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UAE crash victims face insurance denial |
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 Motorists involved in the horrific 200-vehicle pile-up on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway last week could face insurance claim denials if police do not identify the party responsible for the accident.Some insurance companies say they may deny claims if the responsible driver is not specified in the final police report, UAE daily Gulf News reported on Wednesday.Many motorists unwittingly sign insurance policies with clauses denying claims when the party responsible is unknown, the newspaper quoted an insurance company representative as saying.
However, the newspaper said these clauses are technically illegal according to the Ministry of Economy's mandatory standard terms for car insurance policies.
Mohammad Mazhar Hamada, director of the motor vehicles committee at Emirates Insurance Society, said insurance companies did not have the right to add, delete, or amend any clause of the policy issued by the ministry, which had circulated the standard clauses to all UAE insurance companies.
If the police report fails to identify a responsible party, then the claims can be presented against an unidentified party, meaning insurance companies cannot deny the claim, he said.
The ministry can also impose penalties on insurance companies who refuse to pay out on the accident, he added.
Three people died and 347 were injured last Tuesday in the UAE’s worst ever road accident. The string of pile-ups on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway was caused by speeding and thick fog.
The tragedy has sparked calls for a major road safety campaign and guidelines on how to drive in poor conditions.
Police have said they may close the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway in future during periods of heavy fog to prevent similar accidents.(arabianbusiness.com) |
