STOMPer Gilbert said a large tree branch fell and damaged his car, but when he went to his insurance company, it said that he is accountable for 50% of the blame.
"If we were 50% to blame for the falling tree branch, does that mean the other 50% of the blame goes to the tree?" the STOMPer asked.
According to the STOMPer, he was in the Portsdown Road area at about 3pm last Thursday (Dec 6) when he heard a crunching noise outside, and found out later that a large tree branch had fallen on the bonnet of his car.
He said that when he asked his insurance company how he should get the car repaired, they told him to go to an independent damage assessment centre (IDAC), for the extent of the damage to be certified.
The STOMPer said the insurance company told him that he was considered 50% to blame and that he would lose his no-claim discount, without explaining how the policy actually works.
"Does anyone have any idea how this works, how to appeal, and who to inform about what seems a very unfair policy?" the STOMPer asked in his email to STOMP.
The STOMPer, however, directed STOMP to the consumer portal "MoneySENSE", to clarify the issue of the no-claim discount.
STOMP checked the website and it states:
"You (insurance policyholder) are entitled to a No-Claim Discount (NCD) if no claim has been made against your policy, either by yourself or by a third party for a period of 12 months between each successive renewal of the policy (such practice may vary across different insurance companies).
"The NCD reduces the premium you have to pay for the following year."
However, the policy also states that the NCD of the policyholder may be affected if he or she is found to be partly responsible for an accident.
