QBE car insurance given the big flick.

[krisandkev]

Finally got around to changing insurance companies after QBE confirmed they do not provide cover for engine damage due to accidental contaminated fuel.  As most know, modern diesel engines do not like contaminate fuel and the repair bill can be expensive.  It is OK if you can identify the service station and they agree that it was their fuel, but when travelling that can be difficult.
There are a few insurance companies that will cover contaminated fuel, I chose AAMI.  I changed our 2009 Landcruiser and our 2009 Mazda 3.
QBE was charging me $893 a year for the cruiser and $696 for the Mazda. Market value only.
AAMI with agreed value, I chose the maximum amount for both vehicles and windscreen cover, $561 for the cruiser and $372 for the Mazda!
That is a combined saving of $656 a year!  That is a bloody lot of money, and for far better cover.  (I know there would be some bad stories about AAMI, but if you ask enough people there are bad stories about all companies.)
The main reason we had stayed with QBE is because they had a 4 year replacement policy on new vehicles. But with our new cover the agreed amount is just as good.
It does pay re-assess your cover. 

Kevin

[dungee]

I have a mechanic friend I was talking to about this exact issue last week. He saw a bill for $19000 for repair to the fuel system on a diesel car after the owner accidentally filled it with petrol. That was without even starting the engine after the petrol fill.

[Mrs smith]

IMO the 2 services you can't be loyal too are your accountant and your
insurance company, every year they charge you more and you get no
more in return.

[Just some guy]

I'm surprised (but very interested) to hear that any insurance company cover engine damage from contaminated diesel.  Do you know what the other companies were?  Time for me to follow your lead i think and re-assess my insurance!

[dazzler]

That was without even starting the engine after the petrol fill.

$19k to tow it to the workshop and drain the tanks?

It was started - trust me.   

[krisandkev]

I'm surprised (but very interested) to hear that any insurance company cover engine damage from contaminated diesel.  Do you know what the other companies were?  Time for me to follow your lead i think and re-assess my insurance!

From what others have said, NRMA will.  I have contacted RACQ and Shannon’s and they do not.
 A word of warning, I am not sure if they all cover if you are the culprit and put the wrong fuel in.
The most interesting thing that got me was the agreed value.  We got our cruiser new for $80,000 with bull bar, snorkel, tow pack and KDSS.  I have since added a few things, including a lift, and AAMI allowed me to have the agreed value of $87,500. Not bad for a vehicle 3 years old.  It still is in very good condition but it has 130,000 k’s  on the clock.   That is a very happy 130,000 k’s. 

Kevin

[Bird]

$19k to tow it to the workshop and drain the tanks?

It was started - trust me.   

x every number on earth...

Your mate tells good stories.

[dazzler]

Just another suggestion - if you have a BP card I think they cover you for bad fuel from their stations.

[Watty2975]

How did you go with AAMI with you accessories? We tried them a few years ago having about $20 000 in extras and they would not
provide cover because it was used as a 4WD!
Happy to hear if it has changed as I would love to save money on insurance. Sounds like the deal on your cruiser was good. $80k with those extras was a great price.

[Bird]

How did you go with AAMI with you accessories? We tried them a few years ago having about $20 000 in extras and they would not
provide cover because it was used as a 4WD!

Most of them are like this now..
and its going to get worse as they try and make the trilliontrillions they have lost over the last 3-4yrs in storms and Shit world wide.

[krisandkev]

How did you go with AAMI with you accessories? We tried them a few years ago having about $20 000 in extras and they would not
provide cover because it was used as a 4WD!
Happy to hear if it has changed as I would love to save money on insurance. Sounds like the deal on your cruiser was good. $80k with those extras was a great price.

I completed the online application and listed most on there and then I phoned them to ask about other accessories, like the KDSS, cargo barriers and the lift.  They said they are more concerned with things like different size wheels, computer chips, larger exhausts etc.  I don't have them so all was OK.  They also say that the agree value you choose should allow for your accessories. 

