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Kuala Lumpur, 2 August 2014 – The General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) revealed that net claims incurred by general insurers and takaful operators for bodily injury and property damages due to road accidents has increased to RM1.384 billion in the first quarter of 2014, representing a 5 per cent increase from RM1.319 billion in the same period in 2013.
Taking the lead from the Malaysian Government and acknowledging the ever increasing trend of road accidents, PIAM said the general insurance and takaful industry is committed to promoting safe driving habits and road safety among Malaysian motorists; more so now that the local vehicle population has also grown significantly. The Malaysian Automotive Association has reported that total vehicle sales grew by 6.3 per cent to 333,142 units in the first half of 2014, compared to 313,488 units in the previous corresponding period.
In addition, according to a recent report by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), over 2,000 people perished as a result of road accidents in the first four months of 2014.
“It is indeed a worrying trend with the escalating number of fatal road accidents involving road users due largely to some road users’ lackadaisical attitude and plain recklessness in many cases,” said Chua Seck Guan, Chairman of PIAM
Chua said that PIAM believes that each individual can make a difference and urged all road users to adopt a positive and defensive road safety attitude in order to ensure their own safety and the safety of other road users.
In an effort to promote safe driving habits in conjunction with the Hari Raya festive season, PIAM and the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA) distributed road safety packs containing information about the Accident Assist Call Centre (AACC) to motorists at the Batu toll plaza on the DUKE Highway.
AACC, a 24-hour hotline 1300-22-11-88, was established by PIAM and MTA in June 2013 to offer accident towing services and attend to claim inquiries. The AACC flyers distributed to motorists also contain safety and accident emergency tips.
PIAM and MTA further advised road users to take the following measures in the event of an accident:
a) Obtain name (s) and address (es) of other driver(s) involved.
b) Note their vehicle registration number(s) and make of vehicle.
c) If you can, take some pictures of the damaged vehicles(s) and accident scene.
d) Ask for the name of their insurers and their policy or certificate number.
e) Note names and address of independent witnesses and make a rough diagram of the accident.
f) It is your duty to produce your Certificate of Insurance when required to do so by the police. If this document is not available immediately, you will be required to produce it to the police within five days.
g) If there is injury to any person or damage to another vehicle, or other property, give your name and address of the owner of the vehicle you are driving and its registration number to anyone who has reasonable grounds of wanting them.
h) Do not discuss whose fault it was as this may create difficulties for your insurers in their handling of your claim.
i) Inform your insurers as soon as possible even if you do not intend to make a claim. This is a condition of your policy.
j) Fill in the insurer’s accident report form completely and include any additional relevant information not mentioned in the direct questions.
About General Insurance Association of Malaysia
PIAM is the national trade association of all licensed direct and reinsurance companies for general insurance in Malaysia. Currently, PIAM has 29member companies. More information on PIAM can be obtained from its Web site: www.piam.org.my.
About the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA)
Malaysian Takaful Association was established in December 2002 under the Malaysian Societies Act of 1966, the memberships comprises of all 15 licensed Takaful and Re-Takaful Operators in Malaysia . For more information, please visit www.malaysiantakaful.com.my.
