Car damage: what to do?

Fire damage can have several causes. A car can catch fire due to problems under the hood, but it can also be caused by arson or by a fire in the garage where the car is parked. The chances of j e car sustaining fire damage may be relatively small. Should it happen, it is often not a minor damage. Chances are that the vintage car is beyond repair after a fire.

Window damage can be very annoying. A small crack in the window is not always immediately visible, so it can become a crack within a short time. It is best to have your windshield repaired as soon as possible. If you have WA limited-casco or all-risk car insurance, you can claim this windshield damage without it affecting your claim-free years.

Only when you have an all-risk car insurance policy, paint damage to your car will be reimbursed by the insurer, even when the culprit is unknown. If you have a different coverage on your car insurance, then you cannot claim paintwork damage. Claiming paintwork damage does come at the expense of your claim-free years. Is the culprit known? Then the insurer will recover the damage from the perpetrator.

If you have tinplate damage, chances are you will need to have it repaired. Such repairs often add up quickly. Whether or not damage to your vehicle is covered depends on your car insurance coverage and whether you are responsible for the damage. If you did not cause the damage yourself, the insurance company will recover the damages from the other party. If you are responsible, in most cases the damage will be compensated if you have all-risk insurance. There are some exceptions to this, such as when alcohol or drugs are involved. Collision damage also affects your claim-free years.

Due to climate change, weather conditions are becoming increasingly severe. After a hailstorm, your car can be severely damaged. Hail can even cause so much damage to a car that you can no longer drive it. As a result, the cost of repairing the damage can be high. Unfortunately, third-party car insurance never provides compensation for hail damage to a car. This is true when you have a WA limited casco or all-risk car insurance. Often there is an excess for hail damage.

If you have been the victim of damage caused by vandalism to your car, it is important to always report it to the police. With a report, the police can the offenders ontrack down the perpetrators and thus recover the damage you incurred from the perpetrators. In case of frequent nuisance vandalism in the neighborhood, extra measures can be taken and the neighborhood can be mobilized to prevent vandalism. If you only have third-party insurance, you will not receive compensation from the insurer and can only hope that the perpetrators are caught. In some cases, WA limited hull coverage gets you reimbursed for the damage. This is when, for example, you have damage to your car due to burglary or attempted burglary, joyriding has taken place with your car or when vandalism has occurred due to riots.

Any kind of damage comes with a cost. Damage is annoying enough. It is even more annoying when the damage was done by another person whose identity is unknown. In that case, you cannot recover the damage from the perpetrator. In the case of damage without an offender, always make sure the situation is well mapped out by taking photos and/or videos of the situation. The images can help the police prepare a report. Filing a police report is necessary to hold the perpetrator responsible and to increase your chances of receiving compensation from insurance or other agency.

Depending on the circumstances, in case of damage caused by poor road surface, you can hold the municipality liable for the damage to your car. Here it is important that you check which municipality exactly is responsible for the road surface. You then contact the relevant municipality to explain the situation. You then ask for the forms you need to fill out to start the procedure. When you submit the forms, you include a cover piece with further explanations and other supporting documents such as photos and/or videos. After you submit these documents, the municipality will issue what is known as an "administrative decision.

Do you have all-risk or limited casco car insurance? Then storm damage to your car is insured. A condition is that the storm was at least wind force 7. The insurer checks this on the basis of KNMI data. Usually you pay a deductible for storm damage. How high the excess is varies per insurer and can be found in the policy conditions.

In a collision with an animal, you must make an important distinction between animals with and without an owner. In the case of crossing wildlife, there is no owner of the animal. No one can be held liable for this. In this case, it depends on your car insurance coverage whether you will be compensated for this damage.

If you have WA limited casco or all-risk car insurance, then damage to your car by wild animals is almost always covered. Attention! This concerns the damage caused by the collision with the animal itself, not any damage caused by an evasive maneuver.

If you have hit a pet, then the animal's owner is liable. The law states that the pet's owner must pay for the damage caused to your car.

Are you the only road user harmed? Then we speak of a one-sided damage. This is damage caused to the car because you drove into a tree or lamppost, for example. In such a collision, you did not hit another vehicle. In a unilateral accident you are liable for the damage suffered. With a WA car insurance or WA limited casco car insurance the insurer will not reimburse the costs.

Especially when you are involved in a damage caused by another person and the identity of that perpetrator is unknown, it is important that you report it to the police. Also, when you are dealing with damage to the car due to vandalism, reporting it is important.

Do you have insurance through Alpina? Then you can report the damage both by phone and online. You should always fill out a claim form.

TPL stands for third-party liability. Everyone who has a car registered in his/her name is obliged to take out at least third-party insurance. With TPL car insurance you are insured against damage for which you can be held liable. In other words, damage you cause to others with your car. Damage to your own car is not covered by a third-party insurance.

The WA limited hull car insurance is an addition to the compulsory WA car insurance. A good alternative with a broader coverage is the WA limited casco. Not only the damage done to others is covered, but also the damage caused by:

• Collision with stray animals
• Hail and storm
• Lightning
• Fire and explosion
• Window breakage
• Theft
• Theft attempt

The damages that are claimed on the limited casco part of the insurance do not affect the claim-free years. For cars from 6 to 10 years old, the WA limited case is often chosen. The most logical choice for new cars is the WA-casco(all risk) insurance.

All-risk car insurance is the most comprehensive car insurance. This is because you also get paid for damage to your own car in case of an accident caused by your fault. It is the most expensive form of insurance. This type of insurance is standard for new cars until they are about 6 years old. Still, it is difficult to put an age on this. In fact, for cars older than 6 years, all-risk insurance is also still recommended. Cars nowadays easily last 15 years. Therefore, a car that is 8 years old, for example, still has a high daily value. It is best to make an informed choice of insurance by comparing.