# Hypothetical: My car is hit by a Katyusha **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479 "2006-07-28T23:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/1 "2006-07-28T23:47:38Z")
How do car insurance companies in Israel deal with acts of war and terrorism? If my car is parked in front of the cafe a suicide bomber just blew up, do I need comprehensive coverage? What if it is hit by a Hezbollah rocket? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/2 "2006-07-29T00:37:23Z")
I have no idea what the laws are in Israel governing insurance but most policies I have seen in the US have exceptions for acts of terrorism and war (e.g. a city gets nuked the insurance companies do not pay). IIRC after 9/11 insurance companies scrambled to add even more language to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/3 "2006-07-29T03:03:39Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > How do car insurance companies in Israel deal with acts of war and terrorism? Charge extremely high rates to cover their losses. > [@](#): > > If my car is parked in front of the cafe a suicide bomber just blew up, do I need comprehensive coverage? That or replacement clause for equivalent transportation or a similar vehicle. > [@](#): > > What if it is hit by a Hezbollah rocket? It’s toast. And you too if you are in it. In that case the insurance premium is money wasted. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/4 "2006-07-29T05:30:45Z")
Almost all US insurance explicitly excludes war, terrorism, rioting, and any sort of radiological occurrence, such as a Chernobyl or Three mile Island even if 100% accidental. It’s a very good bet that your car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and life insurance will all NOT cover you for any of the above. Read your policy. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/5 "2006-07-29T06:19:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > It’s a very good bet that your car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and **life insurance** will all NOT cover you for any of the above. > > Read your policy. Life insurance pays if you die. Period. No exclusions. (there are a few for double indeminity for accidental death, but not the base policy) As you suggested, read your policy. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/6 "2006-07-29T07:46:31Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Life insurance pays if you die. Period. No exclusions. (there are a few for double indeminity for accidental death, but not the base policy) > As you suggested, read your policy. IIRC life insurance does not pay for suicide so at least one exclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/7 "2006-07-29T07:54:21Z")
In Israel, the government provides full compensation for damages from terrorist attacks. I don’t think insurance is involved at all. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/8 "2006-07-29T14:55:47Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Life insurance pays if you die. Period. No exclusions. (there are a few for double indeminity for accidental death, but not the base policy) > As you suggested, read your policy. Not always true. When I was in the military we had to be careful to buy life insurance that did not have a combat exclusion clause. Most typical policies do exclude combat. Later, as a civilian pilot I had to be careful to buy life insurance that did not exclude dying in a plane crash while I was part of the crew. Again, many typical policies exclude death by that cause. Most US life insurance also adjusts the price based on how you answer a questionnaire in the application about hazardous hobbies, such as skydiving or smoking. If you answered “I never skydive” and are killed while skydiving, they have a pretty good case to not pay, particularly if it comes out that you’re a regular skydiver on your 399th jump. When I got my last policy, they wanted to know if I had smoked or chewed even one single solitary puff or pinch of tobacco in the last 3 years. If I’d said “yes”, I’d have paid the smoker’s rate, about 10% higher. For me, “no” was the truth & I saved 10%. Will the policy pay if I die of an illness commonly associated with smoking even though I don’t smoke & never have? Hard to say; they might insist my lung cancer was caused by smoking & my beneficiaries will have to fight over it. Finally, if I did take up smoking next year & never told them, continuing to pay the non-smioker premiiums, I’m darn sure they’d try to avoid paying if I did die of lung cancer & my smoking became known to them. Bottom line: there are explicit exclusions for some causes of death in many insurance policies. There is also a _de facto_ exclusion for the situation where your actual risk profile differs strongly from what you told them it was. Under explicit terms in the policy they can call that application fraud & refuse to pay. There are many court cases on this topic, with decisions all over the map. Again, read your policy (and the extra details & schedules & definitions you often have to fight to get a hold of). ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/9 "2006-07-29T15:39:39Z")
My insurance policies (Comprehensive Car insurance and home and contents insurance for the house) here in Australia specifically exclude damage caused by war or terrorist acts, and damage caused by the police in attempts to prevent said terrorist acts. So, for example, if Osama Bin Laden made off with the MartiniMobile and a STAR team destroyed my car attempting to stop him, I can’t claim on the insurance- but I can, however, get compensation from the Government directly under various _Victims Of Crime_ and _Shit Happens (Compensation Thereof)_ legislation. In New Zealand, the _Earthquake & War Damage Commission_ handles all claims for damage arising from, well, Earthquakes and/or War Damage, AFAIK… ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-my-car-is-hit-by-a-katyusha/366479/10 "2006-07-29T17:29:30Z")
