What is Zurich Z-Driver?
Zurich Z-Driver is a motor insurance policy underwritten by Zurich General Insurance Malaysia Berhad, covering accidental damage, fire, and theft for your private vehicle. A flat tyre is annoying. A flooded car or a stolen one is a different kind of headache altogether, and that's the gap this policy is built to close.
Which cover level should I get?
| Cover type | What it covers |
| Comprehensive | Accidental damage, fire, theft, and third-party liability for injury, death, and property damage |
| Third Party, Fire & Theft | Fire damage and theft, plus third-party liability, but not accidental damage to your own car |
| Third Party | Third-party liability only: injury, death, and property damage you cause to others |
Make sure your sum insured matches your car's actual market value when you sign up. If it falls short by more than 10%, Zurich will only pay your claim in proportion to the shortfall. For example, if your car is worth RM100,000 but you only insured it for RM80,000, a RM5,000 repair claim would pay out RM4,000, not the full amount, and you would bear the remaining RM1,000.
What savings can I get on my premium?
A few features here stand out from a typical motor insurance plan.
Low-risk segment discount. You can get up to 10% off your base premium if you fall into a lower-risk category, such as being a cautious driver, a lady driver, or driving an SUV.
Voluntary excess discount. Agreeing to bear a larger share of any claim yourself brings your premium down. The discount scales with how much voluntary excess you choose:
| Voluntary excess | Discount |
| RM1,000 | 5% |
| RM2,000 | 10% |
| RM3,000 | 15% |
| RM5,000 | 20% |
Special perils discount. Special perils cover, which protects against flood, landslide, and other natural disasters, comes at a 60% discount off the standard tariff rate under this plan.
Waiver of betterment. If your car is between 4 and 15 years old and needs new original parts after an accident, Zurich would normally deduct a percentage of the parts cost based on your car's age, rising from 15% at five years to 40% at ten years and above. This add-on removes that deduction, with premiums ranging from RM200 to RM400 depending on your car's age bracket.
Can I add more named drivers?
You can extend cover to additional named drivers for private use under the All Driver add-on, which costs RM20 for individually owned vehicles or RM30 for company-owned vehicles. This is not unlimited or free, but it does let you add as many named drivers as you need under one flat premium, rather than paying per driver.
Anyone driving your car still needs your permission and a valid licence of the relevant class, regardless of whether they are formally named.
What does the Enhanced Windscreen add-on do?
Standard windscreen cover ends once you make a replacement claim. The Enhanced Windscreen add-on changes this. Instead of your cover ending, your windscreen sum insured is simply reduced by the value of the claim, and you can top it back up at any time by paying a pro-rated premium. This means you are not left without windscreen cover for the rest of your policy period after a single claim.
What EV-specific cover is available?
If you drive an electric vehicle, Zurich offers EV Protect add-ons:
| EV Protect benefit | Sum insured |
| Home wall charger (all risk) | RM15,000 |
| Home wall charger (standard) | RM15,000 |
| Personal liability while using EV chargers | RM50,000 |
| Portable charging cable | RM2,000 |
| Compassionate cover from public charging stations | RM20,000 |
The all-risk home wall charger option costs RM120 per year. Towing to the nearest charging station is also included, up to your existing policy's towing limit.
What does the policy not cover?
The base policy will not pay out for:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or any other illegal act
- Cheating or criminal breach of trust
- Loss of use, consequential losses, or depreciation
- Mechanical, electrical, or electronic breakdown
- Tyre damage, unless other parts of the car are damaged at the same time
- Flood, landslide, storm, or other natural disasters, unless you add special perils cover
- Loss of electronic data
- Use outside Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei
How does the No Claim Discount work?
Your premium drops at each renewal for every continuous claim-free year:
| Claim-free years | NCD entitlement |
| After 1 year | 25% |
| After 2 years | 30% |
| After 3 years | 38â…“% |
| After 4 years | 45% |
| After 5 years and beyond | 55% (maximum) |
A single claim resets your NCD to zero at the next renewal. Your NCD is personal to you and does not transfer to a new owner if you sell your car. You can check your current NCD entitlement at mycarinfo.com.my before renewing.
What fees apply on top of my base premium?
Two fixed statutory charges apply to every policy:
- Service Tax: 8% of gross premium
- Stamp Duty: RM10
A 10% commission on the gross premium also applies, which goes towards Zurich's distribution and administration costs.
Cover does not begin until Zurich receives your premium, so keep your receipt as proof.
When does the compulsory excess apply?
On top of any standard or voluntary excess, Zurich can deduct an additional RM400 compulsory excess if, at the time of the incident, you or the person driving your car:
- Is under 21 years old
- Holds a Provisional (P) or Learner (L) driving licence
- Is not named in the Schedule as a Named Driver
This does not apply to claims involving fire, explosion, lightning, theft, or third-party damage. You can also pay an additional premium to waive this RM400 excess entirely through the Waiver of Compulsory Excess add-on.
What should I do if my car breaks down or is in an accident?
Notify Zurich within 7 days of the incident. If you are hospitalised as a result, you have 30 days. You can reach them through:
- Call 24-hour Roadside Assistance: 1-300-88-5566
- WhatsApp your location to: +603-7989 0345
- Submit an e-Request at zurich.carfix.my
You must also lodge a police report within 24 hours. For own-damage claims, your car must go to an authorised Zurich panel workshop before any repairs begin, and you need Zurich's written consent before repairs start.
What are the claim limits?
- Third-party bodily injury or death: unlimited
- Third-party property damage: up to RM3 million per incident
- Legal costs (if charged for reckless or dangerous driving): up to RM2,000
- Towing to the nearest approved repairer or safe place: up to RM200
Can I cancel early?
Yes. Send a written notice to Zurich and return your original Certificate of Insurance. If you have lost it, a Statutory Declaration will do.
For continuous renewals or replacements with a new Zurich policy within 12 months, the refund is on a pro-rata basis. In all other cases, the short-period scale applies:
| Period covered | Refund |
| Up to 1 week | 87.5% of total premium |
| Up to 1 month | 75.0% |
| Up to 2 months | 62.5% |
| Up to 3 months | 50.0% |
| Up to 4 months | 37.5% |
| Up to 6 months | 25.0% |
| Up to 8 months | 12.5% |
| More than 8 months | No refund |
No refund if a claim has been made, or if you paid the minimum premium.
What if I have a dispute?
If your dispute involves RM250,000 or less, you can refer it to the Financial Markets Ombudsman Service (FMOS) at fmos.org.my. For amounts above RM250,000, disputes go to arbitration. You can also contact Bank Negara Malaysia through BNMLINK.
