What types of car insurance does Bingle offer?
Bingle offers the following types of car insurance, at the time of writing:
- Comprehensive car insurance, which is the most extensive form of optional car insurance. It covers accidental loss or damage to your own vehicle in a variety of situations, as well as accidental damage to another person’s car or property that you cause when driving.
- Third party property damage, which only covers your legal liability for damage done to other people’s vehicles and property.
If you’re unsure about which kind of car insurance is most appropriate for you, or you’d like more information on the differences between the levels of cover, here’s our guide to car insurance in Australia.
What does Bingle comprehensive car insurance cover?
Bingle’s comprehensive car insurance policy provides cover for the following as standard, at the time of writing:
- Damage to your car as a result of a road accident.
- Damage to your car caused by fire. This can be as a result of a collision, arson, or from a bush fire.
- Damage to your car caused by a storm, such as flooding and hail damage.
- Theft of your car.
- Malicious damage to your car, including vandalism.
- Damage to other vehicles and property that you caused in an accident.
- Personal liability if you’re sued as a result of an accident.
- The towing of your car to a repairer or other agreed place, if it can’t be driven after an accident.
- Most legal car modifications and accessories that are permanently fitted to your car (e.g., tinted windows and sound systems). Exclusions may apply.
- The cost to replace baby capsules or child seats (to a maximum of $500 per item for any one accident) if they’re damaged or lost when your car is involved in an accident or is stolen.
Bingle also provides windscreen and window glass cover, hire car cover and new for old car replacement as optional extras at an additional cost.
For more details on what is and isn’t covered under Bingle’s comprehensive car insurance, read its Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
What's not covered by Bingle comprehensive car insurance?
The following scenarios and issues are generally excluded, even in comprehensive car insurance policies:
- Damage, loss, theft or other events caused by reckless behaviour, including racing
- Unlicensed, unlisted or restricted drivers
- Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Unregistered vehicles
- Vehicles used commercially (e.g. rideshare or food delivery driving)
- Vehicles in an unroadworthy or unsafe condition
- Vehicles with undisclosed or illegal modifications.
Insurance may also not cover the costs of repairs for normal wear and tear, engine failure, or other mechanical breakdowns.
Does Bingle let you nominate a higher or lower excess?
Bingle lets eligible policyholders nominate a higher or lower excess amount. It offers a range of standard excess amounts to choose from when you first purchase a policy.
But remember, generally the higher the excess, the lower the car insurance premiums will be and vice versa. Bingle’s car insurance standard excess can only be changed at renewal. But if you wish to change the excess at any other time, you will have to cancel your existing policy and start a new one through Bingle’s online portal.
Bingle’s PDS states that in addition to the standard excess that’s applied, there could also be:
- An age excess, if a driver under the age of 25 was using the car at the time of the incident
- An unlisted driver excess, if a driver using the car at the time of the incident was a household member or regular driver but not listed on your policy.
If applicable, these excesses would be paid in addition to any standard excess, and are typically not negotiable.
Is it better to nominate a higher or lower excess with Bingle car insurance?
Whether it’s better to nominate a higher or lower excess will depend on your personal circumstances and preferences. If you have a higher excess, your premium costs will typically be lower, but you’d contribute more when making a claim.
If you opt for a lower excess, your premiums will usually be higher, but you’ll have lower out-of-pocket costs when making a claim.
For example, if you don’t think you’ll be able to pay the excess when and if you have to make a claim, it might be better to reduce your excess and pay higher premiums instead.
Does Bingle car insurance include car hire after accidents?
Bingle only offers you car hire after an accident if you purchase its optional extra called ‘Keep Mobile Cover’.
Bingle’s Keep Mobile Cover includes:
- Copycat cover: If your car is not safe to drive, being repaired after an accident, or has been stolen, you’ll receive the same insurance coverage for whatever vehicle is being used in its place. This means your hire car or a friend or relative’s car will also be covered by your insurance.
- Hire car: Bingle will arrange a hire car for you to use, which you can use as long as it takes for your claim to settle.
