Now, road-accident victims can get insurance details of vehicles online

Victims of road-accidents can now access the insurance policy details of the vehicle involved with a click of a mouse.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has launched the facility on the portal of its Insurance Information Bureau, which will update the data being provided by the insurers.

The insurance status of the vehicles can be known by filling in, among others, the registration number of the vehicle and date of accident. The information will then immediately pop-up.

As there is a time lag of two months for submission of information by insurers to the data repository, there is a possibility of information not being available immediately. In such cases, a message will be flashed giving reasons for absence of information which might include, time lag in uploading data by the insurer.

In the case of new vehicles, only the chassis and engine numbers are submitted by the insurer to the regulator.

When the record is not available, the searched registration/chassis or engine number will be automatically communicated to all general insurers to verify their database and check whether the information can be provided.

Soon, the facility will be made available to the police and regional transport officers, as it would help them track vehicle-owners who evade insurance or the insurance status of stolen vehicles.

“In next phase, the persons who seek information will be given a one-time password on providing his/her identity details,” Mr Randip Singh Jagpal, Head of the Department, Non-Life, said in a circular sent to non-life insurance companies.

At present, data on the status of motor vehicles’ insurance for 2010-11 and 2011-12 are being provided on the IIB’s site www.iib.gov.in. “This data will be updated regularly on the receipt of data from insurance companies,” Mr Jagpal said.

The facility would help insurers expedite the processing of claims arising due to the accident, he added.

When contacted, Mr K. N. Murali, Senior Vice-President, Bharti AXA General Insurance, said the facility “will be of great help” for victims of hit-and-run cases.

“If they see the number, they can easily lay claim to the insurance,” he added.

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