No 1 class car insurance .

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trubrit
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No 1 class car insurance .

Post by trubrit » November 1, 2017, 11:01 am

I have always had what they call number one insurance coverage on my vehicles, for the last ten years with Viriyah Insurance and previously with Bangkok Insurance. During all that time I have been under the impression that this was the top coverage available but never ever having to make a claim I have never put it to the test, however recently I had the misfortune whilst down in Sri Saskat to encounter some old boy driving that shouldn't have been, not only careless but uninsured as well, hitting me in the rear near side door and claiming I was to blame, notwith standing my point that I would have had to drive sideways to hit him, fortunately neither the cops or my insurance agent agreed with him, anyway I digress, back to my point, !st class insurance . Arising out of this incident I have taken my vehicle in for repair, my insurance is stumping up for it and claiming from the other party, however I will be without transportation for over two weeks whilst it is fixed, now this is when I found out that !st class coverage isn't the same as I had back in the UK, as Viriyah were quick to tell me. If I needed transportation during this off the road period I would have to hire it and pay, then sue the 3rd party for reimbursement. Now he is having to pay for his vehicle to be fixed, my insurance are going to claim off him for mine so the likelyhood of him being able to pay me is pretty remote. I am told by the insurance manager that my mobility after an accident is not covered by any company in Thailand unlike I was back home, and although thankfully this wasn't neccessary, if we had been immobilised neither would have the cost of repatriation back to Udon, which really surprised me. I was told that they do have a policy that would give me a fixed sum of 3,000bht towards that, costing an annual premium of 750bht and claims limited to 5 times a year .But of course no one had ever told me about that till after the need so I wasn't covered. My point that it was such a small sum it should have been included in the main policy didn't go unnoticed .So just a heads up if your ever involved in an accident
far from home make sure you have the abilty to pay for accomodation or transportation home or you may be stuck in the jungle somewhere , your insurance won,t help ypu .


Ageing is a privilige denied to many .

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AA Ins Broker
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by AA Ins Broker » November 1, 2017, 2:57 pm

Unfortunately not all insurance companies are equal plus there are different ‘versions’ of 1st Class motor insurance (as with all other types insurance).
An example from one company offers the following cover included with the policy, which would have saved you by using the ‘car rental’ option to get you home

• Free maximum 20 litres of gasoline Per year
• Free unlimited number of emergency medical transfers
• Free labor cost for emergency roadside repair (Light repair with maximum Baht 1,500 Per event)
• Free towing fee within the first 100 kms.
• Free 2-day car rental (Maximum Baht 1,500 Per day)
• Free accommodation for 2 nights (Maximum one room at Baht 1,500 Per night)
• Free repatriation of the mortal remains
• Coordinating for alternative driver

Peter
[email protected]

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Brian Davis
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by Brian Davis » November 1, 2017, 6:16 pm

Thanks for the heads up, Trubrit. I've been with Viriyah for years and they've served me well. One breakdown two accidents, not my fault(one recently at THAT Udon crossroads), but claims efficiently dealt with and I didn't lose my max no claims bonus which, years back, they transferred from the UK! A new car fairly recently and 50% off the premium is worth having.
I suppose I've felt that there's always the ATM if a serious accident and I was stranded. But even for a modest 750 baht payment, I'm not sure a fixed sum compensation of 3,000 baht would not go very far, if you're a long distance from home, need a hotel and then have to hire a vehicle whilst your own is out of action. I think Viriyah might be rather more generous there!

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parrot
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by parrot » November 2, 2017, 2:13 pm

I've had one claim with Viriyah over the 20 years and 3 trucks we've been here. Our dogs clawed the front of our truck trying to unglue a village car from inside the engine compartment, doing serious damage to the bumper, hood, side panel, and both headlight lens. I was a bit unhappy with having to pay for a rental while our car was in the shop, but as with many things, things here aren't what they are back in our home country.

On the positive side of the car insurance issue......10% reduction in premium cost if you don't file a claim (for 5 years). We lived in Texas before moving here......our car got a year older each year and our insurance generally went up every year. It NEVER ever went down.

