Kangaroo collisions cost Australians $6 million in insurance excess
Huddle launches Australia's first "Kanga Cover".
With more than 7,000 Kangaroo collisions per year costing everyday Aussies more than $6 million, Huddle Insurance is launching a solution to the vehicular kanga banga in the form of Kanga Cover.
Kanga Cover is an optional extra with Huddle's Comprehensive Car Insurance, protecting you from paying an excess following an accident involving an animal – and not just with kangaroos.
Most car insurance companies place the driver at fault when they claim for an accident involving an animal even if the collision was unavoidable, which has been a sore point for many drivers for years. The reason it's a sore point is that once a company says you're at fault you're on the hook for paying the excess, which according to Huddle is $862 on average for accidents involving kangaroos. And with roughly 7,000 collisions per year, Aussies are handing over more than $6 million in excess payments.
This was the catalyst for Kanga Cover, according to Huddle joint CEO and co-founder Jonathan Buck.
"At Huddle, we recognise that there's often very little a driver can do to avoid colliding with a kangaroo that jumps out, and we understand the stress that comes with going through this experience. Our members have also told us they think the industry norm of charging an excess in these events is wrong. By launching Kanga Cover, Huddle has made it possible for the first time in Australia, for drivers to avoid having to pay an excess when they collide with an animal, up to once per year," Buck said.
Drivers are limited to one claim per year on their Kanga Cover but once it comes time for renewal, you can pay for the additional cover once more.
And in keeping with Huddle's ethical nature, $1 for every Kanga Cover policy will be donated to the Kangaroo Protection Co-operative.
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