The National Insurance Commission together with the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) Unit of Ghana Police Service have embarked on an exercise to clamp down on drivers who possess fake motor insurance stickers or do not have motor insurance at all in Tarkwa of the Western Region.
The exercise forms part of the NIC’s sensitisation and enforcement activities on the Motor Insurance Database, Mr. Michael Kofi Andoh, Acting Commissioner of Insurance, told media when he paid a working visit to the Western Region.
The visit also coincided with an educational lecture – on Motor Insurance, Policy and the Motor Compensation Fund, as well as the process of making insurance by the NIC and Ghana Insurance College – for Police Commanders and officers in the Western Region.
He explained that NIC is mandated to ensure effective administration, supervision, regulation, monitoring and control of the insurance business to protect policyholders and the insurance industry.
He pointed out that most people drive on the roads with no insurance for their vehicles. “Others drive with fake motor insurance stickers. We cannot count the number of people who have suffered from being victims of a motor crash with fake motor insurance or uninsured vehicles,” he said.
According to him, every family in Ghana may have one victim from a motor accident in one way or another. “People have lost parents, children, siblings and other relatives through motor crashes. Where will these people receive compensation from?” he asked. Some of these people were also breadwinners for their families, and their deaths bring huge costs to the nation.
Mr. Justice Peprah Agyei, Western Regional Manager-NIC explained that: “The motor third-party insurance cover pays on behalf of the insured or the driver in respect of a legal liability to third parties resulting from an accident caused by his or her vehicle”.
According to him, the third-party policy covers the death of or bodily injury to any person, and/or damage to property belonging to someone other than the insured; and then the death of or bodily injury to a member of the insured’s household or any other occupants.
Also, he said, the policy pays compensation to the driver for bodily injury or death.
Mr. Agyei encouraged passengers to always check the validity or authenticity of motor insurance before they board vehicles. “Dial shortcode (*920*57#) on their phone. This service is free on all networks”.
He appealed for driver unions not to allow any vehicle without insurance to load passengers from the terminals.
In a related development, the NIC led by Mr. Michael Kofi Andoh, Acting Commissioner of Insurance, has donated essential items – such as police reflective jackets, body-bags, gloves and nose-masks to aid their work in protecting life and property – to the Western Regional Police Command in the Western Region.
The Tarkwa Divisional Police Commander, ACP Mr. George Andrew Kumah, received the items and thanked the Commission for their support.
“We are here to ensure the law is enforced, and then to protect lives and properties. We are always ready to help and collaborate with the National Insurance Commission in its activities and mandate,” he said.
Further, the Acting Commissioner of Insurance met the insurance industry in both Tarkwa and Takoradi, and advised them to be fully committed to their mandate in paying claims on time. He also had a public engagement and radio tour to discuss the rationale of insurance.
