Accidental insurance cover ignored

Hyderabad: While a chunk of vehicle insurances are not renewed, accident insurance for the driver is also not mandated. Many victims of accidents, who get cover for the vehicle, do not get accidental cover, due to lack of mandate of accidental insurance.

The Motor Vehicles Act mandates having insurance, but it does not specify which kind of insurance leaving it to vehicle buyers to choose.

As a result, most vehicle owners go for a full insurance cover (which includes the vehicle, the driver as well as people in the vehicle) only for the initial two to three years and then go for a third party insurance only (which covers victim in case of owner of vehicle causing injury or death to another person). In case of two wheelers the most common insurance sought is third party insurance and after a couple of years that too is not renewed.

The dangerous trend of going for only third party insurance, meanwhile, can mean absolutely no cover in case of an accident resulting in injury or death of the driver and people sitting in the vehicle.

According to latest data from the city traffic police, out of the total of 616 accidents between January and March 2015, 306 two-wheeler drivers and 26 four-wheeler drivers were either injured or died in accidents.

“There is a need to make a change in the Motor Vehicles Act and bring in a mandate for an accidental insurance for vehicle owners and drivers too. Due to not having a mandate, most people opt for only third party insurance or full cover,” said a senior official from the RTA.