Back to blogUpdated · 1 min read

Repudiation (rejected claim)

Your insurer will repudiate or reject your claim if the event or circumstances leading to your loss are excluded by your policy. You should check your policy wording for the details.

Why would my claim be rejected?

Some common reasons your insurer might repudiate or reject your claim could include:

  • If the cost of the repairs is less than your excess;
  • If you’re claiming for damage that happened before you bought insurance;
  • If the event that caused the damage is not covered by your policy;
  • If you were involved in an illegal activity;
  • If you lied when you took out your policy or when you reported the claim; or
  • If you cancelled your cover before the damage happened.

Also, if your premiums are not up to date for the month, your insurer will insist that the outstanding balance is settled before they will consider any claim.

What can I do if I don’t agree with my claim being rejected?

If you disagree with your insurer if they repudiated/rejected your claim, you can ask your insurer about the reason for the repudiation and if possible, you can provide additional information. If you are still unhappy, you need to lodge a formal complaint with your insurer. They should have a dedicated complaints team and a specific email address on their website that only deals with complaints.

If you are still unhappy after contacting your insurer and getting their response, you may send your complaint to the Ombudsman. There should be a process laid out in your policy wording that you can follow.

You might also like

Definitions

Validation

Validation is the process carried out by an insurance agent to determine or verify whether a claim that you have submitted on your insurance policy is true or correct. This process involves getting a cost estimate for the repair/replacement cost of the item you are claiming for.

1 min read
Definitions

Warranty

A warranty is a limited-time guarantee or promise from the manufacturer of the product you’re purchasing that they will repair or replace the item if there is a manufacturer fault.

1 min read
Definitions

Extras & accessories

When you see the word ‘extras’ on your insurance policy, it refers to things that have been fitted onto your car that weren’t part of the car when it left the factory.

1 min read