With about 66 cars hijacked a day, many insurers now insist that certain vehicles have tracking devices installed before granting cover.
Car hijackings have been on the rise since 2020. According to Tracker’s latest Vehicle Crime Index, hijackings accounted for 55% of all vehicle crime incidents.
The latest SAPS crime statistics show there were 5 973 carjackings in the fourth quarter of 2023.
“This equates to about 66 cars being hijacked per day, which represents an increase of 34% over pre-pandemic levels,” says Marius Kemp, head of Personal Lines Insurance at Santam.
Gauteng is the worst region in South Africa for this type of crime. Of the almost 6 000 cars hijacked in the fourth quarter of 2023, half (3 010, or 50.4%) were from Gauteng. The Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal were the next worst-hit provinces, at about 14% each.
“These statistics are only for hijackings, involving some sort of violence or coercion against the driver. Total vehicle thefts are around 10 000 per quarter, or about 40 000 annually,” Kemp says.
A hijacking trend highlighted in the 2022/23 Santam Insurance Barometer Report showed there has been a shift from older, low-value vehicles with limited security features to more expensive double cabs and SUVs.
Read: Claims reflect surge in theft and hijackings of high-value vehicles
“The hi-tech features on newer, higher-end cars often aren’t the deterrent one would think. For example, cars with keyless entry have become specific targets for criminals, who are able to intercept the signal coming from the driver’s remote,” Kemp says.
Facing a post-pandemic spike in car theft claims, insurance companies, including Santam, have introduced mandatory hijacking and theft countermeasures.
Santam says these measures proved effective. The short-term insurer’s personal lines hijacking claims were down by 24% in the first half of 2023, and vehicle theft claims were down by 19%.
Kemp says having a tracking device won’t prevent a car from being stolen, but will, in most cases, ensure a rapid recovery. He adds that even if a vehicle owner isn’t compelled to by an insurer, consumers and businesses should consider the substantial benefits these devices offer.
Apart from the high chance of recovery, Santam lists the following benefits of installing a tracking device:
- Reduction in insurance premiums. “The reduction will depend on your risk profile, type of vehicle and where you live, but all other things being equal, a car owner with a tracking device will pay a lower premium each month than a car owner without one,” Kemp says. “In some cases, the monthly discount on the premium will be higher than the monthly cost of the device.”
- Less downtime. Quick recoveries mean that in many cases, consumers and businesses are not left stranded without transportation for long periods.
- Roadside assistance. The tracking subscription may include a roadside assistance service in the event of a breakdown, although insurers generally offer this service on vehicle policies weather there is a tracking device or not.
- Additional features and services. Depending on the option, the service may include app-based tracking in real time, a trip logbook and, for businesses, fleet management.
“The more South Africans can be proactive in thwarting criminals, the more we can bring down the crime levels in our country, and one way to do that is by installing a tracking device in your car,” Kemp states.
