Stay Safe and Save Money: Keep Your Vehicle Cool in the Summer with Expert Tips from Verti Versicherung AG’s Alexander Held

Some like it hot – but most prefer a car with air conditioning. This also eliminates the time-consuming ventilation…

Alexander Held: That wouldn’t be a good idea. Opening doors and windows to ventilate the vehicle well before driving makes sense, even in a car with air conditioning – in order to use less electricity and also to supply oxygen. When the air conditioning is then switched on, it is best to first switch to air recirculation – this way the vehicle cools down more quickly because no hot air is being supplied from outside. Incidentally, the air outlet nozzles should only be aimed at clothed parts of the body. If very cold air hits bare skin directly, there is a risk of colds and muscle strains. Another thing to avoid is heat shock when getting out, which you risk when it’s very cold in the vehicle and very hot outside.

So the difference between inside and outside temperature shouldn’t be too big in any case?

Alexander Held: Exactly. Experts recommend a maximum difference of six to seven degrees. It also makes sense to switch off the air conditioning a few kilometers before the finish and only leave the ventilation running. This way the condensed water evaporates and fungi and bacteria don’t stand a chance.

On longer journeys, breaks are necessary and useful. At the same time, the prices at motorway service stations are anything but travel budget-friendly…

Alexander Held: You can save here by making a small detour and driving to a truck stop: fuel, groceries and often the use of the toilet are significantly cheaper at the truck stops, for which you have to exit the motorway briefly, than at Motorway rest stops, a price comparison by the ADAC (https://www.adac.de/reise-freizeit/ratgeber/tests/preisvergleich-raststaetten-authoefe/) result. According to this, customers had to pay an average of 25 cents more at the rest stops for diesel, and for E10 it was even 26 cents. Food and drinks are also sometimes significantly cheaper at truck stops – and the toilets at some truck stops are even free.*

And then, because of the lower prices, do you fill the tank to the brim if possible?

Alexander Held: In midsummer you should never completely fill up the tank. The background is that gasoline and diesel expand when they are hot. If the tank is filled to the brim, the fuel no longer has any free space and the tank is in danger of overflowing. The result can be damage to the paintwork and underbody protection, and the risk of fire also increases. It therefore makes sense to only fill up until the fuel nozzle switches off for the first time. Even if you have a spare canister on board, you should make sure that it is not filled to the brim.

Are there other “flammable” behaviors?

Alexander Held: Parking in meadows or in the woods is not a good idea, particularly if the drought persists. Hot catalytic converters and exhaust systems can quickly cause fires there. Although motor liability insurance covers damage to third-party vehicles, fully comprehensive insurance is allowed to reduce the cost of your own car with reference to gross negligence. In addition, an invoice for the fire service can be the expensive consequence.

Do you have another hot insurance tip for the summer?

Alexander Held: For whom it suits: seasonal license plate. If a vehicle is only used in the summer – as is often the case with motorcycles or mobile homes, for example – this is a good way to save on insurance premiums. For a vehicle with a seasonal license plate, the holder only has to pay road tax and insurance during the period in which the vehicle is registered. However, he may only drive it during this period because the vehicle only has what is known as rest insurance in the months outside of the operating period. This will step in, for example, if the parked vehicle is stolen, but not in the case of damage that occurs while driving. This means that if the worst comes to the worst, the owner would not only have to pay for the damage incurred, but also, for example, the rehabilitation costs or the loss of earnings of the other party involved in the accident. Parking in public areas is also only permitted during the operating period.

Are the seasonal license plates tied to specific dates?

Alexander Held: No. The period – at least two and a maximum of eleven months – must be continuous, but is not tied to the calendar year. This means that although most seasonal license plates are issued for the summer, a vehicle can also only be registered for the winter months, for example. In order for the no-claims class to increase in the following year, the seasonal license plate must be valid for more than six months.

Further information on the insurance offer from Verti Versicherung AG is available at www.verti.de.

Verti Versicherung AG Sonja Schmitt Press Spokeswoman Phone: +49 3328 424 -3998 Email: [email protected] Rheinstraße 7A 14513 Berlin/Teltow