[RahulNagaraj]

Thanks to Rachit Jain for sending this in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

Hi, I'm an owner of a Skoda Octavia Onyx bought in 2019. The passenger curtain airbags on my sedan have pooped out suddenly without any collision or damage. The airbags just popped while driving through a rough patch of road at speeds of 50 - 60 km/h. I came across a similar incident on your forum that occurred in a brand new Octavia in 2014. Please help me as the insurance company says it's an electrical fault and Skoda is refusing to cover it under warranty and says it's an accident. It would be great if you could connect me to the owner of the Skoda from the 2014 incident.

Summary & more details of the incident:

1. The car went through a pothole on the night of 10th/11th December 2021
   
2. An impact occurred to the alloys and the airbags got deployed
   
3. We approached the service centre the next morning thinking it might be an electrical issue
   
4. Skoda confirmed the issue occurred due to impact to the alloys and the sensor in the rear bottom above the wheel arc recorder a crash signal
   
5. The insurance was informed the same
   
6. The insurance rejected the claim without any survey in 20 mins of filling the claim saying the damage does not correlate to the impact.
   
7. A physical survey was done and the surveyor said he had done a similar case a few years back but can't remember the car number and we should get the claim.
   
8. The insurance company replied saying that this is an electrical fault and they don't cover it.
   
9. Skoda India provided in writing that it was accidental damage.
   
10. The insurance company closed the claim saying we have not provided all the documents.
    
11. We again provided all the documents to the insurer again they changed their stand and said it was an electrical fault.
    
12. Further, there is a bend in the rear axle also caused by the same incident, which the insurance company is not acknowledging or saying anything about.

Now we are left with no other option but to pay out of pocket and approach consumer court and social media channels. The car is a relatively new car from November 2019 and has 5 years manufacturers warranty and is covered by Godigit with a zero depreciation policy.

[SideView]

Since you have got the letter from Skoda citing the root cause. You can take it up with Insurance obudsman if the company does not budge.

That too without sending any surveyor. (Or ask them to prove it was an electrical fault)

PS:The header of this thread needs to change. There was indeed an accident (if you may) due to vehicle driven over a pothole.

It was not like the airbags popped out due to no reason.(which currently the thread insinuates)

[reignofchaos]

What insurance company is it? They need to be named and shamed so people stay away from them.

[Raghu M]

Well, by looking at the pics, it does seem the car reacted in the right way. Although there is no collision, it would be treated as an accident. The car could have lost balance and tipped off. The airbags deployed pretty well if you ask me. This should be covered under insurance. I don't see a reason why it shouldn't be. If the company refuses cover, you will have to do some serious email writing and make calls. The title was a bit misleading, until I saw the pics.

[GTO]

Not the first such case. Here is a related thread on the same issue with the same-gen Octavia - link (Brand new Skoda Octavia: Curtain Airbags deploy without impact / accident!).

[androdev]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

What insurance company is it? They need to be named and shamed so people stay away from them.

It is mentioned at the bottom of the original post. (Go)digit with zero depreciation cover.

[padmrajravi]

The insurance company is the culprit here. Not Skoda. I can't see anything wrong with that airbag deployment. A pothole hit enough to bend the rear axle should trigger the curtain airbags. Otherwise, why are we even spending money on cars with curtain airbags? GoDigit needs to fix their processes and pay for the damages here.

[itwasntme]

Totally Godigit's fault here! Skoda has done what any OEM would do.

Approach the IRDA Ombudsman ASAP + email to Autocar and Overdrive enclosing all relevant soft copies.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

My sympathies for the damage caused to your car and the frustration of going to the insurer and the manufacturer.

But if the car hits a pothole, then neither the insurance company will cover the damages nor the manufacturer. Google search says that we need to have an optional "collision coverage" to claim this.

[SideView]

Originally Posted by GTO

Not the first such case. Here is a related thread on the same issue with the same-gen Octavia - link (Brand new Skoda Octavia: Curtain Airbags deploy without impact / accident!).

GTO, this issue reported has no relation to the linked thread other than airbag going off.

Here that airbag going off was due to major pothole impact and insurance company (godigit) trying to wash of their liability claiming a sensor/electrical fault.

[Pyrotek]

Pathetic service by the insurance provider. The lack of any reasonable customer service and delays in consumer protection lead to shoddy business ethics. Hope you find multiple channels to escalate the issue with them.

[Cresterk]

Always had my doubts about these new insurance companies that popped up with their fancy apps and deals and offers. Glad I didn't renew my car's insurance with godigit last year. A couple thousand extra is worth the peace of mind that comes with a reliable insurance provider when you actually do get into an accident.

[audioholic]

The question arises if these Insurance companies irrespective of being new or old are even qualified enough to understand new technologies and be able to judge such incidents correctly. And Go Digit being a newer company with better processes and promises, its absurd that they cannot understand such things and reject claims so easily. Guess some escalation and social media fury will help.

[KANNURAN]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

What insurance company is it? They need to be named and shamed so people stay away from them.

GoDigit is ENTIRELY to blame. Please escalate along their internal protocol. Chances are, they would budge. If not, you have to do the long haul to the Ombudsman and then (if required), to Consumer Court.

On the same point, I ponder the foolhardiness of GoDigit. Just this ONE thread will lose them thousands of customers. Call a spade a spade, settle the claim and move on. This is a rather amplified case of being penny-wise and pound-foolish on GoDigit's part.

[varoon9999]

"Lesser the sensors easier the life"

This is one such extraterrestrial case, Go digit should have acknowledged this graciously and should have given the claim without making any fuss. This would have helped them to leave a positive impact on prospective and incumbent customers.

Having Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador, fancy website, enticing deals doesn't make Digit a great company to deal with. I would think thrice while pursuing with such newbies.