A friend of mine’s car went into a slide in heavy rain. The windshield wipers were worn out and so the visibility was very restricted. Does this have any impact on insurance benefits?
The law states that only vehicles in perfect working order may engage in traffic. Faultless visibility is one of them. Worn or damaged windscreen wipers must be replaced by the holder or the driver of the vehicle. Anyone who notices that a windscreen wipers no longer work must immediately change it. Otherwise, serious misconduct will be placed on him for poor visibility in the event of an accident.
As a result, the driver will be threatened with a fine or even a withdrawal of his license. Moreover, he should expect the motor vehicle’s insurance to be against him.
The insurance will pay for the repair due to the slide and will claim from the driver a 10 to 20% share of the invoice.
For the repair of the vehicle that caused the accident, the insurance will reduce its benefits in the same proportion. It’s possible that the insurance could company renounce, under certain conditions, to reduce its benefits in case of important negligence; most insurers cover this risk.
Source: Association Suisse d’Assurances ASA