I wonder if our friend, Peter, at AA Ins, could provide a general idea of the added annual cost to obtain Premium No1 insurance with the added benefits that he listed in his post.

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Hoopoe
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by Hoopoe » November 2, 2017, 3:17 pm

I had number one insurance with viriyah, 2 years on ,i had a minor claim ,rear bumper & dented tail gate (pickup truck ) all was fine ,1 week without the vehicle no rental car ,then when the premium came up for re-newal they stuck the repair cost's on top ,never had insurance since ,only the gov third party or what ever it is , 11 years now , i learnt how to drive in Thailand ( had a Uk license for 40 years ) Thai way of every body is an idiot , and touch wood haven't had an accident since, in most other country's you can sort of rely on other people knowing what they're supposed to do,,,NOT HERE

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tamada
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by tamada » November 3, 2017, 10:26 pm

First Class insurance can be a waste of money if you're driving an old banger, even a well-maintained, low-mileage, one little old lady driver type of old banger. I think a good yardstick for deciding when lower premiums and coverage are in order is once your vehicle qualifies for the annual inspections, say > 7 years old?

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Brian Davis
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by Brian Davis » November 4, 2017, 4:36 am

I did continue to pay 1st Class insurance for my ancient Honda CRV. Big old codger, in lieu of little old lady. :lol: Viriyah was still indicating a generous 'write-off value', although whether I would have got that in the event, I'll never know. But I felt I wanted some return, rather than zilch. A factor was that I had full no claims bonus on my premiums, so the payments weren't too high. Of course, I had to do the inspections.
Is it 7 years when you have to start inspections?

minimiglia
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by minimiglia » November 4, 2017, 6:27 am

Well worth having saves all the potential hassle if you have a collition, no matter how old your vehicle is. It is the car/bike you hit that could have high value and let the insurance co deal with it all, peace of mind.

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fatbob
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by fatbob » November 4, 2017, 9:17 am

minimiglia wrote:
November 4, 2017, 6:27 am
Well worth having saves all the potential hassle if you have a collition, no matter how old your vehicle is. It is the car/bike you hit that could have high value and let the insurance co deal with it all, peace of mind.
Once your car is ten years old you cannot get No 1 insurance, only No 2. So much for that idea...

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AA Ins Broker
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by AA Ins Broker » November 4, 2017, 1:06 pm

fatbob wrote:
November 4, 2017, 9:17 am
minimiglia wrote:
November 4, 2017, 6:27 am
Well worth having saves all the potential hassle if you have a collition, no matter how old your vehicle is. It is the car/bike you hit that could have high value and let the insurance co deal with it all, peace of mind.
Once your car is ten years old you cannot get No 1 insurance, only No 2. So much for that idea...
Not sure where you got that from fatbob but 1st Class insurance is available to (approx depending on model)) 18 years.....

Peter
AA Insurance Brokers

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Brian Davis
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by Brian Davis » November 4, 2017, 4:34 pm

fatbob wrote:
November 4, 2017, 9:17 am
Once your car is ten years old you cannot get No 1 insurance, only No 2. So much for that idea...
Hmmmm, not sure that's correct, Fatbob. I had my CRV until it was certainly more than 10 years old.(Maybe even 15-16 years, I can't recall now.) Maybe I was daft, maybe not, but Viriyah was still giving me fully comprehensive. Whether the insurance company was wrong to do so, I don't know.

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wazza
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by wazza » November 4, 2017, 8:51 pm

Still on topic

IMO Car Insurances, Health Insurance, Travel Insurances and Flights on budget airlines etc

The cheaper the policy the more restrictions, less changes, more restrictions and more exclusions etc

I use AA brokers for several policies I have and they have been excellent in giving advice, comparisons and after sales service.

