Month: March 2019

Whatever the reason, you may find that someone else drives your motor vehicle from time to time. But what happens if they get into an accident? Will your insurance policy cover the damages?

This depends on several factors:

If a driver does not have a valid driving license, no insurance policy claims can be approved. But it goes a little further than that.

Under a third party cover, damage to your car resulting from an accident will not be covered if your friend was at fault. Your cover will only pay for damage caused to the other car. As for your own car, you or your friend will have to cover the repairs and replacement costs. Your costs will only be covered if the other party accepts liability.

But with a fully comprehensive cover with any authorised driver (this must be stated in your policy)  both motor vehicles may be covered even if you were not the one driving. If you’re not sure whether it is stated, you may want to go over your insurance policy first before you let someone else drive your car.

It is also worth bearing in mind that there are a lot of high-risk drivers out there (teenagers, drivers under the influence…) so you may not want to hand your keys out to just anyone, especially if you only have a third party insurance cover.

Simple errors made by homeowners could result in their insurance claims being rejected. To ensure that you are successful in submitting a home insurance claim, take a look at the most common mistakes that are often made:

1. Failure in maintaining the quality of your home: People are often surprised to hear this, butWear and tear damages are not covered by insurance policies; damages caused over a period of time—anything from water damages,  mould or other structural deterioration that occurs from neglect—would not be covered.

2. The home insurance claim submitted does not exceed the policy excess. It is not uncommon for some homeowners to choose a higher excess in order to pay a lower premium. However, when it comes to filing a claim, one of the main reasons that claims are rejected is that the value of the claim is below the policy excess.

3. Not being familiar with what is actually covered under your policy. An incorrect and inaccurate assumption a lot of homeowners make is believing that any and all damages are covered by their policy. It is important when taking out a home insurance policy to carefully read the terms and conditions and what is and isn’t included.

4. Underinsuring! If you underinsure, whether intentionally or not, you will not be covered to the full replacement value of the items damaged or stolen when it comes the time to file a claim.

What can I do to help ensure my claim goes through should I need it? 

The best way to ensure your claim is approved is to be honest; Don’t try to skimp out on paying your premium — this will only be detrimental to your claims process in the long run. Always ensure that your contents insurance covers all the valuables in your home, and revisit this every few years. Take care of your home. And if you are uncertain about anything in your policy, seek clarification from a professional.

Have any questions regarding your home insurance? Talk to us!

Pay us a visit at our branches (Maison Esplanade – Victoria, Pension Complex –Baie St. Anne Praslin, Green Corner –Providence)  or call us on 429 5000 or send an email to info@sacos.sc. We’ll be more than happy to help!

If there’s anything that is of paramount importance when you are your own boss, it’s protecting your livelihood. Take a look at the business insurance covers you may not have had the foresight to purchase:

Professional indemnity insurance

The first insurance policy you want to look into is professional indemnity insurance. This if for your own good as it will help to defend you if a customer makes claims that you have done something wrong, even if it is not the case. Additionally, it will help you meet the cost of any legal action in the event of a client suing you for any actions that have resulted in losses to them (This can be anything from bad advice, a mistake or any other form of perceived negligence).

Public liability insurance

Especially crucial if you have clients coming to your premises, or your property is easily accessible to members of the public. This insurance is there in case anyone is injured, or you cause accidental damage to Third Party Property.

Office and vehicle insurance

A lot of self employed business owners make the mistake of thinking they only need liability insurance. However, you also need to consider cover for your business premise(s) and equipment as well! Not only do you need to consider policies that cover fire, flood or burglary, but if you own several commercial vehicles, you may also need to consider fleet insurance.

Unsure of which Insurance Policies are better suited for your business? Our agents are more than capable and willing to help!

Pay us a visit at our branches (Maison Esplanade – Victoria, Pension Complex –Baie St. Anne Praslin, Green Corner –Providence)  or call us on 429 5000 or send an email to info@sacos.sc. We’ll be more than happy to assist you!

A lot of house fires are preventable if you have a fire extinguisher on hand. If you don’t have one, you may want to consider getting it. For those who do, you need to ensure that you keep it in operating conditions so it is useable when you need it.

We’ve put together some helpful tips to help make sure your fire extinguisher is in proper working order:

Ensure easy access

Make sure the extinguisher is visible and easy to retrieve at a moment’s notice.

Check the pressure

If your fire extinguisher has a pressure gauge that indicates the operating range, always check to see that the gauge’s needle indicates the appropriate pressure. If it has a test indicator, press it to make sure the pressure reading is within the correct range.

Look out for physical damage

Inspect your extinguisher for visible signs of damage such as dents or rust; this may mean it’s time to replace the extinguisher. Also check that the can, hose and nozzle look to be in working in order. Document your checks on the extinguisher’s inspection tag (if it has one) may help you keep track of its maintenance history.

Clean the extinguisher!

Check the outside of each extinguisher for dust, oil or grease, and clean it as necessary.

Most fire extinguishers are generally good for 5 to 15 years so always check the extinguisher’s label or a paper tag for the expiration or last maintenance date. If it’s 10 or more years ago, you may want to get a new fire extinguisher.

Don’t overlook its maintenance — be sure your extinguishers are ready for use, just in case!

Purchase an Insurance Policy

Sometimes, despite our best preventive measures, the worst can happen so it pays to have a contingency plan. Our Householders Policy is a comprehensive cover which provides compensation in the event of damage to your building and contents of your home due to fire and a wide range of other risks. Our Fire Policy is a basic cover for the budget-conscious which provides compensation in the event of fire, lightening and explosion.

Whatever your insurance needs, Sacos caters to them all.

Pay us a visit at our branches (Maison Esplanade – Victoria, Pension Complex –Baie St. Anne Praslin, Green Corner –Providence)  or call us on 429 5000 or send an email to info@sacos.sc. We’ll be more than happy to assist you!

We are now offering a special package on the Personal Accident add-on cover, exclusive to drivers with fully comprehensive motor insurance policies. For the very low premium of SCR200, the insured driver will receive a Personal Accident cover of up to  SCR100,000.

The Personal Accident insurance cover is designed to pay out compensation if you suffer from a serious injury or death as the result of an accident. It can protect you and your family against loss of income, and help with medical bills and other expenses.

How is this different from my existing motor policy? 

Currently, your fully comprehensive policy covers you in events of accidental explosion, burglary, theft, break-ins and accidental collision (damage sustained to your vehicle and third party vehicle). You are even insured against injury caused to others such as passengers. However, as a driver, your policy does not provide you with compensation for injury you personally sustain in a car accident.

The personal accident cover add-on however, covers YOU, as the driver, in the event of an accident.

What if I am in a car accident but I am not the driver, will I still be covered?

Unfortunately the cover is only applicable if you are the driver or any other authorised driver on your policy. It will not cover other types of accidents, such as being hit as a pedestrian. In addition, the cover will only apply to the fully comprehensive insured vehicle assigned to the policy, and no other vehicles.

Does this sound right for you?

Pay us a visit at our branches (Maison Esplanade – Victoria, Pension Complex –Baie St. Anne Praslin, Green Corner –Providence)  or call us on 429 5000 or send an email to info@sacos.sc. We’ll be more than happy to assist you!