First car insurance claims roll in for Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go, the augmented-reality app that has taken the world by storm recently, is reportedly causing distracted users to engage in unsafe behaviour, including dangerous driving leading to car crashes.

The game’s terms and conditions state that users should “be aware of your surroundings and play safely. ...it is your responsibility to maintain such health, liability, hazard, personal injury, medical, life, and other insurance policies as you deem reasonably necessary for any injuries that you may incur while using the Services.”

It seems that this warning may include making sure you have comprehensive car insurance cover before playing, as distracted drivers are finding themselves in car crashes after using the app while on the road.

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ABC news reported that west Brisbane panel beater Darren Holmes had recently received his first Pokemon Go related repair, after a woman in Toowoomba backed into another car while playing.

"There were cars pulled over everywhere obviously chasing Pokemon," Holmes told ABC news.

"Everybody was on their phones and we were all talking about it through the week that we'd catch somebody ... and we've got one already.”

The incident comes after a 28-year-old male driver in Auburn, New York, admitted that playing Pokemon Go was the cause of his car collision.

"I think we will see some more over the coming weeks I'm sure,” Holmes predicted. “Whether they actually admit to what they were doing is another matter."

"It's only minor so it's not a major accident but it's still enough that it needs to be an insurance claim,” he said.

Despite the fact that no-one was seriously injured, authorities have issued multiple warnings about the dangers of playing Pokemon Go while behind the wheel. Drivers should also think about the less serious, but still important financial ramifications of a Pokemon Go related car accident, which could see them lose their no claims bonus, and pay more in car insurance premiums.