Auto Insurance – What Are the Different Types? How Do You File a Claim?

Auto Insurance: Liability (OC), Comprehensive (AC), Accident (NNW), and Roadside Assistance—find out exactly what these terms mean, which ones you’re required to purchase as a car owner, and which are optional. We’ll also explain how to use them if you’re involved in an accident.

Auto insurance is the most popular type of policy. There isn’t a single insurance company that doesn’t offer it. That’s why it’s important to know what kind of coverage you can get for yourself as a driver, for your passengers, and what kind of insurance to get for your car.

The Most Popular Auto Insurance Policies:

1. Civil Liability Insurance (OC)

This is the only type of insurance policy you are required to purchase as a car owner, no later than the date of the car’s registration. The scope of coverage is the same for all insurers and is governed by the Act on Compulsory Insurance, the UFG, and the PBUK.

Third-party liability auto insurance guarantees that the insurer will cover, under your policy, any damages you cause to other road users. The insurance coverage extends to both the property and the health or life of persons injured in an accident caused by your fault.

Automobile liability insurance is a type of insurance you must not forget about, because financial penalties are imposed for not having a policy, and the amount of these penalties is calculated based on the type of car and the length of time the vehicle was without insurance coverage. The highest penalty—3,500 PLN for passenger cars (as of 2015)—is imposed for being without liability insurance for more than 14 days.

More information about liability insurance.

2. AC (comprehensive auto insurance) – auto insurance covering theft and damage

This type of policy will provide you with financial compensation in the event of damage to or loss of your car, as well as its contents. It is a voluntary insurance policy which, unlike motor vehicle liability insurance, provides compensation directly to you as the vehicle owner.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance (AC) coverage includes damage resulting from:

• vehicle collisions, collisions with people, animals, or objects outside the vehicle (e.g., hitting a building), damage to the vehicle caused by third parties,
• random events, such as fire, explosion, flooding, the effects of natural forces (e.g., a hurricane), or thermal or chemical factors originating from outside the vehicle,
• the theft of a car or its parts or equipment.

The insurer has the right to refuse to pay a claim if it determines that the car theft resulted from negligence (e.g., leaving the keys in the ignition) or that you caused a collision while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The insurer calculates the comprehensive insurance premium based on the scope of coverage you choose. You can extend your policy, for example, to include glass coverage.

Details about comprehensive auto insurance.

3. Assistance – It’s More Than Just Towing

It is also a voluntary auto insurance policy, most often offered by insurers as part of a package with liability or comprehensive coverage. It’s worth getting this coverage because it provides 24/7 assistance in the event of a car breakdown or collision. Above all, it guarantees technical support. So you don’t have to worry, for example, about arranging for your car to be towed to a repair shop if it suddenly breaks down in the middle of the city or on the road.

Assistance also includes medical and even legal help, which is available not only to the driver but also to the passengers of the insured vehicle. Additional services provided as part of roadside assistance include, among others:

• organizing and covering the shipping costs for replacement parts needed to repair a vehicle that the repair shop does not currently have in stock,
• covering the cost of renting a replacement car while the vehicle is being repaired,
• Delivery of fuel to the vehicle (excluding the cost of fuel).

Sometimes, as part of a basic auto insurance assistance plan, the insurer also provides assistance abroad. However, this type of coverage often requires an additional premium. Before purchasing roadside assistance, it’s a good idea to check the towing limits and whether you’ll receive assistance only after a collision or also in the event of a vehicle breakdown.

Assistance Insurance – All the Information.

4. Accident Insurance for Drivers and Passengers

This insurance provides compensation for the consequences of accidents (NNW). The coverage under this voluntary insurance applies to the permanent consequences of an accident resulting in bodily injury, permanent impairment, or the death of the insured.

Insurance companies typically offer two options for accident insurance: coverage for the driver only, or coverage for both the driver and passengers.

Details about accident insurance.

Liability Insurance – How Do You File a Claim with the At-Fault Driver’s Insurer?

The victim reports the claim to the insurance company with which the at-fault party had third-party liability insurance.

Before you do that, however, make sure to take care of a few details at the scene of the incident—and, above all, make sure to have a statement taken. This responsibility falls on the person at fault.

1. The document should include: the first and last names, addresses, and phone numbers of the participants and witnesses, as well as the details of the vehicles involved in the incident: make, model, and license plate number.
2. The statement must include information about damage to the vehicles and a detailed description of the collision, including the date, location, time, and details regarding the circumstances.
3. The at-fault party should provide their liability insurance policy number and specify which insurance company issued it.
4. The perpetrator should state that he or she admits guilt. The statement should be signed by all parties involved in the incident.

Once you have written your statement, you can contact the at-fault driver’s insurance company—for example, by phone, in person at an insurance branch, or by filling out an online form.

Once the claims settlement process begins, the insurer sends a letter to the at-fault party requesting confirmation of the written statement and detailed information regarding the incident.

The next step is a visit from an adjuster from the at-fault driver’s insurance company, who will assess the extent of the damage to the car and prepare the necessary documentation. Based on this, the insurer will estimate the repair costs and notify you of the amount of the settlement.

It usually takes 30 days to issue a decision on the payment of compensation.

It’s worth noting that since 2015, several insurance companies have offered direct claims settlement. This means that as the victim of an accident, you can file a claim with the company where you purchased your own liability insurance policy. In that case, your insurance company handles all the paperwork, pays out the compensation, and then seeks reimbursement from the at-fault party’s insurer.

See also: Direct claims settlement is now a reality. Eight insurers offer BLS

Comprehensive Auto Insurance – How and When to File a Claim?

Car theft must be reported to the police within 24 hours of the incident. In most cases, insurance companies require that a claim under comprehensive auto insurance be filed within a few days of the incident. Note, however, that these deadlines vary depending on the type of claim, and each insurer specifies them individually in its general insurance terms and conditions (GITC); therefore, immediately after the incident, be sure to check how much time you have to file the claim.

In the event of theft, you usually have 24 hours from the moment you discover that your car is missing to notify your insurer. The situation is different with vehicle damage—in this case, insurance companies give you a few days to report the damage, and the process of filing a claim is similar to that for liability insurance.

Compensation Under Accident Insurance—How Do You Apply for It?

It’s best to file a claim for compensation under accident insurance toward the end of your treatment or after it has concluded. By then, you’ll have complete documentation of the course of your treatment, which you’ll need to submit to your insurer. Proof of the accident can include hospital test results, a discharge summary, or personalized invoices for medications. You can file a claim, for example, by phone. To ensure you don’t miss the deadline set by the insurer, check the General Terms and Conditions of Insurance to see how much time you have. After you file a claim, the insurer will calculate the compensation amount based on a table, which you can also find in the General Terms and Conditions of Insurance.

The amount of your compensation for personal injury will depend on the coverage limit—for example, it will be 5% of that amount. That is why it is important to have the highest possible accident insurance coverage limit.

Assistance – How to Get Help on the Road?

Getting help under your Assistance insurance is very simple. In the event of an accident or car breakdown, all you need to do is call the phone number provided by your insurer to get help. Depending on the situation and the General Terms and Conditions of Insurance, you can count on having your car towed to a repair shop, minor repairs at the scene, a loaner car for the duration of the repair, transportation to a medical facility or home, hotel accommodations, the services of an interpreter, and even a lawyer. In most cases, the assistance offered is available 24 hours a day and is provided by specialized companies that partner with insurance companies.