Got a new car, will drive off into the sunset, explore and have fun…

That’s all good and well while it’s all going well, but then, a guy in a bakkie (and in a hurry!) reverses into your car at the mall and all you see is money going to repairs instead of those lovely road trips. Or a taxi comes to a sudden halt in front of you to pick someone up and there goes your savings… wasted on the unplanned repair (or even replacement) of your beloved vehicle. 

This is when you either wish you had insurance or you’re glad to have insurance.

Depending on your policy, your insurance provider will soften the financial blow of repair costs significantly. But even more than that, your insurance advisor will help you know what the next steps are if you ever have an unfortunate incident with your car. 

As a digital advisor, Ctrl has an emergency assistance button that enables you to call the right people just when you need to, whether it be roadside assistance, medical assistance, legal advice or take me home. Important to note here is that this is not standard with all policies. We do however highly recommend taking it as an option, you won’t be sorry. 

First things first: Remember the following if you have an incident:

1. You might be in shock, so take a deep breath and try to remain calm.

2. Make sure it’s safe before you get out of your vehicle.

3. Call for the assistance that you need. If it’s a serious accident, that would be medical assistance first and foremost. 

4. Don’t let just anyone tow any one of the cars away before it is properly documented, (unless it is in a dangerous place for other motorists, of course).

5. Send a location pin to someone for the record of exactly where the incident took place. 

6. You need to report the incident to the police to get a case number. Even if it wasn’t a major accident and no one was injured. Your insurance provider would need the case number for your claim to be handled. 

7. Try to get the contact details of the driver of the other car, as well as that of any bystanders, so that they can be used if ‘witnesses’ are needed.

Take photos of the following items.

Digital photos are usually time and geo-tagged, so they can be very useful: 

• The driver’s licence of the other vehicle’s driver.
• The other vehicle’s license plate and disc on the window.
• The scene of the incident showing both cars.
• Any damage to both cars. 

What next?

After the dust has settled and you’re calm and safe, it’s time to get the claims ball rolling. Luckily that’s no problem with Ctrl. The whole process is smooth and hassle-free. Simply select the Claims tab at the bottom of the app and the asset you want to claim on. A friendly claims consultant will call you and guide you through the process to get your car sorted in no time. Our own experienced advisors are also on standby via chat if you have any questions about the process. 

And if you’re unsure about anything, you can go and read up about what’s covered and what’s not in the My cover section of the app where all your insured assets are listed. We make it transparent and accessible so that you don’t have to feel your way in the dark. 

Having an accident, or just a minor incident is something nobody wants to think about. And we all hope it never happens, but when it does, Ctrl is there to assist and we won’t leave you out in the cold. We’re with you every step of the way.