Off-Roading Coverage: Do You Have It?

by Umar Saeed Marketer

If you are planning to head to the deserts for a little off-roading adventure, it will serve you well to first check if your insurance plan has you covered. Even if you have prepared yourself well by putting a tow rope in your 4x4 and asking a friend to bring in their SUV as well to help you get out of a sticky situation, it is important that you have off-roading coverage. Having insurance coverage may lead you to believe that you automatically have coverage for off-roading, but this is not always the case since not every insurance plan provides you with this particular coverage.

What is Off-Road Coverage?

Off-roading coverage is either included in your car insurance plan or comes as an additional optional cover that insurance companies offer users which they can opt for by paying extra cost going towards their insurance premium. This covers your vehicle for any damage that may occur while you are driving off-road. Traveling on an unpaved road, such as a dirt road or on sand dunes, is considered as driving off-road. Car Insurance companies in Dubai offer off-road coverage only for four-wheel drive vehicles, so if you own a sedan it is better you stay on the road. It is also important to note that not every company may offer this feature and the specific details may vary between different insurance companies.

Even if you have a comprehensive insurance plan for your vehicle, you may not have insurance for off-road driving. Many companies do, however, provide off-road coverage; some as part of your comprehensive package and some as an additional option.

If you are a policyholder of the “Comprehensive Motor Perfect” insurance plan of AXA Gulf insurance company and you own a four-wheel drive vehicle, you will be insured for off-road driving as part of the plan. AXA Gulf is one of the few firms operating in Dubai and UAE that offer off-road cover as part of your comprehensive plan. Another such company is the Oman Insurance Company, which offers off-road coverage under its comprehensive insurance plan for four-wheel drive vehicles. However, under the Oman Insurance Companies insurance policy, you will not be covered for off-road driving if it happens for any safari activity. The cover is also only available if your vehicle is privately owned for use and will be excluded due to the following:

· Commercial Type Vehicles

· Vehicles Driven for Business Purposes

· Competitive events and/or Dune Bashing

Most other companies give the policyholder an option to choose off-road coverage as an add-on by paying additional charges. The RSA Insurance Company offers off-road coverage as a value-added feature in your standard comprehensive insurance plan, at an additional cost of AED 1,500. It can be bought if you have a privately owned all-wheel-drive vehicle. Arab Orient Insurance also offers off-road coverage and GCC-wide coverage at an additional price of AED 350.

How do you ensure that you are covered for off-roading?

If you already have an insurance plan and own a four-wheel-drive vehicle, then you need to first check with your insurance company. If you have a third-party liability insurance plan, you are unlikely to have off-road coverage. If you have a comprehensive insurance plan, you will need to confirm if off-road coverage is an existing benefit or if you will have to pay an excess amount to avail it.

Secondly, you also need to ensure if you fulfill the requirements of your insurance company. Each company has their own terms and requirements under which they provide off-road coverage. Most will require that your vehicle is privately owned. Companies may differ in the amount of road-side assistance they offer while you are off-road and may have limited the offer to a specified distance off a paved road. The nature of your driving, for example for pleasure or for a competition, will also matter, as can your age and experience of driving. In order to be sure of the exact requirements, you should contact your car insurance company.