I remember when I was younger I had 5% tint on my car and hit someone from behind. I was terrified my insurance would be voided after they inspected my car but it all went through fine.
Wondering if anyone has ever been denied an insurance claim for illegal tint? As I still see loads of cars on the road with illegal tint, especially holden utes.
I already did. This happened to me like 15 years ago and the insurance paid out without a problem.
I think you missed the question.
I know I didn't answer your question, but why you wanna risk it, might as well not insure it? :)
I'm not risking it. I don't have illegal tint. That wasn't the question.
They will have difficulty denying a claim if the tints didn't have anything to do with the claim.
For example, in the situation where you had your car parked on the side of the road and a garbage truck came and slammed into your car (and the driver took off) they would not deny your claim as the tints did not contribute to the incident.
However, if your side window tints are too dark and you came out of a side street at night and caused a car on the main road to slam into your side, there is a pretty good chance they will deny your claim or deduct a huge portion of your payout - on the basis that the darker-than-legal tints impeded your vision and contributed to the incident.
on the basis that the darker-than-legal tints impeded your vision and contributed to the incident.
Or on the basis that you're a 97-year-old cashed-up geriatric who genuinely cannot and should not drive.
Long live the Duke of Edinburgh
Yeah he's lived long enough.
97's a fairly good innings on the public dime.
Time to declare.
should not drive
Why not? Because he is old? If so, what is the exact age that you shouldn't be able to drive and why?
Thats not how insurance companies work, if they have a way to deny payment and they know about it, they will
No, insurance companies work by following actuarial tables and then adding a margin. If consumer reception to a company is that they deny all claims - valid or not less people would be willing to insure with them.
Agree completely with this with one caveat
A good marketing campaign (budget direct and others) or in-house referrals (CBA Insurance) can overcome a poor market reputation and genuine inferior claims service to some extent
HighAndDry is correct. There isn't a plethora of whinge posts on OzBargain about insurance companies denying claims.
While what boomramada says is technically and hypothetically possible, no insurance is going to refuse to pay out unless the tint in some way contributed or was related to the accident (or was otherwise so extreme/flagrant/combined with other mods made the car actually undriveable).
On the other hand there is literally no benefit to having illegally dark tint, so the cost/benefit is an easy "don't get it".
On the other hand there is literally no benefit to having illegally dark tint, so the cost/benefit is an easy "don't get it".
So your car looks cool? Is that not a benefit?
I don't think anyone thinks your car looks any cooler just because it's got a shade darker tint.
No one thinks your car looks any cooler just because it's got a shade darker tint
…except for teenager couples where the difference could mean being charged with indecent exposure!
@bobbified: Or the guy caught drink driving last weekend, crashed into a parked car; all whilst naked
Didn't even have clothes with him apparently
It's also for personal pride on your ride too…..sure if you're not into cars or don't care, but for those who are or who do care, having cool looking cars is a thumbs up from me! I am envious/jealous of people with better looking cars than mine…..or just cool looking cars in general.
@Zachary: Hey! I take pride in my car. I just prioritise things which increase performance than aesthetics I guess? (Plus, too old for cosmetic mods tbh).
@dcep: Ah. That goes from a "cosmetic mod" to… I don't know what to call it. Deathwish mod?
Plus, just personally, dark tint looks good on cars which already look good.
@Zachary: You mean something cool like honda veyron ?
https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims3/GLOB/legacy_thumbnail/800x…
@Zachary: I automatically think the driver is a douche that talks about horsepower with the bonnet up at the midnight kebab trailer if the tint is too dark. Internal reflection reduces your ability to process the situation ahead as you're also subconsciously having to filter out the reflected image.
Unless the vehicle is only used during the day, all tints are detrimental at night.
@[Deactivated]: I wouldn't know as I haven't driven in such a vehicle…BUT it does look cool as hell from a 3rd person perspective! :D
@Zachary: do you mean when p platers put $2000.00 20 inch wheels/tyres on a 20 year old $500 car and poke hole in their rusty muffler for louder sounds?
@ShannonN: If they did up the rest of the car on top of the $2k 20 inch wheels, yeah for sure! But if it's just half arsed or looked like they didn't even try….not really….
No
Nah, what cool would be; While you driving, liking my comment in your uninsured tinted holden utes, while holding a can of beer in other hand. :)
Once upon a time I had 25% tint on my 370z. It looked awesome and I was pleased.
Until I drove at night time and realised that I could not see anything. I was forever winding down my windows and this was not fun in winter. Or Summer. Or anytime.
And that is the end of my 370z story :(
VIP privacy
or, you know … Ozb cheap out on motel
Yeah I would never risk it these days but the thought pops in my mind every time I see an expensive car with illegal tint.
Ever Been Denied a Car Insurance Claim Due to Tint?
LEGAL tint, no
Wondering if anyone has ever been denied an insurance claim for illegal tint?
Well thats a different question….. Yes you could be.
I know you could be. My experience was that it didn't pose any issue and I was in the wrong.
Ok, so what was the point of this thread again? You wanted to know IF a insurance claim can be denied for illegal <insert anything illegal on the car here>, the answer is yes.
It'll come down to the insurance company, the 'budget' ones look for any loophole to not pay out. Heaps of threads about them not wanting to pay out.
Its a risk you take, you got away with it once, doesn't mean you'll get away with it again. So the question to you, is illegal tint really worth not having insurance?
No, the question was had anyone here ever had their insurance denied because of illegal tint.
I had illegal tint on my car in a smash that was my fault and the insurance paid out without an issue. I thought someone here might have had a different experience.
The thread is purely conversational.
You know the clauses excluding modifications? My brother had a claim rejected years ago with Budget because he had upgraded the stereo - and the accident was not related to the stereo, the stereo was not illegal/was installed by an autoelectrician, as well as Budget had accepted to insure the stereo. Eventually had the ombudsman overturn it, but it was a long battle and he was out of pocket for damages until it resolved.
So why would you risk it with tint? Of course a company could reject it. It's just a gamble.
That's crazy!
That's the insurance business model.
Take in as many premiums as possible and find any way possible to deny paying out claims.
Speaking of Holden Utes, I used to have a shade darker than legal tint on my back window but darkest legal on the sides, and I had many people approach me in servo's to tell me I had a nice car and some would even actually compliment the tint. (It was a blue VE Thunder edition)
Never had a problem with insurance, police or seeing out the back window. If anything, it did help when reckless 4WD owners with uncalibrated HID lights shining up into everyone's eyes.
If your car is unroadworthy, (tint too dark, wheels/tyres too wide etc), or you have consumed alcohol (even if still under the limit) your claim can be denied. It is irrelevant whether or not it was a causative factor.
This is how its going to work, if you got a tint which is illegal, you car will be unroadworthy car. If you looking to your PDS, they wouldn't pay you out when you had a accident while driving unroadworthy car.