Road accidents are not only devastating to motorists because of the near-death experiences but also the costs incurred in medication, repair and maintenance of the cars.
To this effect, the government moved to protect Kenyans on the roads by making it mandatory for car owners to have insurance coverage.
A section of motorists has, however, claimed that they lost their cars to rogue insurance brokers who collude with mechanics to steal from unsuspecting car owners.
The city-based motorists shared devastating allegations of how they lost their investments after getting involved in accidents, in a recent thread on Twitter.
One motorist claimed that a garage he had been referred to by his insurance company was the worst mistake he made on his investment.
"I had an accident and the insurance directed me to one of their panel garages. Unfortunately, the 'trusted garage' decided to harvest parts from my car and in the process of processing your claim, the insurance bailed on me," the tweep claimed.
Other motorists claimed that some insurance companies fail to cover repair expenses when the cost is below the limit insured.
In response, Bima insurance educators, advised motorists to always detail the state of the car with the insurance companies before the repairs are done.
"When you take your car to any garage, whether in the insurance panel or not, make sure you obtain a job card. This details the state of your car and any other accessories such as spare wheels among others," Bima advised adding that this would ensure rogue mechanics do not take advantage of such situations to benefit themselves.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, insurance expert, Erick Oyier advised motorists to always read and understand the terms of their covers before signing a contract.
"The problem is that many people are always in a rush to take up insurance covers. Most importantly, you will realise that many people do not read the documents as they tend to believe the marketing agents," he stated.
The rising concerns regarding insurance companies have seen the government crackdown on the sector in a bid to regulate the industry. In July 2022, 38 insurance firms were delisted over non-compliance.
Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) explained that the move was aimed at ensuring policyholders get better services in line with a landmark ruling issued by then-High Court judge, Justice George Odunga.
"Where the state fails to protect the insured against unscrupulous insurers yet ensure that the insured take insurance covers at their costs, it is only just that the state takes responsibility for its failure to regulate the players in the industry, otherwise it would be assisting those insurers who use statutes as instruments of fraud," Odunga who was recently elevated to the Court of Appeal ruled in June 2022.
The majority of insurance firms offer comprehensive insurance covers from road accidents to damages resulting from fire, natural disasters, and protests among others.
Third-party insurance, on the other hand, mostly protects other motorists from liability arising from damages to third-party persons and injuries caused by the insured vehicle.
