Key Takeaways:
- A Motor Warranty protects you from expensive repair costs when your vehicle suffers mechanical or electrical breakdowns after the Manufacturer’s Warranty expires.
- Warranties cover critical components including the engine, gearbox, turbo, steering system, and electrical components.
- Your premium is calculated based on your vehicle’s make, model, age, and mileage.
Your vehicle is essential for daily life, but an unexpected mechanical breakdown could be both financially devastating and incredibly inconvenient. A Motor Warranty provides crucial financial protection against the eye-watering repair costs that come with mechanical or electrical failures. Before you invest in a Motor Warranty, it’s important to understand exactly what you’re buying and how it works.
What Is a Motor Warranty?
A Motor Warranty is a short-term insurance policy that provides cover for your vehicle should you suffer a mechanical or electrical breakdown. Unlike your Manufacturer’s Warranty that comes with a new car, a Motor Warranty is designed to protect you once that original coverage expires or when you purchase a used vehicle.
The Warranty covers the repair and replacement of specific components that fail due to mechanical or electrical breakdowns. This includes all associated labour costs, meaning you won’t have to scramble to find thousands of Rands when your gearbox fails or your engine needs major repairs.
Understanding What Components Are Covered
Before purchasing a Motor Warranty, you need to understand which components are included in your coverage. A Motor Warranty provides coverage for mechanical or electrical breakdowns that occur after your Manufacturer’s Warranty expires. Coverage includes:
- Engine components
- Gearboxes
- Steering mechanisms
- Braking systems
- Suspensions
- Fuel systems
*Please refer to the policy wording of your specific Warranty to ensure you know exactly what is covered.
It’s equally important to understand what your Warranty doesn’t cover. Maintenance items such as timing belt replacements, brake pads, brake discs, and clutch components are excluded. Additionally, failures resulting from improper servicing, use of non-genuine parts, negligence, or accident damage are not covered.
Different Warranty Options for Different Needs
Bidvest Insurance offers various Warranty products to suit different vehicle ages, mileages, and budgets. Understanding these options helps you select the right level of coverage.
An Extended Warranty is designed to activate once your original Manufacturer’s Warranty expires. This provides seamless coverage as your vehicle transitions from new to used, ensuring you’re never without protection against expensive repairs. The coverage for specific components has different limits based on the plan you choose.
Additional Benefits Beyond Breakdown Cover
In addition to protecting your vehicle’s mechanical and electrical components, your Motor Warranty from Bidvest Insurance provides comprehensive emergency support services designed to keep you mobile when the unexpected happens.
Emergency Breakdown Support
When your vehicle suffers a breakdown, you’ll receive towing assistance to transport your car to the nearest approved repair facility, with coverage of up to R2,000 per incident. This towing service is available twice per policy year, ensuring you’re not stranded when component failures occur.
If a breakdown happens more than 100 kilometres away from where you live, you can claim reimbursement for overnight accommodation costs or temporary vehicle rental (Category B vehicles only), with coverage up to R2,000 per breakdown event. This benefit ensures you’re not left without transport or shelter when far from home.
Should authorised repairs take longer than 48 hours to complete, we’ll provide you with a replacement vehicle (Category B) from our network of approved rental companies. This courtesy car is available for up to five days per claim, allowing you to maintain your daily routine whilst your vehicle is being repaired.
Round-the-Clock Roadside Support
Your Warranty includes 24-hour roadside assistance to help with common vehicle emergencies. If you experience a punctured tyre, we’ll send a response team to assist with changing it, covering the call-out charge and up to one hour of labour (maximum R2,000 per incident).
For flat battery situations, our roadside team will arrive to jump-start your vehicle, with the same coverage limits applying. If you unexpectedly run out of fuel, we’ll deliver sufficient petrol or diesel to get you to the nearest filling station, providing up to 10 litres of fuel (you’ll need to cover the actual fuel cost).
Should you accidentally lock your keys inside your car, we’ll arrange for a locksmith to help retrieve them. This is a reimbursement benefit with coverage up to R2,000 per incident.
You can access these roadside assistance services up to twice annually. To arrange any breakdown or roadside service, contact our dedicated 24-hour assistance centre on 0861 860 861. The hotel accommodation and car hire benefit operates as a refundable expense that you arrange independently and then claim back.
*Always consult your specific Warranty policy documentation to confirm the exact benefits and coverage limits applicable to your plan.
Why You Need a Motor Warranty
The average car in South Africa contains over 30,000 parts. With this level of complexity and the daily use of your vehicle, component failures are inevitable as your vehicle ages.
Your vehicle is one of your most valuable assets, essential for work, family responsibilities, and daily life. A Motor Warranty keeps your vehicle moving, protects you against the cost of unexpected failures, and provides invaluable peace of mind.
Consider the alternative: without Warranty coverage, a single engine failure could cost you R50,000 or more. A gearbox replacement might run R30,000. With a Warranty, you’re prepared for these situations. Instead of scrambling to find money for repairs, you’ll know that your Warranty covers the costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a Motor Warranty Cover All Repairs on My Car?
Motor Warranties cover a specific list of components up to set limits. Coverage varies depending on which Warranty option you select. It’s essential to review the policy wording and understand which components are included in your chosen plan.
Is There an Excess on Claims?
No, there is no excess payable when making a claim on your Motor Warranty from Bidvest Insurance. Any costs exceeding your coverage limits will be for your own account.
Take the Next Step
Protecting your vehicle with a Motor Warranty is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make as a South African motorist. Don’t wait until you’re facing an expensive repair bill to wish you had coverage.
Get a quote for a Motor Warranty from Bidvest Insurance and drive with confidence knowing your budget is protected against unexpected breakdowns.
