Insurers step up action to enhance vehicle insurance inspection in low internet areas

To ensure that consumers and vehicle inspection officers across different parts of the country with or without internet access are able to verify their motor vehicle insurance, the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) has launched the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Code.

The code: *565*11# will enable consumers and officials in charge of vehicle monitoring and inspection to validate genuiness and validity of the vehicle insurance cover they have anywhere in the country.

The NIA it would be recalled had in 2001 launched the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID, which helped capture insurance policies obtained by motorist’s real time online on the internet and through dedicated hand held devices.

But today, the platform has only captured about 2 million vehicles, underscoring the high prevalence of fake and parallel market operators.

Speaking at the official launch of the Code in Lagos, Tope Smart, chairman of the NIA said this represents yet another giant step towards bringing insurance closer to the people and ultimately eliminating fake insurance certificates in the market.

Smart said the USSD works independent of internet connectivity. In this instance, any mobile phone (not necessarily a smartphone) would communicate with the NIID system to retrieve policy status whenever required.

He said, “It is hoped that with the USSD, we would have fully overcome the problems associated with the dedicated devices as it guarantees uninterrupted service throughout the country and on all networks.