INSURED FOR WHAT?

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1931, Page 9

INSURED FOR WHAT?

A QUESTION FOR DRIVERS. (By Mr. R. Day, chief inspector, Borough of New Plymouth.) Every motorist should make it his duty to fully understand what his motor insurance policy really protects. There is a fire policy and an accident policy as well as the compulsory insurance which one gets when paying for registration. The compulsory insurance for which the private car owner pays one pound per annum, covers him only against accident to persons other than himself ,or his own passengers, and docs .not insure against damage to his own or other cars or property of any kind. If he desires to be covered against the latter contingency he must take out a further accident policy at an additional cost of about a couple of pounds per year. There are several forms of this policy insuring damage to cars or personal damage, but unless specially provided for the passengers in a private ear arc not insured. Passengers in taxis, service cars and other public conveyances are insured under the compulsory insurance scheme, but this entails the payment of a higher premium that is demanded from the owner of a private car. It will thus be seen that the private owner takes upon himself a great responsibility in inviting a friend to ride with him. He may be called upon, to defend an expensive action for damages which he can ill afford to pay.