JEDDAH: The Traffic Department in Jeddah has signed an agreement with Najm Insurance Services Company to deal with road accidents in the city. The company has been authorized to determine responsibility for the accident and remove vehicles from roads in order to facilitate traffic.
“The company officials will be moving around in special vehicles wearing uniforms so that people can identify them easily,” said Col. Mohammed Hassan Al-Qahtani, director of Jeddah traffic police, adding that the people would provide necessary assistance to owners of insured vehicles so that they could receive compensation.
According to a report carried in Al-Madinah Arabic daily, the company will take care of drivers who have third party insurance cover. It will also estimate damages caused by the accident to other vehicles. “People need not pay any fees for the services being rendered by the company,” Al-Qahtani said.
He said the company would complete all procedures related to traffic accidents, including investigation, determining the mistakes of drivers involved in the accident and removing vehicles and other things from the accident site.
“It will also contact insurance companies and reach agreements with them on payment of compensation,” the traffic police chief said. The company officials will conduct investigations of accidents under the supervision of the Traffic Department, he said, adding that the public would have the right to appeal its decisions.
He said the company would appoint well-qualified people to conduct such investigations after providing them with intensive training. The company is expected to start its field services by the end of March 2009 and in the first stage it will provide its services in the northwest of Jeddah.
Al-Qahtani said the agreement with Najm was signed in order to reduce the pressure on traffic officers. “It will also help drivers get their compensation from insurance companies,” he said, adding that the company would apply modern methodology as used in developed countries.
The new move comes after Saudis and expatriates have complained about delays by insurance companies in payment of compensation after traffic accidents. They urge authorities to enact regulations to force the companies to pay dues without delay.
Khaled Allaf, a Saudi, said his son was involved in an accident and the traffic police assigned 100 percent fault to the other driver. But the police released him on condition that the insurance company would pay for the repair work. “I have been running after the insurance company for the last six months and finally company officials said they would not be able to pay anything because their activities had been suspended by authorities,” Allaf said. He said he had not received any help from the Traffic Department in getting the money.
Saleem Al-Dahhas, another Saudi, said he had experienced trouble in getting compensation from the insurance company. “Even to get a small amount as compensation, I had to spend three months running after the company. If it had been a big accident, it would definitely have taken more time,” he said.
