MOTOR & CYCLING

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1930, Page 20 (Supplement)

MOTOR & CYCLING

INSURANCE OF THE CAR

POLIOSES Ah’D PREMIUMS.

PROFITABLE PROTECTION.

(By

“Autoscribe.”)

If we have been wise, our license fees and third party risk insurance have just been paid for another year; if not, the car is probably reposing peacefully in the garage, the owner vainly trying to remember to pay for renewal, and frightened to take it out on the road until he does so. The act of paying the £1 demanded for third party risk on a private car, calls to mind the interesting fact that New Zealand has gone further than any other country in the introduction of compulsory third party insurance. Before a driver’s license is issued a thorough test of driving ability may be given, but there is no way- on earth of being certain that the new driver will continue along the cautious lines he exhibited when the traffic inspector was sitting alongside. In these days of time-payment,. the mere -possession of a car is no indication of wealth, and it may very easily happen—and actually did many times prior to-the passing, of compulsory third party insurance —that a driver who had an accident was unable to pay any damages whatever to the injured person.

The unfairness of such a situation is obvious, but few countries have yet tackled the problem. The wealthy man would at once have to assume responsibility for the damage done, while the careless youth who had bought a second hand “flivver” for a few pounds went off Scot free, often after doing irreparable injury. It is significant that there was hardly a murmur against compulsion in this ease alone out of all compulsory laws that have been passed. Public opinion was thoroughly behind it, and its fairness is unquestioned. THE QUESTION OF RATES. The person who deliberately insures his house or his car, with the intention of later having a fire and collecting the cash, looks on an insurance company as an institution to be fleeced, but there is another type which, though less dishonest, wants to make something from any accident. Like all other companies, an insurance concern exists to make profit, and the rates charged must bo such that after paying for claims, a profit will be left. When' only a proportion of owners had their cars insured against third party risk a higher rate had to be charged. • Now that everyone is automatically covered when the licenses are : issued the rate has been reduced, and : the motorist is in the fortunate position of getting extra service for less money. The system is working well, is decidedly advantageous to the unfortunate who is knocked down by a car, and relieves the motorist from worry through third party Claims, just or unjust. Apart altogether from third party risk, there are other risks against which every wise motorist will want to injure. These risks are many and varied, and while some motorists may be willing to stand the cost of damage to the car by accident, and confine their insurance to loss by fire, most will prefer to be covered by what is generally termed a “comprehensive” policy. The benefits under these policies vary a good deal according to the premiums paid, and everyone insuring should study the conditions attaching to particular policies very carefully. Unfortunately it is a fact that very few motorists know the exact terms of their policies, and when something happens have to rush off and look up the policy, only to find in some cases that they are not covered against the particular damage which has arisen.

THREE POINTS TO BE STUDIED. The writer has owned cars for a good many years, and has insured with a number of different companies, and in general terms there are three things which will help every motorist. Firstly he should select a good company noted for its fair dealing, secondly he should study the policy very thoroughly and thirdly he should be very careful indeed ’that every statement he makes in taking out the policy is absolutely true in every detail. If incorrect statements are made in the proposal, the insurance company is quite within its rights in refusing to pay when an accident occurs.

The policies of all companies are not the same, and more generous terms are granted by some than by others. The premium charged on a “comprehensive” policy is reduced if you do not want the first £3 or first £lO of damage covered, and there are similar reductions where a fire extinguisher is carried, and where only one person is to drive the ear. These reductions may seem very useful when you are paying the premium, but later if an accident occurs, you may be very sorry indeed that your first £5 was not covered. The writer has had three accidents in his motoring career, and in no case was the damage over £5 in value. In the first two cases ho was not insured except after £5, and so paid himself, but realising the wisdom of being completely covered, later took out a policy that covered all damage, and duly collected ‘ £2 when a mudguard was damaged. The experience quoted is one that a new driver may find useful as a guide. In a great many cases accidents are trivial in nature, and where you can cover yourself against all damage, including the first £5, for a few shillings more per year, it is probably advisable to do 80. .COMPLETE COVER THE BEST. There is a catch in it, too, if you deduct the 10 per cent, allowable if onlyone person is to drive the car, for the very time you let your wife or a friend take over the wheel may be the time when an accident occurs, and you will have no claim. These are all points which have to be considered before insuring, but often only come to - light after bitter experience. r If I were buying a new car to-day

I would not drive it out of the garage until it was completely covered in every way. Only last, week I came across a ease in which the owner of a new light car had it very badly damaged. He had not then insured it, although intending to do so. To-day he has the prospect of fighting a court case against the other motorist, before he gets paid, .and if ho loses he will suffer further expense. Had he been insured he would have been certain of recovering the cost of repairing the damage, and while nominally it would be he who would be fighting the other motorist, actually it would be the insurance company. It is unwise to take any risk whatever with a new car.

