My Skoda Octavia's curtain airbags deployed without collision

The airbags just popped while driving through a rough patch of road at speeds of 50 – 60 km/h.

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.

Here’s what GTO had to say on the matter:

Not the first such case. Here is a related thread on the same issue with the same-gen Octavia – link.

Here’s what BHPian SideView had to say on the matter:

Since you have got the letter from Skoda citing the root cause. You can take it up with the 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)

Here’s what BHPian Raghu M had to say on the matter:

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 to cover, you will have to do some serious email writing and make calls. The title was a bit misleading until I saw the pics.

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