New partnership to promote benefit claims

The Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) has partnered with the Justice Ministry’s Rights and Liberties Protection Department to promote insurance claims for road accident victims and benefits from compulsory motor insurance.

Traffic accident victims have the right to compensation from both the OIC and the Office of Financial Assistance to the Injured Persons and Criminally Accused, said Pitikan Sithidej, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department.

In cases of injuries from road accidents where the driver has compulsory motor insurance, the victim has the right to receive up to 30,000 baht from the Auto Accident Insurance Fund and can file for additional aid from the Office of Financial Assistance to the Injured Persons and Criminally Accused for up to 40,000 baht if the case is filed within one year from the incident date and the victim is not involved in any offences.

In case of death from road accidents with compulsory motor insurance coverage, victims will receive up to 300,000 baht from Auto Accident Insurance Fund.

If the accident is not covered by compulsory motor insurance, victims can claim from the Office of Financial Assistance to the Injured Persons and Criminally Accused.

“The office pays around 600 million baht to injured persons every year,” said Ms Pitikan.

“About 60% of cases are caused by negligence, including hit-and-run, but there are only 30% of people receiving compensation in accordance with criminal law.”

Jom Jirapaet, director of Motor Accident Victims Protection Department at the OIC, said there are 5,600 cases per year involved with damages from road accidents filed to receive financial claims.

But there are many cases where victims have not filed for compensation because motorists do not have compulsory motor insurance, particularly motorcycles in provincial areas, Mr Jom said.

This partnership is expected to increase the number of compulsory motor insurance policyholders.