Article from 4wdingaustralia
You know whatâs amazing? Taking three months off work to explore the Coral Coast, Pilbara, Kimberley, and Northern Territory with your 4WD and camper trailer. You know whatâs not amazing? Getting halfway through the trip and needing to make two at-fault insurance claims within two weeks.
To say I was peeved would be an understatement. Looking back now, I can see the funny side of it, but at the time, I wasnât a happy bloke. Before this, the first and only accident Iâd had was about eight years ago, and letâs be honestâit's never a nice feeling.
As many of you know, we partnered with Club 4X4 Insurance a few years ago after switching the 4WD insurance on our 80 Series Land Cruiser to them. They insured our heavily customised Land Cruiser right up until we sold it and upgraded to the Isuzu D-MAX we drive now.
They also cover our camper trailer, and Iâve spoken positively about them in the past. That said, you canât truly evaluate an insurance company until youâve had to make a claim. Of course, itâs not something you ever hope for, but the whole purpose of insurance is to support you when things go wrong and to resolve the situation as smoothly as possible.
Club 4X4 Insurance Isuzu D-Max, canopy and off-road camper trailer
Accident / Claim #1
After a week of driving from Perth to Broome (and enjoying some amazing spots along the way), we were soaking up the laid-back atmosphere and spending plenty of time on Cable Beach. Iâd promised Sarah fish and chips one evening, so we headed out from the caravan park to grab some.
On the way, I pulled off the road at the bank to get some cash out. I hopped back into the car, put it in reverse, and rolled back just enough to clear a little scooter in front of us to pull back onto the road. Bang. Instantly, I knew Iâd messed up.
Someone had pulled in behind me while I was out of the car, and I hadnât noticed. When I arrived, the six car bays behind me were completely emptyâbut someone had decided to park right behind me.
With a sinking feeling, I pulled forward half a metre and jumped out to assess the damage.
âDid you just hit me?â A rather irate woman marched over, glaring daggers at me.
âUh, yeah, sorry...â I stammered.
A quick inspection showed no damage to my vehicle, thanks to the tow hitch taking the brunt of the impact. Her Suzuki Vitara, on the other hand, hadnât fared as wellâthe aluminium nudge bar had been pushed back, damaging the bumper.
Suzuki Vitara damage car accident
A tiny bump, resulting in at least a couple of grandâs worth of damage. It wasnât immediately obvious, but it would need a new bumper, a nudge bar, and some touch-ups.
I was pretty annoyed at myself, but there wasnât much I could do except exchange details, grab the fish and chips, and try to enjoy them over another Cable Beach sunset. Needless to say, it cast a sombre mood over what was usually a relaxing evening.
Cable beach sunset
Another stunning sunset, only slightly dampened by the fact Iâd backed into the Vitara just minutes before!
I had no one to blame but myself. If Iâd checked my mirrors or the reverse camera, I wouldâve noticed straight away. But I was distractedâan impatient, noisy toddler in the back and a conversation with Sarah took my focus. Plus, in my mind, there were six empty car bays behind meâwhat could possibly go wrong, right?!
Making a claim
I called to submit a claim, but unfortunately, they were closed until the next day. Bit of a shameâI was hoping to get it over and done with. The next morning, I got through and was told the process would take about 20 minutes. No worries.
The team asked me to explain what happened and went through a series of very thorough questions:
- âDid you admit fault?â
- âIn the 12 hours leading up to the accident, did you consume any drugs or alcohol?â
- âWere you wearing glasses, and does your licence indicate you need them?â
- âDo you believe you were at fault?â
- âIs the damage likely to cost more than your excess?â
I wasnât expecting such a comprehensive set of questions, but they were fair, and I can understand why theyâre necessary.
Not long after, I received an email with paperwork and further instructions. Being on the road for three months made this a bit of a hassle. I had to find a place to print the documents, draw a diagram of the accident showing where the vehicles were, explain what happened, and sign everything off.
I was also asked to provide a copy of my driverâs licence and a copy of my driving historyâwhich, as it turns out, you can only get at a police station. So, off I toddled to the Broome police station, paid my $25.60, and walked out with the required paperwork.
Using the CamScanner app (a lifesaver, by the way), I scanned everything and sent it off, hoping that would be the end of it.
I also had to pay an $850 excess, which stung a bit, but considering the claim was significantly more than that, it was worth it.
Accident / Claim #2
Not even two weeks later, we were staying in Katherine and had nearly ticked off everything on our list of sightsâexcept for the Lower River region. After a quick breakfast, we jumped in the D-MAX and set off to explore.
A few minutes later, we pulled into a gravel car park and hopped out for a wander.
The area was stunning, with water flowing serenely under a small bridge. We took some photos, relaxed for a while, and let Oliver burn off some of his endless energy.
Katherine Lower River Region
Hopping back into the car to leave, I reversed out with extreme caution. Checking both mirrors and the reversing camera, I was still very mindful of the accident in Broome. With the steering wheel locked one way, I checked the car next to me and the camera, then gently rolled back. I noticed another vehicle waiting for me, so I reversed a little further. Bang.
I couldnât believe it. What on earth had I hit? I got out for a quick look and spotted damage to the rear left corner of the canopy. Feeling sheepish, I climbed back into the D-MAX and headed back to the caravan park.