I recently received a refund for my 1st Class insurance policy when I sold my car, The buy ( a dealer ) tries to scam me, saying the insurance goes with the car, He was told to FO, etc

Refund in my bank for 25,000 odd 2 weeks later

Travel insurance. An Australian girl is about to have her leg amputated in Phuket, after she was hit by a local truck, leg is smashed, poor circulation, crappy hospital and in a traction frame that belongs in a museum.

She had travel insurance, - They rejected the claim, as she has no Australian Bike Licence and no insurance in Thailand for her.

Its over $35K for the medevac flight home, plus the Thai hospital costs, etc

The benefits identified in posts above for rental car, accomadation, etc, cost more on the policy, if you travel / drive a lot, like me in Thailand, that is peanuts , as Posters have said, its the 3rd party you might need to worry about.

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fatbob
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by fatbob » November 5, 2017, 11:23 am

When our old pickup turned 10 they would no longer insure it on No 1, only No 2. It was low km's and immac cond???

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tamada
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by tamada » November 7, 2017, 9:50 am

wazza wrote:
November 4, 2017, 8:51 pm
Still on topic

IMO Car Insurances, Health Insurance, Travel Insurances and Flights on budget airlines etc

The cheaper the policy the more restrictions, less changes, more restrictions and more exclusions etc

I use AA brokers for several policies I have and they have been excellent in giving advice, comparisons and after sales service.

I recently received a refund for my 1st Class insurance policy when I sold my car, The buy ( a dealer ) tries to scam me, saying the insurance goes with the car, He was told to FO, etc

Refund in my bank for 25,000 odd 2 weeks later

Travel insurance. An Australian girl is about to have her leg amputated in Phuket, after she was hit by a local truck, leg is smashed, poor circulation, crappy hospital and in a traction frame that belongs in a museum.

She had travel insurance, - They rejected the claim, as she has no Australian Bike Licence and no insurance in Thailand for her.

Its over $35K for the medevac flight home, plus the Thai hospital costs, etc

The benefits identified in posts above for rental car, accomadation, etc, cost more on the policy, if you travel / drive a lot, like me in Thailand, that is peanuts , as Posters have said, its the 3rd party you might need to worry about.
A 25k baht refund on a part-used insurance premium? You must be driving a Roller no?

Just pulling your leg, my annual 1st Class insurance on the sports lorry is under 20k but everyone's circumstances and needs are unique.

All good points and with regard to my earlier opinion that 1st Class may be a waste of money as the car gets older, minimiglia's response made me consider that the driver is getting older too. Being less competent behind the wheel as one gets older may be an unwelcome reminder of the reality of old age but if one considers that there may be a higher likelihood of being involved in (or even causing) an accident, then maintaining top cover for the potential death & injury related costs is much more important than just maintaining a reasonable amount of money to replace a bent old banger.

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Brian Davis
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by Brian Davis » November 7, 2017, 10:32 am

"Being less competent behind the wheel as one gets older may be an unwelcome reminder of the reality of old age but if one considers that there may be a higher likelihood of being involved in (or even causing) an accident......."

Tongue in cheek here, but as a nearing 70 year old, I sure hope I exercise more ability, more awareness, more care, more common sense than the majority of the locals! :-k

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wazza
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by wazza » November 7, 2017, 10:44 am

Brian

I visited a friend in Feb. Again in oct. He reversed into my new car in oct. Didnt know what was going on.

Dramatic changes sadly. But he thinks he is fully aware. His friends have taken the car off him now. 3 small bumps in a soi.

They see him daily. And dont see the subtle down hill spiral of dementia etc.

The guy doesnt either.

If your family or friends say its time to stop driving. They are probably the best judge....

