Is Your Car Covered If It Is Burnt in a Riot? What the Durban Unrest Means for Your Policy

On Thursday, 8 October 2026, protests in the Durban CBD turned violent. Cars were overturned and set alight on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street, shops were looted in the CBD, Point and beachfront areas, and a building was set on fire. Eyewitness News reported that at least 14 cars were torched by the time tensions calmed that evening, while other outlets reported figures of 10 to 11 earlier in the day. On the same day, residents in Orlando West, Soweto, also torched cars during protests against illegal immigration.

Many of the vehicles destroyed in Durban belonged to people who were simply parked in town, going about their day. If that had been your car, would your insurer pay? The honest answer is: only if a specific part of your policy is in place. Here is what to check.

Your normal car insurance does not cover riot damage

This is the point most South African drivers miss. Private insurers such as Santam, OUTsurance, Discovery Insure or King Price do not carry the risk of riots, strikes, civil commotion, public disorder or terrorism themselves. That risk sits with SASRIA, the South African Special Risk Insurance Association, a state-owned insurer created in 1979 after conventional insurers withdrew from political-violence cover following the 1976 unrest.

Your insurer sells SASRIA cover as an add-on to your car policy and handles the claim for you, but SASRIA is the one that pays. If SASRIA cover is not on your policy, a claim for a car burnt by rioters will almost certainly be rejected, even if you have comprehensive cover.

What to check on your policy right now

1. Is SASRIA listed on your policy schedule?

SASRIA cover is not compulsory. Many insurers include it automatically, but you can opt out, and some policies have it removed during a premium-cutting exercise without the owner realising. Open your policy schedule and look for a separate line item marked SASRIA, usually with its own small premium. If you cannot find it, call your insurer or broker and ask them to confirm in writing.

2. What type of cover do you have?

SASRIA only covers what your underlying policy covers. The SASRIA motor policy wording states that special risk cover applies only to the basic cover of the underlying policy. In practice: Different types of cover including Total Loss Cover

• Comprehensive cover with SASRIA: damage to or loss of your own car in a riot is covered, up to the insured value.
• Third party, fire and theft with SASRIA: check the wording carefully, as cover for your own vehicle will depend on what the underlying policy includes.
• Third party only: your own car is not insured, so there is nothing for SASRIA to attach to. If your car is burnt, you carry the loss.

3. Is your premium paid up?

SASRIA cover is tied to your underlying policy. If a debit order bounced and your policy lapsed, your SASRIA cover lapsed with it. With unrest flaring in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, this is a good week to check your bank statement.

4. What value is your car insured for?

A burnt-out car is almost always a write-off, so the payout will be based on the insured value: usually retail, market or trade value. If your car is financed, compare that figure to your outstanding balance. Where the payout is lower than what you owe the bank, you will have to settle the difference unless you have credit shortfall cover.

5. Does your excess apply?

The SASRIA policy wording states there is no excess on SASRIA Material Damage (fire) claims. For motor claims, ask your insurer directly whether an excess applies, and whether any of your policy’s additional excesses carry over. Do not assume either way. How excess works in a policy.

6. Are add-on benefits included in SASRIA claims?

Benefits like car hire, towing and credit shortfall are part of your underlying policy, not your SASRIA cover. Ask your insurer whether these benefits apply when the claim itself is paid by SASRIA.

What SASRIA does not cover

• Items inside the car. SASRIA covers damage to the vehicle itself, not a laptop, handbag or tools inside it. Those may fall under a separate portable possessions or all-risk section of your policy, if you have one.
• Theft unrelated to unrest. A car stolen overnight with no riot involved is a normal theft claim. Looting is only covered when it happens during an insured SASRIA event.
• War and war-related events. These are excluded under SASRIA policy wording.
• Personal injury or loss of life. SASRIA covers property, not people.
• Riots outside South Africa. SASRIA’s territorial limits generally cover South Africa, with some temporary cover in Namibia. Cross-border trips need their own cover.

Business and fleet vehicles

If you run a business with delivery vehicles, bakkies or a fleet in Durban or other high-risk areas, SASRIA cover on commercial policies works the same way: it must be selected, and limits depend on the cover chosen. SASRIA’s wider “wrap” cover, which tops up limits for larger risks, was reintroduced from 1 April 2026. Speak to your broker about whether your limits are adequate for the value of vehicles that could be damaged in a single incident. Company and fleet insurancxe.

If your car is damaged in a riot: what to do

• Stay safe first. Do not return to a burning or surrounded vehicle. No car is worth your life.
• Open a police case and get a case number. SASRIA claims require one.
• Take photos once it is safe, and keep any news reports, videos or messages that link the damage to the unrest.
• Notify your insurer or broker immediately. You claim through them, not directly with SASRIA. They will register the claim with SASRIA on your behalf.
• Gather documents: your policy schedule showing SASRIA cover, proof of premium payment, the completed claim form, the police case number and proof of the incident.
• Check your claim deadline in your policy. Late notification is one of the easiest ways to lose a valid claim.

Why this matters now

SASRIA paid out on more than R31 billion in losses after the July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, and has only recently rebuilt its reserves. In October 2026, the Finance Minister listed protests against undocumented immigrants and the November 2026 local government elections among the pressures facing SASRIA’s operating environment. The Durban and Soweto incidents this week suggest that the risk of riot damage to vehicles is not going away.

SASRIA is a small part of your monthly premium. Removing it to save a few rand is one of the costliest insurance decisions a South African driver can make.

Frequently asked questions

Does comprehensive car insurance cover riot damage in South Africa?

Not on its own. Riot, strike, public disorder and terrorism damage is covered by SASRIA, which must be added to your comprehensive policy. Check your policy schedule for a SASRIA line item.

Is SASRIA cover compulsory?

No. SASRIA cover is optional, and many insurers include it by default, but you can opt out. Without it, a claim for riot damage will be rejected.

How do I claim from SASRIA if my car was burnt in a riot?

You claim through your normal insurer or broker. Open a police case, notify your insurer, and provide your policy schedule, proof of premium payment and evidence of the incident. Your insurer submits the claim to SASRIA.

Does SASRIA cover items stolen from my car during a riot?

No. SASRIA motor cover applies to damage to the vehicle itself. Personal items inside the car may be covered under a separate portable possessions section of your policy.

Am I covered by SASRIA if I only have third-party insurance?

No. SASRIA cover only applies to the basic cover of your underlying policy. A third-party-only policy does not insure your own car, so SASRIA will not pay for damage to it.

Is there an excess on a SASRIA claim?

SASRIA’s policy wording states there is no excess on Material Damage (fire) claims. For motor claims, confirm with your insurer whether any excess applies.