RAA Insurance has been fined $43,200 by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) over misleading representations about car insurance in TV advertising.

ASIC says the ads, aired in SA between December 2016 and last June, gave consumers the impression RAA Insurance would replace their car if it was a total loss.

However, additional conditions must be met to qualify for the lifetime vehicle replacement benefit: the car must be manufactured after 2014 and have been exclusively insured with RAA for its lifetime.

ASIC says the ads’ disclaimer did not effectively qualify the overall message. It was displayed only briefly at the bottom of the screen in fine print, and other audio-visual content drew attention away from the disclaimer. RAA Insurance has stopped airing the ad.