M1 Metal Mayhem: How will car insurance cover it?

Sydney-bound commuters on the M1 faced unprecedented chaos this morning after a truck spilled a load of metal shards, shredding hundreds of car tyres and bringing traffic to a standstill. For affected drivers, what happens with car insurance?

The quick version of what happened is a truck carrying 40 tonnes of scrap metal lost its load between Palmdale and the Mooney Mooney Bridge. Dunno why just yet.

The good news for affected motorists is that the trucking company involved, NJ Ashton from Horsley Park, has publicly taken full responsibility for the spill. Importantly, they said their insurance will cover the damage to affected vehicles.

This is petty important. It means the cost of repairing or replacing your damaged tyres, wheels and potentially other parts of your vehicle should ultimately be covered by the trucking company's liability insurance, not necessarily your own policy or excess.

Making Your Claim: The Standard Process

For most drivers affected by this incident, the smoothest path to getting your vehicle repaired is to contact your own comprehensive car insurance provider first.

Explain the situation clearly: you were driving on the M1, impacted by metal debris spilled from a truck belonging to NJ Ashton, and the company has accepted responsibility.

Your insurer will likely process your claim under your policy and then seek to recover all costs, including your excess, from NJ Ashton's insurance company. This dull process, known as subrogation, means your insurer handles the legwork of dealing with the at-fault party's insurer on your behalf.

Whether you have comprehensive or third party insurance is not important here - you're not the at-fault party.

Potential Hurdles and What to Do

Given the sheer scale of this incident, there might be some initial confusion or delays as insurance companies process such a high volume of claims related to a single event.

As one affected motorist shared on Reddit: "I was one of the cars affected. Now my insurance company is giving me trouble because I only have the company's number (which they aren't answering) and name and not the rego and drivers licence details.. :( cops at the scene just said to call the company and wouldn't give me a reference number or anything."

It's standard for insurers to ask for the at-fault driver's details (name, licence, vehicle registration). However, in this unique situation, the identity of the responsible company is known, and they have admitted fault. Don't be put off if your insurer initially asks for details you couldn't obtain at the scene – the chaos and scale made that near impossible for hundreds of drivers. Keep explaining the situation and give them the trucking company's name (NJ Ashton). Your insurer should be able to proceed with the claim based on this information, particularly as this is a widely reported incident with an admitted responsible party.

Alison Banney from the Finder team, who was caught in the resulting delays, saw the extent of the damage firsthand: "I drove from Newcastle to Sydney Friday morning and what should have been a 2 hour drive took me almost 4 hours as most of the M1 was closed. When I finally got back onto the M1 there were heaps of cars pulled over with flat tires - some had all 4 tires flat! I feel so sorry for everyone impacted, with so many cars stranded I imagine they'll be facing huge delays to get towed. I'm just hoping people don't also now need to pay for new tires too."

Rest assured, you shouldn't have to pay for the new tyres or towing yourself if you can successfully claim against the trucking company's insurance.

Steps to Take Now:

1. Document Everything: Take photos of the damage to your vehicle and, if you safely could, photos of the metal shards.
2. Gather Information: Note the date, time, and location (between Palmdale and Mooney Mooney Bridge southbound M1). You have the trucking company's name: NJ Ashton.
3. Contact Your Insurer: Lodge a claim as soon as possible. Provide all the details you have.
4. Be Patient but Persistent: While insurers work through the volume, keep records of your communication and follow up if needed.

While frustrating and disruptive, the fact that the trucking company has taken responsibility simplifies the insurance process considerably. Your primary step is to engage with your own insurer, who is best equipped to navigate the claim against the at-fault party's policy.