Unfortunately, wildlife collisions are pretty common in Australia. For example, in NSW, one in every 41 casualty crashes on a country road involves an animal collision1. Luckily, Bingle Comprehensive Car Insurance can cover your vehicle if it's damaged in a collision with an animal.
Here's what you need to know about animal collisions and your cover, and how you can avoid becoming another one of these stats.
13th November 2020
As mentioned above, if you're in a collision with wildlife, such as a roo or wallaby, and you have comprehensive cover, you could be covered as long as the hit wasn't intentional. Same goes for a domestic animal, like a cat or dog. You'll may also be covered for accidental damage to other people's cars and property if you're legally liable, say if you swerve to avoid hitting an animal, and hit another car in the process.
If you have Third Party Car Insurance, on the other hand, you won't be covered for damage to your vehicle if you hit wildlife. That being said, if your car accidentally causes damage to someone else's car or property, your legal liability could be covered.
For more information on what is and isn't covered, read the PDS.
You can make a claim online with Bingle 24/7, in just a few simple steps. Don't forget to get the contact details and rego if there was any drivers or witnesses involved, and take snaps of all the damage to support your claim.
Here at Bingle, we usually ask you to pay the excess when you lodge a claim. It's unlikely we'll waive your excess if you hit wildlife.
Whether you're driving on a suburban street or the open road, it's important to keep these tips in mind:
If you think you're going to hit an animal, there are a few things you should do:
If you hit an animal, try to move it from the road or call the local police hotline if you can't, and make sure the road is free from obstacles that might impact other drivers. You should also: