Frequently asked questions

Plan and coverage

16. Why do I need to buy car insurance?
This is governed under the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act where the law requires motorists to have in place an insurance policy for bodily injury to a third party. Car insurance makes good sense as it gives you protection against financial damages or losses that may arise from a motor accident. It covers you for personal injury that you may cause to third parties, and can cover your costs if you damage someone else's property. It can also cover any other loss or damage that you may suffer in a motor accident.
 

17. I read about damage to vehicles by falling trees, flooding and fires by arsonists. Can I claim for such damages?
You can claim for damage to your vehicle caused by falling trees, flood and fire by arsonist if you purchase the Drive and Save Plus Comprehensive Authorised Workshop Plan or Drive and Save Plus Comprehensive Any Workshop Plan.
 

18. What is excess?
Excess is the first amount of the claim that you have to pay. For example, if the excess is S$300 and the total repair cost is S$2,000, you have to pay S$300 and the insurer will bear the remaining S$1,700.

19. What are the conditions for Waiver of Standard Excess in the event of an Own Damage claim?

Waiver of Standard Excess will be:

• Applicable to the first own damage claim of the current period of insurance.
• Applicable to Insured & Named Drivers Only.
• Applicable as shown based on Insured's NCD entitlement at the time of accident.

It will not be applicable to Any Workshop Plan unless your damaged vehicle is repaired at GEG's Authorised Workshop.

20. Who will be covered for Personal Accident?
We will pay compensation for bodily injury sustained by the Insured, Authorised Driver and/or Passenger(s) in connection with a motor accident up to the benefit limits stated in the policy.
 

21. Who will be covered for Medical Reimbursement?
The Company will reimbursement an amount not exceeding $1,000 to each injured person for reasonable medical expenses incurred in connection with bodily injury sustained by the Insured or Authorised Driver or any Passenger(s) as a result of a motor accident.
 

22. Why is windscreen damage listed separately in the policy? Do I have to reinstate my windscreen cover after a claim? Will my No Claims Discount (NCD) be affected?
Windscreen damage has a separate excess than other damages to your car. The windscreen benefit covers the cost of reinstating any glass in the car windscreen and subject to an excess of S$100 for each claim. Our policy offers unlimited reinstatements of windscreen cover.
 

23. Does Drive and Save Plus include cover for Certificate of Entitlement (COE)?
Our policy includes cover for COE, as long as you purchase the Comprehensive or Third Party Fire and Theft cover.
 

24. Why does it say “market value” for the coverage limit of my car in the policy document?
This is the assessed value of the Insured Vehicle at the time of the accident, arrived at by comparing retail prices for vehicles of the same make, model, age and condition.
 

25. Am I covered when I drive my car out of Singapore?
You are covered if you drive your car in West Malaysia, the Republic of Singapore and that part of Thailand within fifty (50) miles of the border between Thailand and West Malaysia.
 

26. Am I covered if I use the vehicle for hire and reward purposes (E.g. GrabCar)?
This policy does not cover if you use it for hire and reward, such as GrabCar. However, car sharing or carpooling is covered under our policy. (E.g. GrabHitch)
 

27. Who can I contact in the event of a car accident?
You can call our 24-hour emergency assistance hotline at +65 6535 0511.

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Named drivers

28. Can I include a Named driver in my car insurance policy?
Yes, you can include up to 3 Named drivers in your car insurance policy. Should you need to make changes to the Named driver(s), you may email us at
GICare-sg@greateasterngeneral.com to inform us on the change.
 

29. What is the additional excess imposed on an Unnamed Driver2 who uses my vehicle and is involved in an accident?
When you make a claim under your car insurance policy, an additional Excess¹ , on top of the standard Excess¹ will apply, as follows:

¹ Excess is the amount the policyholder is required to contribute before they can make a claim.
² Unnamed Driver refers to someone who is not named under a car insurance policy.
 

30. If I include a Named driver in my car insurance policy, will my overall premium increase?
The premium of your car insurance policy is calculated based on the profiles of the Primary driver and the Named driver(s). Depending on the risk profiles of the drivers, the premium may remain the same, increase or decrease.

It is important to disclose relevant information in your application so that the risks can be assessed accurately.
 

31. Can I include Named drivers for my Third Party Fire and Theft (TPFT) or Third Party (TP) coverage?
It is not necessary to include Named drivers under TPFT or TP coverage as Excess does not apply.

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No Claims Discount (NCD)

32. What is NCD? How will it affect my premium?
A No-Claim Discount (NCD) is an entitlement given to you if no claim has been made under your policy for a year or more with the existing insurer. It reduces the premium you have to pay for the following year. NCD is recognised by all insurers across the industry.

NCD is a way of rewarding you for being a careful driver. The following table shows how the NCD is determined by most insurers across the industry.

33. Does my NCD apply to me, or to my vehicle?
Your NCD applies to you and not the vehicle. If you sell away the current vehicle and buy a new one, you can use the existing NCD for the new car insurance. However, if you own more than 1 vehicle, you will have different NCD for individual vehicle.
 

34. How is my No Claims Discount (NCD) applied?
Your NCD is tied to you (the policyholder) and can only be applied to one vehicle at one time. If you own more than one vehicle, you may decide which vehicle to apply your NCD.

For example:

• If you sell your existing vehicle and buy another one, you can transfer the NCD from the existing vehicle to the newly purchased vehicle.
• If you retain your existing vehicle and buy another one, you can choose to transfer the NCD from the existing vehicle to the newly purchased vehicle. Your existing vehicle will have to earn the NCD from 0%.
• Alternatively, you can choose to keep the NCD with your existing vehicle and start earning the NCD for the newly purchased vehicle.
  
  

35. Can I insure against the loss of my NCD?
Yes, you may add on the NCD Protector as long as you have a NCD of 50% to protect your NCD in the event of a claim. This is an optional benefit with additional premium to be paid. The benefit will protect your NCD against the 1st claim during the Period of Insurance. However, your NCD will be affected if you have more than one claim during the Period of Insurance. Please refer to the table below:

36. What if I declare a higher / lower NCD wrongly?
We will verify with your previous insurer and adjust the NCD accordingly.

• If you declare a higher NCD, you will need to pay us the difference in premium.
• If you declare a lower NCD, we will refund you the difference in premium.
   

37. What is the penalty if I fail to make a report of an accident to my insurance company?
We may refuse to accept the liability for the accident in view of a breach in policy conditions. Your NCD will be further reduced by 10% on top of any NCD reduction resulting from the claim made under your car insurance policy.
 

38. How long will my NCD remain valid after I stop owning a car?
Your NCD will remain valid for 24 months from the end date of your last policy.
 

39. I am the policyholder and Primary driver for my car insurance policy. Can I transfer my NCD to one of my Named drivers under my policy so that he / she can enjoy a lower premium?
No, NCD is not transferrable to another person except to your spouse, provided your spouse is taking a new car insurance policy with Great Eastern.

This is a one-time transfer and is non reversible. After the transfer, the NCD for your existing car insurance policy will become 0%.
 

40. I am the registered owner of the car but do not have a driving licence. My Primary Driver wishes to buy a car under his/ her name. Can I transfer the NCD to him / her?
No, NCD is not transferrable to another person except to your spouse, provided your spouse is taking a new car insurance policy with Great Eastern.
 

41. Can I transfer my NCD from motorcycle / commercial vehicle to my private car?
No, NCD level for motorcycle / commercial vehicle is different from private car.
 

42. If my car insurance policy is in force, can I still withdraw my NCD?
Yes. You may withdraw the NCD while your policy is still in force, subject to no claims made under your car insurance policy. You need to top up the difference in premium due to the NCD withdrawal.

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Policy renewal / cancellation

43. How would I be notified on the renewal of the insurance?
A renewal notice will be sent to you about 2 months before the expiry month of the policy.
 

44. How do I renew my car insurance?
You can renew your car insurance in the following ways:

Alternatively, you can inform your servicing agent who can also assist you with the renewal request.
 

45. What if I need to change my details such as my address?
Please contact our Customer Service Hotline at 6248 2888, Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 5.30pm (excluding public holidays) or email us at
GICare-sg@greateasterngeneral.com. Alternatively, you can inform your servicing agent who can also assist you with the change.
 