This is their off road policy, which seems fair.

Kevin

[Bird]

I completed the online application and listed most on there and then I phoned them to ask about other accessories, like the KDSS, cargo barriers and the lift.  They said they are more concerned with things like different size wheels, computer chips, larger exhausts etc.  I don't have them so all was OK.  They also say that the agree value you choose should allow for your accessories. 

This is their off road policy, which seems fair.

Kevin

did you ask what responsible precautions means?

[GeoffA]

did you ask what responsible precautions means?

I bet it means whatever AAMI want it to mean.

RACV say they insure anywhere in the country, on and off road, but they have a clause at the back of their policy that talks about "willful and reckless behaviour"........gotta read the fine print to understand what you're getting........

[chriso57]

x every number on earth...

Your mate tells good stories.

It was probably the Diesel Bugatti Veyron. The fuel filler neck must have been contaminated by the unleaded

[JBJ21]

I work in the collision repair industry and what I have seen how some insurance company's cut down our quote where we are finding it difficult to make a dollar and they also make us use second hand parts even to the point if the insurance company is going to save $10. It has gotten worse it sure makes it hard to do a decent repair when you are forced to use change over bumper bars when the insurance company are saving an extra $50 we could of bought a new bumper bar on this particular job that's how bad they have gone ( this vechicle was only 3 yeras old )
from my experience they are all about making a dollar don't really care how long you have been with them or how new your vechicle is.

We recently redone our insurance with youi on my wife's car and saved $300 as for a insurance company they would have to be one of the better ones at the moment.

[krisandkev]

did you ask what responsible precautions means?

I am not standing up for insurance companies, but maybe they mean you have to take some responsibility for your actions? 
I know, this is not a modern day concept. 

I work in the collision repair industry and what I have seen how some insurance company's cut down our quote where we are finding it difficult to make a dollar and they also make us use second hand parts even to the point if the insurance company is going to save $10. It has gotten worse it sure makes it hard to do a decent repair when you are forced to use change over bumper bars when the insurance company are saving an extra $50 we could of bought a new bumper bar on this particular job that's how bad they have gone ( this vechicle was only 3 yeras old )
from my experience they are all about making a dollar don't really care how long you have been with them or how new your vechicle is.

We recently redone our insurance with youi on my wife's car and saved $300 as for a insurance company they would have to be one of the better ones at the moment.

Spot on. I have been a member of RACQ for a number of years and have their top road side cover and after they advised me that they do not cover for contaminated fuel I sent a reply saying how disappointed I was etc etc, they did not even reply back to me.  Obviously they could not care less.
Kevin

[JBJ21]

You as a customer have to be firm with them and don't give in when you make a claim it does help they will try to worm there way out but be persistent. It all depends on vehicle age and condition.

[JU5T1N]

$19k to tow it to the workshop and drain the tanks?

It was started - trust me.   

come on guys don't be mean, it pays to know the whole story.

The bill included recovery of the vehicle to the nearest mechanic qualified to work on the vehicle & approved by the insurer.
being the limited supply of spare parts carried by most mechanics to fix all vehicle types it becomes a time issue also.
being that the vehicle was at its furthest distance from the mechanic & recovery vehicle added to the expense.
the vehicle in question is called a MER
what is a MER I hear you ask.
well now you see why it was expensive being such a rare vehicle in such an isolated location
the MER was a joint venture built in the USA to a considerable expense but an open budget (grand scale to the US army jeep or GM Hummer H1 projects)
the MER also know as Mars Exploration Rover was recovered from Mars.....oops jokes out of the bag 

[cancan]

I worked for budget direct along time ago and we approved a claim where the owner filled the oil to the top of the tappet cover and screwed the motor. It was still classed as an accident although mechanical claims are proportioned to the km done.

[areyonga]

Its interesting seeing the differences in the insurance considering that QBE and AAMI and the same company, Oh and APIA is with them too

[krisandkev]

Its interesting seeing the differences in the insurance considering that QBE and AAMI and the same company, Oh and APIA is with them too

I am not sure if you are correct.

From Wikipedia
Suncorp is the parent company of insurance company GIO. GIO is mainly used as a general insurance company representing Suncorp outside Queensland, offering similar products to the Suncorp branded insurance product in Queensland.
Suncorp also owns the AAMI, Apia, Just Car Insurance, Shannons, InsureMyRide, Vero, Terri Scheer, Bingle, CIL, Asteron and Tyndall insurance brands in Australia, and Vero, Asteron, Guardian Trust, Tyndall, Vero Marine, Vero Liability, AA Insurance, SIS, CMV/AXIOM, Mariner, Comprehensive Travel Insurance and Autosure brands in New Zealand. These assets were acquired with the Promina Group in 2007.

Also, from the Suncorp web site.

About Suncorp General Insurance
Suncorp Group includes Australia’s largest general insurance business in terms of gross written premium. The key to Suncorp’s success in general insurance is its portfolio of well known personal and commercial insurance brands.

AAMI, GIO, Suncorp, Vero, Apia and Shannons are some of the brands in the Suncorp Group that have built reputations for insurance innovation and customer service.

Our brands sell their products direct or through intermediaries such as brokers.

But I may be wrong.  Kevin

[cancan]

Its interesting seeing the differences in the insurance considering that QBE and AAMI and the same company, Oh and APIA is with them too

QBE is a seperate company to Suncorp who own AAMI.

Plus each brand has individual policies.

Most of my insurance is with Suncorp (up to the next renewal) and they will not insure the caravan because its based in Roma yet CIL which is owned by Suncorp will.

[Bird]

I am not standing up for insurance companies, but maybe they mean you have to take some responsibility for your actions? 

not when they can consider a beer can in your car means your no longer covered.. I wanna know every single detail.
I trust my kids with a priest more than I trust insurance companies... ummmm..... maybe not, let me think about that.

[cyberess]

<snip>
There are a few insurance companies that will cover contaminated fuel, I chose AAMI.  I changed our 2009 Landcruiser and our 2009 Mazda 3.
QBE was charging me $893 a year for the cruiser and $696 for the Mazda. Market value only.
AAMI with agreed value, I chose the maximum amount for both vehicles and windscreen cover, $561 for the cruiser and $372 for the Mazda!
<snip>

Did you get the part about "contaminated fuel" in writing? As I doubt that AAMI would cover for blocked injectors and a blown up fuel pump,

Looking at AAMI policy wording from in the section "We will not pay for" http://www.aami.com.au/car-insurance/policy-documents/aami-comprehensive-car-insurance-policy/what-we-pay-for

Quote   "We will not pay for" --->
We will not pay for:

• mechanical, structural, electrical, electronic or other failure or breakdown

<---QUOTE

It's the same story if you have a puncture -- It will not be covered.

Still it would be good if you to prove me wrong, as blowing up the fuel injection system can cost upto about $20000 -- It's the main issue with these common rail diesels.

 

[MDS69]

I work in the collision repair industry and what I have seen how some insurance company's cut down our quote where we are finding it difficult to make a dollar and they also make us use second hand parts even to the point if the insurance company is going to save $10. It has gotten worse it sure makes it hard to do a decent repair when you are forced to use change over bumper bars when the insurance company are saving an extra $50 we could of bought a new bumper bar on this particular job that's how bad they have gone ( this vechicle was only 3 yeras old )
from my experience they are all about making a dollar don't really care how long you have been with them or how new your vechicle is.

We recently redone our insurance with youi on my wife's car and saved $300 as for a insurance company they would have to be one of the better ones at the moment.

And now with NRMA revising their list of repairers who must average around $1800.00 per repair it will see the quality of repairs go even further down the drain. The repairer might get sent a whole bunch of $1500.00 - $2100.00 repairs but then get hit with a $12k one and their average goes out the window and will take months of small repairs to get back on target. So any shortcut that can be taken will to reduce the average.