LOOPHOLES in car insurance mean drivers often aren’t covered for lost keys, using the wrong fuel or stolen phones.
These and other surprising gaps mean motorists risk losing hundreds of pounds if they try to claim for common issues most expect to be covered for.
You don’t want to get caught out and pay the price for missing these loopholes
Which? analysed 73 elements of car insurance across 39 policies and found that certain problems encountered by many drivers are not covered by a significant number of policies.
All car insurance policies boast they cover personal belongings – but reading the small print shows nearly half don’t cover mobile phones if damaged or destroyed in your car.
One in six policies also excluded laptops and tablets. Only two of the 39 policies cover cash.
Putting the wrong fuel in at the pump – muddling unleaded for diesel and vice versa – is a common issue. According to the RAC, 150,000 Brits do it each year – an accident that can lead to expensive engine damage.
But only 54 per cent of the policies Which? scrutinised provide misfuelling cover as standard – while around a third don’t offer cover at all.
And divers with smashed sunroofs might find they are unable to claim under the “glass” section of their insurance.
Glass cover is the part of the policy related to the windscreen and windows, and it usually also includes sunroofs. But it was excluded in one in five.
Brits prone to losing their keys could be out of luck too. Some 15 per cent of policies don’t provide any cover for lost keys – though most do if they are stolen.
Jenny Ross, Which? Money editor, said: “When things go wrong drivers should be able to count on their insurer, but it is concerning that a large number of policies don’t cover incidents or possessions you might assume they do, leaving customers with potentially eye-watering bills.
“We would urge policyholders to read the small print. If you’re comparing two similarly priced policies, the bills you can rack up by falling foul of car insurance potholes could dwarf the extra amount you would pay for the more expensive cover.
“It’s always worth shopping around when it’s time to renew, but that’s especially true for anyone who’s unhappy with how their insurer has handled a claim.”
There will be nine big changes for drivers next month, from car tax to driving tests.
Martin Lewis has also explained how to knock hundreds of pounds off your car insurance bill.
Despite the tips and tricks out there, thousands of AA customers found they were overcharged for breakdown cover.
