Motor Insurance and 'Acts of God'

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Wed 30 Jan 2002 19:17
Motor Insurance and 'Acts of God' - Peter M
A worrying news report on TV yesterday evening - a woman whose car was written off when a tree branch crashed across it during the weekend gales was told by the insurance company that they weren't paying up, as it was an 'act of God'- this would seem to give the companies an enormous loophole to renege on the policies.
Anyone fallen foul of this scam recently?
P.
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Wed 30 Jan 2002 19:45
Re: Motor Insurance and 'Acts of God' - ian (cape town)
Peter,
That God fellow really is bothersome, isn't he?
In recent years, many local authorities have tried to blame the Almighty for their woes - be it potholes caused by rain (actually by cr&p maintenace), falling trees (ditto), etc.
Seems like the insurance folk are being pedantic about this - from now on any weather-related accidents will be "acts of God".
Quick question. If I have a heart attack while driving, and trash my car, will it be covered by my insurance? If I hit somebody, can my insurers say "act of God", as it was obviously Him who is in charge of the heart attack department...
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Wed 30 Jan 2002 20:52
Re: Motor Insurance and 'Acts of God' - Honest John
What constitutes Act of God has been argued in the courts for centuries and there is a mass of case law taken to appeal to define what is and what is not an 'Act of God'. A gross oversimplification is if you have anything to do with it, it isn't an 'Act of God'. So if you live on a hill and build a wall across your land which then acts as a dam in a storm, collapses and causes a neigbour to be duluged then it's down to you for building the wall rather than down to God for causing the storm.

HJ
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Wed 30 Jan 2002 22:39
Re: Motor Insurance and 'Acts of God' - God
Blame me again and I'll shut this site down - without compensation
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Wed 30 Jan 2002 23:08
Re: Motor Insurance and 'Acts of God' - richard turpin
God said to Abraham "Kill me a son".
Abe said " man you must be puttin me on".
God said "no"
Abe said "what"
God said " you can do what you want Abe, but
the next time you see me coming, you better run...
Abe said "where do you want this killing done?
God said "out on highway, sixty one."

Hey. God. you didn't say that, did you?
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Wed 30 Jan 2002 23:47
I think - AFM
the lady was probably trying to claim against the household insurance policy of the tree's owners.

If your tree/ roof/ chimney/aerial falls on something/someone during 'normal' weather, then the structure was unsafe and it's down to your negligence. If it happens during a hurricane, which damages otherwise sound property, then it's an act of God, which couldn't have been forseen.

The lady would then have to claim on her own comprehensive insurance policy. If she's only got third party, fire and theft, that's too bad.

There is some sense in it somewhere.
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Thu 31 Jan 2002 14:19
Re: I think - Piers
A bloke my old boss knew was conned into giving his car (Rover - worth about £10k I believe) to his church (one of the fringe sects).

He was constantly ribbed along the lines of "So if they crash your car the insurance can really claim it was an act of God".

Piers
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