A good share of casco problems aren't born at claim time, but when signing – it's only there that they come to light. The six most common signing mistakes are almost always the same, and each is preventable with one deliberate move. Here's the list – worth running through before you sign.
- The common root of these mistakes: the premium figure pulls attention away from the content and the details.
- The most common ones: deciding on premium alone, an unknown deductible structure, unreported use or extras.
- The tools to prevent them are ready-made: a criteria table, 5 questions, the policy check.
Mistakes 1-2: deciding on premium alone, and an unknown deductible
The classic is the reflex choice of the lowest-premium offer: without knowing the content behind the price – deductible, depreciation, exclusions – the decision is made blind: the hidden cost of cheap casco. Its twin is deductible blindness: many people still don't know how large their deductible is even after signing – yet the percentage + minimum pair is the first question at claim time. Prevention: filling in the criteria table – with the premium row last.
Mistakes 3-4: keeping the real picture quiet
The temptation of a "more favourable picture" – declaring lower mileage, staying quiet about a young driver, recording business use as private – brings a short-term premium advantage, but at claim time it's a source of questions and legal consequences. The fourth mistake is extras amnesia: equipment and later-fitted extras are left out of the contract – and they'll be left out of the payout too. Prevention: honest disclosure plus an extras list with photos and receipts.
Mistakes 5-6: timing, and the unread policy
The fifth is a cover gap: putting things off after buying a used car, or getting the order wrong when switching – guarded against by the rules in the timing article. The sixth is the most common, and the least costly to fix: nobody reads the policy. Yet the ten-minute check – details, deductible, covers, clause – is the best prevention against any later dispute. Do it after signing; if we work together, we'll do it together.
About to sign? Let's run through the mistake list together – 20 minutes, and you'll have a clear picture. book a free 20-minute consultation →