**Whack-a-Mole** Suicide is excluded for two years from date of issue. (Typically here in the US) If you buy the policy this month and blow your brains out next month, it assumed that you bought the policy with that intent. If you wait two years and one day, it is covered. BTW many group life policies do not have this exclusion, as one does not “buy” them in the conventional sense. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Not always true. When I was in the military we had to be careful to buy life insurance that did not have a combat exclusion clause. Most typical policies do exclude combat. Cite please. A long time ago I was licensed to sell insurance in California, and I have never seen this in any life insurance policy I have read or seen reference to it. It is possible that an accidental death and dismemberment only policy might and I do mean might have this exclusion. AD&D != Life insurance. Different product. Do not confuse. > [@](#): > > Later, as a civilian pilot I had to be careful to buy life insurance that did not exclude dying in a plane crash while I was part of the crew. Again, many typical policies exclude death by that cause. You are either confusing a life insurance policy with an accidental death policy, or the accidental death rider (double indemnity) on a life insurance policy with the base death benefit. The standard wording for accidental death rider (or AD&D policy) is that the rider (or AD&D policy) will not pay if you had any duties connected with the flight. In the case of the rider, the base policy pays. In the case of the AD&D policy no payment is made. Did I mention these are lousy buys? > [@](#): > > Most US life insurance also adjusts the price based on how you answer a questionnaire in the application about hazardous hobbies, such as skydiving or smoking. You are confusing risk factors with exclusions. If you are a private pilot with 50hours total time, you have a greater risk of death than a similar person who is not a pilot. Same with skydiving. > [@](#): > > If you answered “I never skydive” and are killed while skydiving, they have a pretty good case to not pay, particularly if it comes out that you’re a regular skydiver on your 399th jump. Life insurance policies are contestable for 2 years from date of issue. If the company were to find out with in that two years, they could contest the policy either by revoking it, or adjusting the payout for what the premium would have purchased if the correct risk factors had been known. This by the way is what happens if you misstate your age. If it comes out on the death claim that you are a different age than was stated on the application the insurance company adjusts the payout based on the correct age. > [@](#): > > When I got my last policy, they wanted to know if I had smoked or chewed even one single solitary puff or pinch of tobacco in the last 3 years. If I’d said “yes”, I’d have paid the smoker’s rate, about 10% higher. For me, “no” was the truth & I saved 10%. Again this is a risk factor leading to a different rate. Not an exclusion. > [@](#): > > Will the policy pay if I die of an illness commonly associated with smoking even though I don’t smoke & never have? Hard to say; they might insist my lung cancer was caused by smoking & my beneficiaries will have to fight over it. Of course it will, read you policy. Find me the exclusion that says it does not pay for lung cancer. One of the first paragraphs of a life insurance policy says Upon due proof of the insured death XYZ Life Insurance Company will pay the face value to the beneficiary. (\<-going from memory, I’m too lazy to pull a policy for the exact wording) > [@](#): > > Finally, if I did take up smoking next year & never told them, continuing to pay the non-smoker premiums, I’m darn sure they’d try to avoid paying if I did die of lung cancer & my smoking became known to them. Nope incorrect. If you took up smoking, or flying, or SCUBA diving AFTER the issuance of the policy they have no legal foot to stand on. If however you took it up before, and they could prove it in court, and your death was within the first two years of the policy, they could contest it. > [@](#): > > Bottom line: there are explicit exclusions for some causes of death in many insurance policies. There is also a _de facto_ exclusion for the situation where your actual risk profile differs strongly from what you told them it was. Under explicit terms in the policy they can call that application fraud & refuse to pay. There are many court cases on this topic, with decisions all over the map. > Again, read your policy (and the extra details & schedules & definitions you often have to fight to get a hold of). Please provide some cites for these exclusions and these court cases. Life insurance as a product faces many challenges to its sale. People don’t want to die, or think about death. Also people are concerned about will the company pay after all these premiums are paid. (Hey, you are dead, how would you know). In reality all the insurance company is selling is a promise to pay. As a result the life insurance contract has evolved into one of the easiest to read, most consumer friendly contract you will probably ever come across IMHO. [Wiki link for life insurance that talks about suicide, and Accidental death.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_insurance)