If I crash while speeding am I still covered by insurance?

If you're over the speed limit when you have a car accident, it's possible that your insurance company might not foot the bill.

RELATED: Will dash cam footage affect my insurance premium or claim?

When it comes to all insurance policies it's always important to read the fine print. There are often a few hidden clauses that mean your policy may actually be null and void when you need it most.

Speeding is one situation where your car insurance company might be reluctant to pay up if you have an accident.

Of course, even the safest drivers sometimes accidentally sneak over the speed limit, so...

Generally, an insurance product disclosure statement doesn't put an exact figure on it, such as going 10 km/h or 10 per cent over the speed limit. Instead, car insurance policies tend to use terms which are more open to interpretation, such as "reckless driving".

Most insurance products contain exclusions that put the onus on the customer to minimise the risk of a claim occurring, according to Suncorp Group, which includes Suncorp, AAMI, GIO, Apia, Shannons and Bingle.

"Every kilometre over the speed limit increases the likelihood of an accident or worse," according to a Suncorp Group spokesperson.

"For example, reckless driving, which includes excessive speeding, street racing, burnouts and donuts, is a common exclusion and may mean a claim is declined."

The NRMA also says speeding can have an impact on your insurance claim.

"Driving over the speed limit on Australian roads is an offence which increases the chances of an accident and likelihood of death or serious injury," according to an NRMA spokesperson.

"There are varying causes behind each motor claim we receive, and our claims team and assessors will review the circumstances of each claim based on the information available.

"As breaking the speed limit is an offence under the relevant Australian jurisdiction, this may be taken into consideration when determining fault in a motor vehicle accident."

If you want to dispute an accusation that you were speeding, it's possible that dashcam footage of the incident might be able to prove your innocence.

Insurance companies might also request access to traffic and CCTV cameras, as well as witness statements, to determine if speed was a factor.

"There are varying causes behind each motor claim we receive, and our claims team and assessors will review the circumstances of each claim based on the information available," according to an NRMA spokesperson.

"Depending on the nature of the incident, our claims team might request extra evidence, such as video footage to help settle the claim."   

If you feel like you've been treated unfairly by your car insurance company you can contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority but, if you've been accused of reckless driving at the time of an accident, they're unlikely to take your side.