IC OKs traffic accident reports to settle claims
The Insurance Commission (IC) has ordered non-life insurance firms to recognize the traffic accident investigation report as a valid requirement in processing motor insurance claims arising from road accidents.
In a statement, Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa said he has issued a new regulation allowing the submission of a traffic accident investigation report as an alternative to police reports in claiming motor insurance benefits.
“To provide an alternative to police reports as a requirement in the processing of motor insurance claims, nonlife insurance companies are now mandated to recognize traffic accident investigation report,” Funa said.
A traffic accident investigation report is a document prepared by authorized persons – including traffic officers, personnel or constables of the Metro Manila Development Authority or its counterpart in the local government units – who are duly certified by the Land Transportation Office to have completed and passed the necessary course on traffic accident investigation reporting.
According to Funa, the new regulation is seen to help ease traffic congestion caused by vehicular accidents on the road.
“At present, the traffic congestion is aggravated after an accident due to the lack of police investigators in the vicinity which is attributed to the fact that policemen usually take time to arrive at the scene as they usually come from their respective precincts,” Funa said.
“The recognition of traffic accident investigation report prepared by authorized persons, other than the policemen, could ease traffic after accidents as the waiting period for the response time and preparation of the report is lessened,” he said.
To become a valid insurance claims document, the IC said traffic accident investigation reports are required to be attested by the parties involved in the accident, and the person who prepared the report.
It must also contain adequate information to identify the location of the accident, identifying information of the parties involved and witnesses, narrative description of the facts of the accident, simple diagram of the scene of the accident, traffic violation, if any, available closed circuit television footages, and photographs.