AAMI chooses the repairer and arranges the repair
Usually, damage to cars is repairable.
If your car has been damaged and can be repaired, our responsibility to you when we authorise repairs is to ensure that the repair work is properly carried out.
For your peace of mind, we choose the repairer and arrange the repair.
We ordinarily obtain two independent, competitive quotes, from repairers recommended by AAMI. If you want, you can choose a repairer to provide one of the quotes. Our assessor will review the quotes, including any quote from a repairer you choose, and what is necessary to properly repair your car. We will choose the repairer who has submitted the more competitive and complete quote and that will be the repairer who repairs your car.
We have your car repaired, keeping you informed all the way along.
When the repair is complete, we advise you your car is ready for collection.
If your car can be safely driven
All you do is drive your car to your nearest AAMI Customer Service Centre and leave it with us. We pay for your taxi home or back to work.
In areas not covered by an AAMI Customer Service Centre, we arrange the repair of your car in consultation with you.
If your car cannot be safely driven
We transport your car to the AAMI Customer Service Centre nearest to you. Your car and personal possessions are protected under cover there.
In areas not covered by an AAMI Customer Service Centre, we arrange the repair of your car in consultation with you.
Inspecting and repairing your car
You must make your car available to us if we decide to inspect or repair it. If requested by us, you must take your car or allow it to be towed to a place nominated by us.
You must not authorise the repair of your car without our written authority.
Your contribution to repair work
If the repair of your car leaves it in a better condition than before it was damaged,
we may ask you to contribute to the repair cost.
The AAMI Lifetime Repair Guarantee
The quality of the workmanship, any sublet repairs, and the materials authorised by AAMI in the repair of your car will be guaranteed for the life of the car. If you are concerned about the quality of the repair of your car, you must call us on 13 22 44 and you must make your car available to us. We will inspect the repair and arrange any necessary rectification work. You must not authorise rectification work without our written authority.
Where replacement parts are required for the repair of your car…
and your car is within its manufacturer’s standard new car warranty period
New OEM (original equipment manufacture) parts will be used except for the replacement of windscreens and window glass for which Australian manufactured, Australian Design Rule compliant parts may be used.
and your car is outside its manufacturer’s standard new car warranty period
New and/or reconditioned OEM (original equipment manufacture) parts will be used except for the replacement of windscreens and window glass for which Australian manufactured, Australian Design Rule compliant parts may be used.
Parts produced by OEM suppliers may be used in the repair of components such as radiators and air condensers.
What we do if your car cannot be repaired
Sometimes cars are so badly damaged that they would not be either safe or economical to repair.
If in our opinion, the damage to your car is so great that it would not be safe or economical to repair, we will declare your car a write-off and pay the amount covered.
If your car has been stolen
You must report the theft immediately to the police and to AAMI.
Most times your car will be found undamaged.
If it has been damaged, the procedure will be exactly the same as if your car had been damaged in an accident.
...and if your car is not found
We allow 14 days for your car to be found from when you reported its theft to us. If it is not found, and we are satisfied your claim is in order, we declare your car a write-off and pay the amount covered.
A replacement car or the amount covered
If your car becomes a write-off because of damage or theft within the first 12 months of its original registration, we will replace it with a new car and pay the on-road costs.
The replacement car:
will be of the same make, model and series as your car,
will be fitted with the same insured options and accessories as those fitted to your car,
has to be locally available. If it is not locally available, we will pay the amount covered.
If your car is under finance, you have to obtain the approval of the financier before it can be replaced.
What happens when we make a write-off payment or replace your car
When we make a write-of payment, we pay the amount covered and your policy comes to an end. Your policy also comes to an end if we replace your car. Because our payment or replacement meets all our obligations to you in full:
there is no refund of any portion of the premium. We retain your car unless you wish to keep it. ‘Your car’ includes all insured options and accessories and unless legislation in your state provides otherwise, the value of any unexpired portion of the registration,
if you wish to retain your car in its damaged condition, its salvaged value will be deducted from our payment, or, if we replace your car, you will first need to
pay us its salvage value,
you will first need to pay us the total unpaid balance of your premium, including
any unpaid additional premium owing. If we make a write-off payment, we will deduct
this amount from the payment we make.
When we agree to make a write-off payment, we will post a cheque for the agreed
amount or deposit it directly into your nominated bank account.
What we do if someone else’s property is damaged (legal liability)
We cover your legal liability for any loss or damage to other people’s property and loss or damage consequent upon damage to other people’s property resulting from the use of your car. The use of a caravan or trailer attached to your car is also covered.
We will pay up to a total of $20,000,000 for all claims arising from the one event.
Any person using your car with your permission and who complies with the terms and conditions of this policy is covered.
Your employer or principal is covered if you are driving your car in the course of your employment or agency and the use of your car is private use or you are covered under this policy for business use.
We do not pay for loss or damage to property owned by you or any person ordinarily living with you.
Admission of liability
You must not make any admissions or settle any claims without our prior written consent.
Giving assistance - information, notices, negotiating, defending and settling claims
In this section “you” means you and, if you were not driving, the driver of your
car. You must give us the information and assistance we reasonably request in evaluating the cause, extent and value of any claim. This may include:
providing us with full details of the claim in writing,
providing contracts of sale, receipts or other evidence of ownership,
providing written statements,
providing other relevant documents,
undergoing an interview or interviews about the circumstances of the claim,
appearing in court and giving evidence.
The information you give must be honest, correct and complete. This includes promptly telling us if you become aware of any demands, court proceedings or offers of settlement.
We shall be entitled, but not obliged to defend or represent you in any legal proceedings relating to an accident or event which may give rise to a claim against us and to control, settle and deal with those proceedings as we see fit.
We will pay the legal and other reasonable related costs of defending any claim made against you, provided we appoint the solicitors who will defend the claim and we have told you in writing that we will pay their costs.
You must assist us in all our endeavours to negotiate, defend or settle any claim made under this policy and to exercise for our benefit your legal right of recovery against any other party.
If you fail to assist us, or do not abide by any of these terms, we may reduce or refuse to pay your claim or be entitled to recover from you any monies paid under
the claim.