Avoid being a fuel fool

Filling up your vehicle with the wrong fuel may not be covered by your motor insurance policy, warns the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA).

Only 22 per cent of comprehensive motor insurance policies refer to misfuelling in their terms and conditions, and when questioned, only three out of every five insurance companies contacted said they would meet the cost of a claim.

The cost to drain a fuel tank can range from £150 to £300, but if a motorist drives away from the pump, the engine damage can cost around £5,000.

Graeme Trudgill, BIBA technical and corporate affairs executive, points out: "Nobody goes out to put the wrong fuel in their car, if the motorist is innocent the insurance industry would normally treat this as an accidental damage claim.

"However, if the policy contains a misfuelling policy exclusion, then the motorist is unlikely to be able to claim at all."

John Close, insurer relations director at AA insurance services, agrees and advises: "Make sure you're aware of what fuel your car uses and double check the pump when you fill up, especially if you are in an unfamiliar vehicle.

"Normally you won't be able to put a diesel nozzle in a petrol car's filler because it's bigger."

Vehicle manufacturers are attempting to highlight this issue by colouring the filler cap green for petrol cars and black if the vehicle should be filled with diesel. This is not true for older models, however.

Misfuelling is one of the top ten causes of vehicle breakdown and affects 150,000 drivers each year.

05/11/2007 15:30:41