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Local insurers push for more use of dash cams

Device to aid in reducing fraudulent claims, speed up settlements

Published:Saturday | August 13, 2022 | 12:07 AM
The dashboard of the vehicle is where dash cams are mostly installed.
The dashboard of the vehicle is where dash cams are mostly installed.
Gordon-Martin.
Gordon-Martin.
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LOCAL INSURANCE companies are looking at incentivising the use of dash cams, as they say it will assist in reducing fraudulent claims and speed up the settlement of claims. One such company is JN General Insurance Company (JNGI).

“JNGI is looking at how to incentivise policyholders who use dash cams, which will aid in faster settlement of claims,” said Andrea Martin-Gordon, assistant general manager of JNGI.

Gordon-Martin was responding to questions posed by a participant during a road safety webinar, themed ‘Road Safety- Stop the Mayhem, Save Lives!’, organised by JNGI recently.

She noted that the industry is plagued by fraudulent claims and that, if more motorists use the technology, it will not only allow for the insurer to settle claims faster but it will also aid in preventing fraud.

“Dash cams are a wonderful invention and the industry encourages the use of dash cams as it helps us to determine when a person is liable in an accident,” she pointed out.

“Fraud is a big problem for the industry, and it will assist us in that area as well, because sometimes, based on the images, you can know, for example, how many persons may be in the other vehicle. It will help to prevent persons from trying to immerse themselves into an accident in order to make a claim,” she explained.

A dash cam is a video-recording device placed on the dashboard of a motor vehicle or otherwise mounted inside the windscreen. Dash cams vary and can record inside and outside the vehicle, with the footage being stored for retrieval at a convenient time. While some dash cams have internal storage, others facilitate additional storage through the use of an SD card or other external storage device.

Statistics provided by the Road Safety Unit show that road traffic deaths have exceeded 400 yearly over the past three years, in comparison to the period 2008 to 2018. Last year, road fatalities soared to 487.

The road safety webinar was organised by JNGI, in collaboration with the Road Safety Unit, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Automobile Association and the JN Foundation.

editorial@gleanerjm.com