It turned out Iâd managed to hit a tree (which already had plenty of marks on it). The tree grew up about 60cm before branching horizontally and then curving up. It hadnât shown up on the camera, and I wouldâve only seen it for a split second in the left mirror if Iâd been looking at it at the right moment.
A part of me hoped it would just need a new bumperâsomething Iâd been planning to replace anyway. But that thought was quickly dashed when I noticed the canopy was sitting out of square. Then, a horrible realisation hit me: the fuel filler is attached to the canopy, with only about 40mm of clearance from the cab. I wondered if it had moved forward into the cab panels.
My worst fears were confirmed when I pulled into camp, got out, and inspected the fuel filler. The whole canopy on one side had shifted forward about 80mm, puncturing a hole in the panel and pushing it in before springing back slightly. I just wanted to curl up and disappear.
I took a moment to really assess the damage. The three mounts on the passenger side of the canopy had either moved or been bent forward, the bumper was out of shape, and the canopy was sitting at an angle. The panel damage was particularly badâespecially given the position of the panel, which runs from the windscreen along the side of the roof to the back of the cab, down the side, and then forward again along the sills. I wasnât sure how easily it could be repaired, but I knew it would be costly.
Fuel filler damage
The canopy moved forward, pushing the fuel filler into the cab
Panel damage up north
A nice dent and a couple of holes in the panel. At least the door still opened and closed.
Bent canopy mount
More bent mounts
I made a quick call to Club 4X4, and they reassured me while providing some great information about a $1000 Essential Emergency Repairs Cover. They told me to continue the trip and lodge a claim when I got home, as the vehicle was still driveable. The repair fund is meant for essential repairs to keep you on the road until you can stop and file a claim.
I spent a few hours doing what I could to move the canopy back as best as possible, tightening bolts, panel beating the canopy wing, and gluing the cracked section together. From a distance, youâd hardly notice the damageâexcept for the two dents near the fuel filler. The canopy still didnât sit perfectly square, but with only a 10mm difference from side to side, I wasnât about to mess with it while everything was fully loaded up.
All the doorsâincluding Oliverâs and the two canopy doorsâopened and closed fine, and there didnât seem to be any structural damage to anything except one tray mount, which was badly twisted.
Due to head to Lorella Springs the next day, I was extremely angry but still relieved knowing the damage wasnât going to affect the remaining two months of our holiday. I could have accessed the $1000 emergency repair fund if the doors werenât shutting properly and had it temporarily fixed mid-trip before making the actual claim, but fortunately, that wasnât necessary.
The most frustrating part of it all was that I was paying attention, driving carefully, and still managed to hit the tree. I spent some time reviewing the reversing camera footage and realised where Iâd been unlucky. The camera was mounted in a way that didnât show the very corners of the tray, and I hit the tree right on the corner. I also didnât see it in the mirrors, as the tree wasnât verticalâit grew up a bit before branching off to the side.
Needless to say, my driving after two accidents became extremely cautious, double-checking every move I made. Two $850 excesses, on top of the trip cost, for two claims with Club 4X4. Not happy, Jan.
Katherine tourism
Our memories of Katherine were mostly great, otherwise!
Enjoying Katherine Hot Springs
Making a claim back in Perth
A few months later, we arrived back in Perth. My canopy adjustments had held up just fine, and I was eager to get everything sorted. A quick call to Club 4X4 followed, and after answering a few more questions and submitting some paperwork, the claim was processed. Since the two accidents were so close together, they used my existing driverâs history to streamline the process.
I was given the details of a recommended repairer who wasnât too far from my house. Due to the location of the damage and the canopy on the back of the D-MAX, it needed to be removed first. Once that was done, the vehicle could be trucked to the repair shop, fixed, and then sent back to Bull Motor Bodies.
Repairing the D-MAX
There was some miscommunication at the panel shop, and they requested a brand new canopy without even considering the possibility of repairing the existing one. While a new canopy would have been nice, it seemed wasteful, and fitting everything back inâlike the drawer systems and electrical gearâwould have been a hassle. After a bit more digging and a few phone calls, Bull Motor Body recommended repairing the existing canopy instead.
I was given just over a week to have the repairs done, and they managed to squeeze it in.
I dropped the vehicle off and picked it up a week later. Bull Motor Body were flawless and come highly recommended. The panel shop did a good job overall, though there was the initial miscommunication, and the flap vent had some glue smeared on it and wasnât stuck down properly. A quick visit back to them sorted it all out.
Repaired panels on the Dmax
Replacement bumper and lights
New canopy mounts
Club 4X4 Review
After having to make two claims with Club 4X4, I feel confident in commenting on how they run their business and what it's like to experience their services firsthand.
In a word, they were fantastic. There was a tiny admin error (they couldnât find my first excess payment), but in the grand scheme of things, everything went as smoothly as I could have hoped. Communication was regular, high-quality, and incredibly helpful. Their customer service was great and consistent. You really do feel awful going through the motions of making an insurance claim, but Club 4X4 remained professional and courteous throughout, and that makes all the difference.
There were no unreasonable hurdles to jump through, no issues with the extensive list of modifications on the D-MAX, and plenty of communication to keep me updated on what was happening. At no point did I feel like I was getting the short end of the stick. Kudos to Club 4X4.
Iâve just received the renewals for the D-MAX and camper trailer and will definitely continue using Club 4X4. Hopefully, thereâs at least another 8 years before I need to make another claim!
In the mean time, weâll keep exploring this magic country!
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