles are allowed (only on a few beaches), the Land Transport Act applies.
A farm is private property, not public, so how can it be classed as a Public Road?
tony9,
Jul 16, 6:12am
OP, this is a perfectly normal response to customer demand. Tower want to increase their market sales, so have reduced their premiums. To stay in business and cover claims they refine the cover and exclude higher risk areas but still cover 90+% of the market.
The cover is very clear and up front in the documents.
But a fair warning to those who equate "best insurance company" on here as meaning lowest premiums.
FMG does cover more, but the premiums are higher, this is as it should be. Bear in mind that FMG stands for Farmers Mutual Group.
3tomany,
Jul 16, 9:44am
I would not agree that FMG are more expensive. My sons partner just changed from another insurer to FMG and the premium was about 50% cheaper for more cover. She needed to change as my son is under 25 and she needed him covered to drive the car. FMG had no problem with that but her prior insurer did.
mrfxit,
Jul 16, 9:57am
It has always been that std insurance policys only cover you for incidences on PUBLIC roads & public access area's. Any insurance cover outside of a public accessible area, is up to the individual cover policy inclusions / exclusions & the general "good Will" of the insurance company
mrfxit,
Jul 16, 10:00am
Please define . Public access property & Private access property.
dutchess46,
Jul 16, 11:52am
Does that mean you are not covered on your driveway to your house? Its not a public road.
mrfxit,
Jul 16, 12:36pm
Possibly not, never tried claiming for that situation.
elect70,
Jul 16, 12:48pm
Never seen that on a car policy yet ive been through 4 insurance co s in my time . Even IAG one of the toughest doesnt have it . Avoid Tower like the plague . They are cheap for a reason .
tony9,
Jul 16, 12:52pm
That would depend on your policy document. Ours (AMI) simply says that we have cover anywhere in NZ. Only relevant exclusion is "There is no cover for any loss, damage, cost, expense, prosecution or liability arising from any intentional or reckless act or omission by you or anyone else covered by this policy". and of course DUI or drugs.
Also not included "in any race, competitive trial or speed test, – on any race track, e.g. in driver training or track days."
andrewcg53,
Jul 16, 5:14pm
So dose it give you any public liability if not you have no cover if you drive off road so if you drive along a forestry road and you cause a fire you will have no cover and you will foot the bill even a small fire could cost 10-100 thousand dollars a large fire can get into the millions
franc123,
Jul 16, 6:14pm
Nothing to see here, utterly standard clause in a motor insurance policy unless of course you're deliberately targeting the cockie dollars like obviously FMG would be doing. Its precisely why you use the $3k Pajero or Escudo or Bighorn or whatever for going hunting and not the even more unstable flash ute. Only the stupid do otherwise
franc123,
Jul 16, 6:16pm
That's probably because you've not read it properly.
kazbanz,
Jul 18, 5:05am
It never occurred to me that anyone would think they were covered by a general policy for any off road activity. Ive always figured that the second the vehicle is on the racetrack or in the bush I was self insuring. Except where someone gets a specific inclusion to cover a specific activity.
3tomany,
Jul 20, 6:34am
It appears some on here think that is what they are for. An suv is a road car that can go off road but a 4x4 ute is an off road vehicle that can be driven on the road. I find it ridiculous that an insurer would not cover a vehicle for doing it's prime purpose. An suv i would understand the exclusion but not a BT50.
tony9,
Jul 20, 6:50am
We, like most people, have public liability as part of our home contents insurance. $1,000,000.
lythande1,
Jul 20, 10:01am
When they initially set up the insurance on the phone they were simply asked if it was used for private, business or farm use, he said.
The vehicle was not used for work on a farm, so they felt that private use fitted the description. But private use of a four-wheel drive should include off-roading, he said.
The Greens say they were never sent a hard copy of the policy but when they looked online they found they were not covered if the ute was not on public roads.
Uhuh. they didn't read the policy. I just reinsured my vhcile and hour ago, I logged in and downloaded the policy myself, no waiting for emails. Ad read the damn thing.
And second Tower. the worst company ever, the news and Fair Go is full of Tower.
3tomany,
Dec 20, 7:13am
When i take a comprehensive policy i expect to be covered no matter if it it is private or business. I take my insurance companies advice on the cover i need and if they get i wrong it is their fault not mine. The insurance company i deal with understands that, and has come to the party in the past for me even though by the letter of the policy i was not covered. This is what sets the best from the rest.
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