First I do not have a problem with this. I have heard some say that if you get bad fuel and it takes out your fuel system that you can contact your insurance company and they will cover it. Well I asked my insurance company if this would be covered and was told this:
"Unfortunately, that would not be something that is covered by the auto policy. I did not think it would be, but I double checked and confirmed that there is not coverage under the basic car policy and this is not something that you could even add coverage for.
Sorry I didn’t have better news on this."
So who can confirm that they have coverage for bad fuel from the insurance company and what company is it. I am currently with American Family Insurance but not sure staying with them will be in my best interest.
Some insurance policies include some mechanical failures and some have it built into their comprehensive coverage, I don't think there would be a single package item covering the fuel system on its own. I'm with USAA and I don't think I have anything mechanical covered. Its something you gotta shop around for. Its probably gonna be some sort of mechanical failure coverage add on. Maybe someone will chime in.
I've heard others say they have the coverage so I am hoping someone with it will let us know who they have for insurance and what they had to do to get that coverage.
I just switched to USAA and can agree that there is no mechanical coverage with them, I even asked about an add on and they were not aware of a way. Would be interested to see who has this coverage
Remember its not YOUR insurance paying... They go after whoever sold you the fuel. That's why its not in the policy and why they shrug their shoulders when you ask them, they don't cover it...
The key is to know exactly where and when you filled your tank. Treat your insurance company as a lawyer in this case, they are going to bat for you against the fuel stations insurance. If there is proof of water, def, gas, or any other contamination/fuel quality then the fuel station is the one to front the bill.
Makes no sense that insurance wouldn't cover this if it were to happen. They don't tell you to pound sand when your vehicle is involved in a hit and run or hit by an uninsured driver. They make you pay your deductible and fix it. Don't see why bad fuel would be any different than the scenarios I listed above.
I don't either but you know how insurance companies are..they like to hide behind big words and tall policies, collect your money cheerfully, reluctant to give it back. i guess they have to sometimes. With all the hail damage going on down here in south central TX, they're flying in agents from all over US and from abroad just to process claims, have temporary claim processing places popping up all over, and some smaller insurance companies have even closed down due to all the claims. Never have I ever seen new construction of sun shades and open air roofs at most dealerships here in the last month, progress so quickly. If only the freeway workers would learn.
Well I got another answer from my insurance guy after I told them I didn't want to look elsewhere but I might have to. Here was his "new" response:
I checked on it further with a claims manager, and after getting more clarification on the question, that if you get fuel that has a “foreign object” in it (i.e. water, sand, sugar, etc.) that would most likely be covered under your Comprehensive coverage on your truck. The claims department would, of course, have to try to determine where it came from, but in most cases, it has been covered.
There have been cases where people have purposely added other things into their gas/fuel tanks and those claims have been denied. (Obviously!)
But, in most cases, if a foreign object or compound is introduced into a vehicles mechanical or fuel system, unbeknownst to the owner, there is coverage.
My biggest reason for wanting to know is because we travel around the country so I can't always fill up at the same place. If I get bad fuel in Nevada I don't want to be having to go after a station there when I live in WI. Let the insurance do that and of course they will go after the station. Since I do keep all my receipts that would be easy for them.
As I mentioned this is American Family Insurance which is big in Wisconsin and I think all of the Midwest. Thanks for all the info and if anyone else can verify that their insurance does or does not cover this list them here. I hope it helps someone in the future.
Who's to say some vandal didn't dump a gallon of water in your tank? Seems to make no sense.
I did just have a friend get bad fuel in southern Texas said he had water in fuel light come on several times. Got it in dealer and went out while there. Said he paid 8k to fix it insurance wouldn't cover it.
Its a battle to get insurance to cover it... You need proof of purchase/records.
As I said before, YOUR insurance isn't going to cover squat. They are going to go after a fuel station. That said, there are some people that get coverage because the damage happened while they were on the road. IE they were driving and something went boom, after looking they had fuel contamination and were able to track it back to the last place they filled up. Insurance will then go after that station.
It is a lengthy process and often times the truck is down for a month or so while insurance battles with whoever sold you the fuel.
If you fill up at Chevron.. It's (almost certain) you'll not have a problem. I've got 20,000 miles on mine, always fill at a Chevron Station and when I checked for water there was NONE..!
I just checked mine for the first time about 1,000 miles ago.. If you do get bad fuel (and you'll know it fairly soon) you can go after the Gas Station for the damages because they have Insurance to cover that.. and if you notify them about it they will already know about it because you won't be the first to complain. I had a nozzle malfunction a couple of months ago and I didn't realize it until my Tool box had 9 gallons in it.. needless to say once I cleaned and tested my grinders and Port-a-band I sent them a bill for my lose consumables and got a check the next day.. Just sayin..
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