Third Party Fire & Theft
Third party fire and theft insurance provides a fair level of cover: more than third party alone, but less than comprehensive insurance. It insures you against damage that you or any of your passengers cause to property (including vehicles) or people in a car accident. It does not cover injury to you or damage to your car, except if your car is stolen or damaged by fire. This insurance also covers any damage that was caused to people or property by a caravan or trailer attached to your car, but will not usually cover any damage to the caravan or trailer itself.
Third party fire and theft is a favourable choice for cost-conscious drivers, offering a good balance between cover and price. Third party fire and theft ensures that you have fulfilled your legal requirement to insure your vehicle, in addition to covering your car in the event that it is stolen, damaged or destroyed by theft or fire. It does not cover any injury you may sustain or any damage to your car that is not a result of theft or fire. It will also not cover any possessions you have in your car at the time of the theft or fire, although some policies may provide cover for your car radio, because this is one of the reasons why a thief might attempt to gain access to your car.
Third party fire and theft insurance tends to be a much more economical way of insuring your vehicle, and is usually available for only a little more than third party cover. In fact, some insurers believe that third party insurance is too basic and are therefore choosing to make the price of third party fire and theft lower than that of their third party policy, dissuading customers from the third party only insurance and offering you more cover for the same price.
Example Cover
Possible examples where third party fire and theft insurance would pay out include:
- where you have caused injury to, or death of your own passengers, a driver of another vehicle or any of his passengers, any pedestrians or cyclists
- where you destroyed or damaged another person's garden wall with your car
- where you damaged public structures, for example a traffic light, with your car
- where your car has been damaged or destroyed by fire
- where your car has been stolen, or damaged in an attempted theft
You are able to claim against your own third party fire and theft insurance in the event that your car is stolen or damaged by attempted theft. You can also make a claim if your car is destroyed or damaged by fire, lightning or even an explosion.