Roughly speaking the usual insurance policy covers the car against damage through accident and fire, and the other benefits are in the nature of “trimmings,” and their extent will depend on what you pay. Some policies include medical benefits to the insured, personal accident cover up to £lt)00 or more if killed by an accident in which, the car ia involved, and marine cover available when the car is taken between North and South Islands.

A VERY IMPORTANT PROVISION. | In the policy will be stated the pro- j cedure the company expects you to, adopt if an accident occurs. You should ' read that clause through carefully. Most companies are fairly considerate in this respect, but at the same time it is your • job to take statements from witnesses, ■ and generally protect the insurance company, if it is the other motorist who has been negligent. Notification should at once be given the company if you have an accident, and as most companies have agents all ovei* .'the country, this is comparatively easy. . I The car owner should look upon in- | surance as an essential service, more-j especially as the most careful driver, I more sinned aganist than sinning, may i easily find himself involved in an ac-. cident. It is only by giving careful ■ consideration to the question, by select- | mg good companies, and by seeing that i you are covered fully against all the i risks you wish, that you will receive the 1 full benefits of insurance when you I need them. For security of mind, insurance is one of the greatest possible • benefits, but make sure that ’you thoroughly understand your policy. It is your own fault if you find after an accident that you are not covered, for it shows that you have not studied your policy.

CHROMIUM PLATING.

METAL LONG ISOLATED. Just as there is a fashion in wearing apparel, so there is a fashion in metals. The metal chromium was isolated nearly 200 years ago, but it is only within the past few years that it has been applied to the plating of radiators and other motoring gear. The fashion of nickel plating is far from being dead yet, although it has been in vogue for 25 years or so. A cause that has helped to displace nickel plating is that articles have been placed upon the market with a deposit of nickel so thin as to give no possibility of reasonable satisfaction in wear. An article becomes almost immediately covered with a thin film of nickel on insertion into the plating bath, and this is sometimes sent out as niekel-plated work.

The thickness of nickel on the plated parts of a low-priced car to-day varies between 0.0001 inch and 0.0002 inch, or say l-10th the thickness of tissue paper. The paint and enamel are 10 to 20 times as thick as nickel plating. Chromium protective plating is about 0.0001 inch in thickness. Nickel plating can be of real protective value, as is evidenced by the fact that a 15 year guarantee is given with niekel-plated work supplied to one railway company. The “bumpers” on the American cars have to' stand daily impact, but the best grades do not rust under severe treatment.

The' rust resistance of steel plated with nickel is dependent upon the thickness and continuity of the plating, the protective value increasing more than proportionately to the thickness of the deposit. It is therefore surprising, when one considers that the difference in the. costs of thin and thick electroplate is very small, that some manufacturers do not put on the “extra bit” that makes all the difference. -

The manufacture of chromium-plated articles has its own difficulties. > Great heat is evolved in the process, and it has to be kept down for satisfactory deposits.

Chromium is exceedingly hard—-it is harder even than glass—:so that it is extremely difficult to buff" a dull finish to a high polish. To obyiate this difficulty, the chromium is often flashed on to a previous deposit of nickel plating. This process is costly, but certainly secures a maximum degree of rust resistance. Chromium plating, unlike nickel plating, can stand a great deal of polishing with coarse polishing materials.

Like many other good things eh.minium plating has its limitations; it, is brittle, and is therefore liable to crack or flake off if the plated article is strained in any way. Thick deposits are liable to crack and chip off. Chromium itself resists tarnish, but - it does not necessarily protect the underlying metal,

such as steel, against corrosion if the steel is in any way exposed. Motorists would do well to bear this in mind when forcing a nut. The Packard Motor Co., of America, has a novel way of inspecting the quality of its plating. The intensity of the light reflected from the surface of the article is measured by means of a photoelectric cell and radio-amplification.

A high surface polish, without scratches, reflects light strongly; a lessor degree of polish diffuses and weakens it. Chromium plating has been applied in other directions than as a protection against atmospheric influence. For example, it has beefi tried in bearings io resist wear. The danger of using it in moving parts of machinery is that if it flakes oil', the extreme hardness of the particles renders them liable to cause considerable damage.

The cost of chromium is not low, but, with the increased demand, the cost of production should decrease and result in its wider application. Many false claims are made for chromium plating, which are to be deplored, as the value of the process is sufficiently high to make it unnecessary to bolster it up by exaggerating its excellence.