46. What should I do if I sold or de-registered my car during my insurance policy period?
If you wish to sell/deregister your car, you may inform us to cancel your policy along with following documents:

• Certificate of insurance, and
• Sales agreement or de-registration letter from LTA
   

Please send your cancellation documents to us:
By Email: GICare-sg@greateasterngeneral.com

By Mail: Great Eastern General Insurance Limited,
1 Pickering Street, #01-01 Great Eastern Centre, Singapore 048659
 

47. How is my refund computed for cancellation of my car insurance?
Your car insurance policy refund is calculated as follows (Cancellation by the Insured):

Premium refund = (80% of premium) x unexpired period of insurance (days)/ original period of insurance* (days)

*Original Period of Insurance of this Policy shall be deemed to include any extension of period in the Policy.
No refund will be payable if the refund premium is less than S$25.00 or where a claim has arisen under the Policy prior to the cancellation and the Insured shall return the current Certificate(s) of Insurance on or before the date of cancellation and pay the premium due promptly.

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Car insurance claims

48. If my car is involved in an accident but there was no damage to my car or if I do not wish to make a claim, do I still have to lodge the report with GIA or Great Eastern at Great Eastern’s Approved Reporting Centre?
Under the Motor Claims Framework (MCF), in any accident regardless how minor it was, you should lodge the GIA Report in any of our Authorised Accident Reporting Centres within 24 hours or by the next working day. If no claim is submitted against your policy, your report will not affect your policy/NCD. The accident report is important as it will provide the necessary information in order for us to handle any claims made against your policy due to the accident.

For more information about the Motor Claims Framework (MCF), you may refer to http://www.gia.org.sg
 

49. What do I do if I get into a car accident?
If you are involved in an accident, please follow these steps:

a. Exchange particulars such as name, driving licence & NRIC/Passport and contact number of the other driver who was involved in an accident with you. Take note of the vehicle numbers.
b. Take pictures of the accident scene and the damages caused to both cars.
c. Call our 24-Hours Towing Helpline +65 6535 0511 for towing service if required.
d. Do not accept any repairs and towing service from non-authorised workshop.
e. If towing service is not required, please send your damaged vehicle to GEG's Authorised Workshop within 24 working hours from time of accident.
f. Make a police report as soon as possible or within 2 hours of the accident if the accident involves:

• Fatality;
• Damage to government property;
• Foreign vehicle;
• Pedestrian or cyclist;
• Hit-and-run cases;
• Vandalism or theft of your car; or
• Injury cases where

(i) at least one person involved in the accident was taken to hospital from the accident scene by an ambulance/self-conveyed; or
(ii) any party involved in the accident was injured and obtain outpatient medical leave for 3 days or more.

g. If you have video recording of the accident, please keep and provide for the report and claims.
h. Filing a report at the Authorised Accident Reporting Centre is mandatory regardless if you are making a claim under your policy.
i. Should you receive any Writ of Summon or Letter of Demand from Third Party against you due to the accident, do not reply and forward to the Insurer immediately.

Kindly note that the 24 hours accident reporting requirement is mandatory as failure to do so allows insurer to apply a late reporting penalty against your NCD and to repudiate policy liability indemnifying you for the damage repair to your vehicle as well as for your liability towards the damage caused to Third Party property and/ or injury.

For your convenience and peace of mind, you are strongly advised to leave your accident damaged vehicle with any of our Authorised Accident Reporting Centres for repairs as they are also our Authorised Workshops. You will enjoy policy Excess waiver (conditions apply) for Own Damage repair, and if you were assessed to be not at fault, our Authorised Workshop will repair the vehicle and assist you in formulating a Third Party claim against the responsible Third Party Singapore registered vehicle insurer. This way, your NCD will not be affected and the repairs done will come with a nine (9)-months warranty.

Under the Motor Claims Framework endorsed by the General Insurance Association of Singapore, you are required to file an accident report regardless of whether you intend to make a claim.
 

50. What is the time frame for me to report the accident?
Under the Motor Claims Framework, all accidents must be reported to your insurer within 24 working hours or by the next working day with your car, no matter how trivial or even if there is no visible damage, and irrespective of whether you are claiming from any insurers or third parties.
 

51. Do I need to pay any reporting fees?
No, there are no fees/charges for reporting at GEG’s Authorised Accident Reporting Centre.
 

52. Can I request for towing service even though my policy is not under a Comprehensive coverage?
Towing benefit is only available under Comprehensive coverage, and charges are covered for only accidental purposes. However, we can help you to arrange for a tow truck upon request. You may call our Hotline for assistance. Towing fees is subject to our policy terms & conditions.
 

53. Who are the authorised workshops of GEG (Great Eastern General)?
List of Authorised Accident Reporting Centres & Repair Workshops:

54. If there is a Third Party claim against me, will I be updated on the status?
We will notify insured upon the receipt of the letter of demand we have received from the third party.

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