IC proposes alternate requirements for motor insurance claims

MANILA, Philippines - The Insurance Commission (IC) is pushing for the allowance of the submission of traffic accident incident reports in lieu of police reports for the processing of motor insurance claims.

In a statement over the weekend, the IC said it is now drafting a circular which would authorize the use of a traffic accident incident report prepared by an authorized person as a documentary requirement in the claiming of insurance benefits to lessen the traffic caused by vehicular accidents.

“This proposal is in response to the request from the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) to explore measures to lessen traffic congestion brought about by vehicular accidents,” Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa said.

“According to the MMDA, one of its observations is that severe traffic is caused whenever vehicular accidents occur since the parties involved leave their vehicles on the road at the very position of the accident until the police arrive to investigate the same in preparation of a police report,” he added.

Under the proposed circular, a traffic accident investigation report must contain the time and date of the accident, the location of the accident, and information on all involved parties and witnesses, including the name, age, sex, address, telephone number, vehicle ownership and registration, and proof of insurance.

The report must also include a narration of the accident, a simple diagram of the scene of the accident, photographs, and closed-circuit television footage, if any.

The IC said the report must be prepared by traffic officers, personnel, or constables of the MMDA or traffic bureaus, or its equivalent in the local government units, provided that they have undergone, completed and passed the necessary course for traffic accident investigation reporting.