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Brian Davis
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by Brian Davis » November 7, 2017, 5:31 pm

Thanks for the warning, Wazza. Sounds a little like being drunk - you think you're ok and capable, everyone else knows you're not.
My memory certainly seems to be going OR whatever someone is rabbiting on about isn't that interesting. My wife is doing a bit more driving, but not ready for the Tesco intersection yet! In the meantime, suggest readers give a white B-RV lots of room. ;)

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tamada
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by tamada » November 9, 2017, 7:32 pm

Brian Davis wrote:
November 7, 2017, 5:31 pm
Thanks for the warning, Wazza. Sounds a little like being drunk - you think you're ok and capable, everyone else knows you're not.
My memory certainly seems to be going OR whatever someone is rabbiting on about isn't that interesting. My wife is doing a bit more driving, but not ready for the Tesco intersection yet! In the meantime, suggest readers give a white B-RV lots of room. ;)
Get those big, bright, neon-colored fuzzy dice dangling from your rear-view mirror Brian. Then we can see you coming up behind us and we can sharply pull over a couple of lanes.

For anyone that is paying attention, my big, bright, neon-colored fuzzy dice are orange.

...I think.

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stattointhailand
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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by stattointhailand » November 10, 2017, 1:17 pm

Brian Davis wrote:
November 7, 2017, 10:32 am
"Being less competent behind the wheel as one gets older may be an unwelcome reminder of the reality of old age but if one considers that there may be a higher likelihood of being involved in (or even causing) an accident......."

Tongue in cheek here, but as a nearing 70 year old, I sure hope I exercise more ability, more awareness, more care, more common sense than the majority of the locals! :-k
Don't forget to book your (aged 70) UK driving test :lol:

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Re: No 1 class car insurance .

Post by JimboPSM » November 10, 2017, 2:45 pm

stattointhailand wrote:
November 10, 2017, 1:17 pm
Brian Davis wrote:
November 7, 2017, 10:32 am
"Being less competent behind the wheel as one gets older may be an unwelcome reminder of the reality of old age but if one considers that there may be a higher likelihood of being involved in (or even causing) an accident......."

Tongue in cheek here, but as a nearing 70 year old, I sure hope I exercise more ability, more awareness, more care, more common sense than the majority of the locals! :-k
Don't forget to book your (aged 70) UK driving test :lol:
One of the biggest increases in accidents for drivers as they get less young comes from an increasing impairment of night vision.

This extract from “All About Vision” gives some insight into the problems of ageing and night driving.
Why Is Aging And Night Driving A Problem?

As we age, our eyes usually begin to fail long before we notice it. For example:

• Pupils shrink and don't dilate as much in the dark as we age, reducing the amount of light entering the eye. Various reports indicate that the retina of an 80-year-old receives far less light than the retina of a 20-year-old. This can make older drivers function as though they are wearing dark sunglasses at night. To get the maximum amount of light into the eye without distracting lens reflections, older drivers should have anti-reflective coating applied to their eyeglasses for the best night vision possible.

• The aging cornea and lens in the eye become less clear as we age, causing light to scatter inside the eye, which increases glare. These changes also reduce contrast sensitivity — the ability to discern subtle differences in brightness — making it harder to see objects on the roadway at night.

• An older person may test well in the eye doctor's office but still struggle to focus on the road at night, where lighting is poor and more complex visual tasks are required. According to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration, advancing years decrease our ability to see stationary and moving objects, including cars or pedestrians that might cross the road in front of us. Our ability to resist glare and see reflective road signs and markings also decreases with age.

• Many people's eyes have optical imperfections called higher-order aberrations that can't be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. These aberrations increase with age and reduce vision, especially when the pupil dilates at night.

• Age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or cataracts affect 33 percent of all people age 40 and older — the same percentage who have nearsightedness, farsightedness and other refractive errors, according to The Vision Council. So even if you are lucky enough not to have a refractive error, you still are at significant risk of developing other common diseases affecting older eyes.

Full article: http://www.allaboutvision.com/over40/night-driving.htm
It is interesting to note that, according to the full article, the AMA views the increasingly large number of senior drivers to be a public health issue, because of age-related declines in vision, cognition and motor function.

This suggests that quite a large number of members of this forum, including myself, are increasingly becoming a public health issue :shock: :oops: :yikes:
Ashamed to be English since 23rd June 2016 when England voted for racism & economic suicide.

Disgusted that the UK is “governed” by a squalid bunch of economically illiterate, self-serving, sleazy and corrupt neo-fascists.

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