The short version, then the detail worth knowing before you claim.
Here is the short version. Most standard comprehensive car insurance treats putting the wrong fuel in as driver error, not an accident, so plenty of policies simply do not cover it. Some do, either as accidental damage or a specific misfuelling benefit. The only way to know for sure is to read your policy's product disclosure statement, or ring your insurer and ask.
Even when it is covered, there is usually an excess to pay, and on most policies that excess is around the same as a straightforward drain, sometimes more. A claim can also affect your no claim rating next year. So for a simple wrong fuel drain, a lot of people are better off just paying for the job and skipping the claim altogether.
Some roadside providers do not cover a misfuel drain. Your membership may include towing home or to a workshop, but check before relying on it. We can attend the car after a tow. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval before arranging work.
The one thing worth knowing: the big bills come from driving on the wrong fuel, not from it sitting in the tank, and that damage is the hardest of all to get an insurer to pay for. Draining it early, before you drive, is the cheap and certain path. Keep the engine off while you decide. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval first, then call us. See our petrol in a diesel and diesel in a petrol pages for the mechanical detail.
We get asked about insurance on a fair few jobs. Our answer is the same: most standard comprehensive policies treat misfuelling as driver error, so it is often not covered. Check your policy or call your insurer. Keep the engine off. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval before calling us to book the work.
If your policy does cover it, good. We give you a proper itemised invoice with our EPA licence, the service and the time on site, which is exactly what an insurer asks for. Keep it, lodge it, and see what they say. But we will have you back on the road long before the claim is sorted.
The thing we always point out: the excess on most policies is about what the drain costs anyway, sometimes more, and claiming can nudge your premium next year. For a straightforward job, a lot of our customers just pay for the drain and move on. Your call, we give you the invoice either way.
Some roadside memberships include towing home, but check what your membership provides. We can attend the car in your driveway. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval first, then call us on (08) 7083 9699. Keep the engine off while arrangements are made.
Straight answers about wrong fuel and insurance. If yours is not here, call and ask.
Often not. Most standard comprehensive policies treat misfuelling as driver error rather than an accident, so it is commonly excluded. Some policies do cover it, as accidental damage or a specific misfuelling benefit. The only way to be sure is to check your product disclosure statement or ring your insurer and ask. Keep the engine off while you check. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval first, then call us.
It depends entirely on the policy. Some comprehensive policies include wrong fuel or accidental damage cover, many exclude driver error like putting in the wrong fuel. There is no single answer across insurers, so read your PDS or call and ask them directly. We cannot tell you what your policy says. Keep the engine off while you check. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval before booking work with us.
For a straightforward wrong fuel drain, a lot of people are better off just paying for the job. The excess on most policies is around the same as a drain, sometimes more, and a claim can affect your no claim rating next year. If the car has been driven and there is bigger damage, that is when a claim may be worth looking at. We give you an itemised invoice either way.
Some roadside providers do not cover a misfuel drain. Your membership may include towing home or to a workshop. Check your membership terms or call the provider. We can attend the car after a tow. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval before arranging work.
Yes. Every job comes with an itemised tax invoice showing the service, the time on site and our EPA Licence 52359. That is the paperwork an insurer asks for if you do decide to claim. Keep it on file whether you lodge it or not.
Damage from driving on the wrong fuel is the hardest thing to get an insurer to pay for, since it usually traces back to driver error. It varies by policy, so ask your insurer. The takeaway for next time: the big bills come from driving on wrong fuel, so draining it early, before you drive, is the cheap and certain path. Stop driving and call us.
Cover and responsibility depend on the hire agreement and any applicable policy. Stop safely and keep the engine off. Call the rental company first to notify them and get approval for the work, then call us. A fuel drain does not guarantee that your bond, excess or rental charges will be unaffected. See our Adelaide Airport hire car page for the steps.
Keep the engine off. If it is a hire car, notify the rental company and get approval first, then call us. If it is your own car, call us before you drive. A mobile drain, quoted on the phone before we move, is almost always cheaper than the alternatives: a tow plus workshop time, or the repair bill if you run the engine on the wrong fuel. No fix no fee, no card surcharge, and you get an invoice for your insurer if you want one.