"I Will Repair It": Why Third-Party Insurance is Not Enough in Lagos

Lagos traffic is a contact sport.

It is not a matter of if you will get scratched; it is a matter of when. A Danfo sideswipes your mirror. An Okada scratches your bumper. A distracted driver rear-ends you in the rain.

When the metal crunches, the drama begins. Drivers jump out. The shouting match starts. "Oga, come down! You have bashed my car!"

Usually, this ends with the guilty party begging, prostrating on the asphalt, and promising, "I will repair it."

We all know that promise is empty.

This is why Car Insurance exists. It is, quite literally, a "bodyguard with money." But not all bodyguards are created equal.

The Minimum vs. The Shield

In Nigeria, the law requires you to have Third-Party Only (TPO) insurance.

Most people buy this just to satisfy the police. They see it as a tax, a piece of paper to show at checkpoints.

But TPO has a specific limit: It only covers the other person.

• Scenario A: You lose focus and hit a Lexus LX570.
• TPO Outcome: Your insurance company pays to fix the Lexus. You are safe from a multi-million naira debt. But your car? You are on your own. You have to fix your own bumper with your own cash.

The Case for Comprehensive

If you are a salary earner or a business owner, your car is likely a major asset. Leaving it unprotected is financial suicide.

Comprehensive Insurance covers everything.

• Theft: If your car is stolen from a park in Victoria Island, TPO gives you nothing. Comprehensive replaces the car.
• Fire: If an electrical fault burns the car down, Comprehensive pays.
• Self-Inflicted Damage: If you reverse into a pillar at the mall? Comprehensive fixes it.
• Natural Disasters: In a city that floods every July, some comprehensive policies even cover flood damage.

The "Fake Policy" Epidemic

Here is the other danger. Many Lagosians are driving with fake insurance and don't even know it.

If you paid ₦2,000 to an agent on the roadside for your insurance, you are holding a worthless piece of paper.

With the new NIIRA 2025 system, law enforcement can verify your policy instantly. If it is fake, you face fines and impoundment. But worse, if you actually have an accident, that "bodyguard" you thought you hired? He won't show up.

Get Verified Protection

At Rabbar, we don't just sell papers; we sell protection.

Whether you need the basic legal TPO or the full Comprehensive shield, we ensure your policy is uploaded to the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID). It is verifiable. It is real.

Don't wait for the crash to find out if you are covered. Let Rabbar audit your insurance today. Because in Lagos, "I will repair it" is not an insurance policy.