When it comes to your mobility equipment insurance, it’s important to read through your policy carefully to understand exactly what is (and isn’t) covered. Blue Badge Insurance, for instance, offers cover for accidental damage. But what exactly does that mean for a damaged wheelchair or mobility scooter?
We want to make our offering as transparent and easy to understand as possible. So, here’s an explanation of accidental damage and some examples of how it could happen.
In this article
Accidental damage insurance
When it comes to mobility equipment insurance, accidental damage cover means your insurer will repair or replace your wheelchair, mobility scooter, wheelchair, or other form of assistive technology (depending on what’s covered) if it gets unintentionally damaged.
For example, if you accidentally drop your wheelchair out of the car or it gets hit and broken, insurance can help cover the costs.
Being without your wheels can be life changing until it’s back in action. That’s why we don’t need to tell you how important it is to read your insurance policy to understand what exactly is covered and if there are any rules or limits.
Accidental damage insurance and market value
The most that we pay for accidental damage or theft of your mobility equipment is the market value. In other words, we pay you what your equipment is worth at that time.
This amount is called the “market value,” which means how much money you could get if you were to sell your equipment right now, before it got damaged or stolen. So, if your equipment is older and has been used a lot, it won’t be worth as much as a brand new one.
What types of damage is considered accidental?
When we talk about accidental damage to things like wheelchairs or scooters, we mean damage that happens suddenly and you didn’t mean for it to happen. Here are a few examples:
- Dropping it: If you accidentally let go of your equipment and it hits the ground and breaks.
- Bumping into stuff: If you’re moving around and accidentally crash into a wall, door, or furniture and it causes damage.
- Water spills: If you accidentally spill a drink on your equipment and it stops working right because of that.
- Unexpected breaks: Parts of your equipment might suddenly break or stop working when you’re using it, not because it’s old, but because something went wrong out of the blue.
It’s just as important to know what DOESN’T count as accidental damage, which we discuss below.
What isn’t considered accidental damage in insurance?
There are certain things that don’t fall under accidental damage and won’t be covered. These vary between companies, but for Blue Badge Insurance they include:
Scratches, scuffs, chips or dents that don’t restrict your mobility equipment’s use
If your wheelchair or scooter gets a few battle scars like scratches or small dents from daily use, but you can still use it just fine, the insurance won’t cover these. It’s like getting a small scratch on your phone; it doesn’t look great, but it still works.
Cracking that’s cosmetic in nature and doesn’t restrict its safe use
If there’s a crack somewhere on your equipment but it’s purely cosmetic, meaning it doesn’t affect how safe or functional it is, it won’t be covered.
Failure or breakdown of any mechanical, electrical or computer components due to normal use
Over time, things like the motor or the battery might wear out just from using the equipment a lot. This is considered normal wear and tear, and insurance usually doesn’t cover things that naturally happen over time from regular use.
Tyre punctures, cuts or punctures due to use or application of the brakes
If your equipment’s tyres get punctured or wear out because you’ve been using it a lot, especially from braking, insurance sees this as part of the usual risks of moving around. It’s similar to getting a flat tyre on your bike if you ride it every day.
Failure or breakdown of the battery or power source
Just like how your phone’s battery starts holding less charge over time, your mobility equipment’s battery can wear out too. Since this is expected to happen eventually with regular use, accidental damage insurance doesn’t usually cover it.
You might want to read our ‘How Long Do Mobility Scooter Batteries Last, Really‘ article and some tips to maintain your electric wheelchair battery.
Computer technology issues, including any viruses
If the computer parts of your equipment catch a virus or have other tech issues, these aren’t covered either. It’s a bit like how you’re responsible for keeping your own computer safe from viruses.
It’s important to note that the exact definition of “accidental” can vary between insurance companies and policies. That’s why you should always review your policy documents or consult with your insurance provider. This will help you understand the specifics of what’s considered “accidental” in your coverage.
What does Blue Badge Insurance cover?
Blue Badge Insurance can cover your car, mobility scooter and wheelchair for accidental damage, theft and legal liability. Today we’re focusing on the accidental damage part of our offering.
If your mobility equipment is unintentionally damaged anywhere in Australia under your insurance period, we will choose to do one of the following:
a) Arrange to repair it, or
b) Pay you the reasonable costs of repairing it
If your mobility equipment is a total loss, we’ll either give you money for the equipment up to the amount you stated when you signed up with us (this amount is written on your insurance certificate) or give you a new piece of equipment that’s pretty much the same kind and quality as the one you lost.
Compare us with other insurers in our article exploring the disability insurance specialist vs generalist insurers.
Insurance for the unexpected
Remember, we don’t offer only accidental damage insurance, we also cover theft and legal liability. Find out more about our wheelchair insurance and mobility scooter insurance.
Blue Badge Insurance is Australia’s first mobility insurance specialist. We understand just how important your mobility is to you and know what it takes to keep you moving. Check out our innovative policies today to tailor for your needs.
