Customer service on Motor Insurance

Hi Mr. Tan

I was involved in a car accident, where a Volvo slammed into the back of my vehicle.

I brought my vehicle to IDAC. After inspecition, I brought my vehicle to an NTUC authorized workshop in UBI.

I have just got my vehicle back. I would like to know:

1) Is it the usual procedure for the workshop to claim my medical expenses? The workshop I went to simply asked me to hand over all my medical bills and they will assist to "claim on my behalf".

Reply: A good insurance company will assist you to make this claim. But they prefer to have the easy way out. So, you have to depend on the workshop to do it for you.

2) Would I be able to know how much the insurer of the Volvo is liable to pay to the workshop I went to? I have heard stories from my friends that very often, the workshop will get to claim a much larger amount from the insurer and they would only pass a fraction of that money to me.

Reply: You are entitled to have your car repaired to its condition before the accident. How much the insurer pays to the workshop is a separate matter.

3) Am I also able to claim for lost allowance / hardship for the injuries caused to me? (I suffered a badly bruised right eye) What would be the procedure to do this? Can I just leave it to the workshop to claim this for me

Reply: You can make this claim by writing direct to the insurance company. But they tend to give a low amount to the claimant. So, many claimants prefer to engage a lawyer to make the claim. Try the lawyer.

4) I am upset over the transparency of the entire motor insurance claims procedure. In your expertise is there a better way to do this?

Reply: It is the duty of a good insurance company to make it easy for you to claim for your losses. You should insist on a high standard of service and assistance from the insurance company.

If they fail to do so, you should lodge a complaint. Read my blog about "Consumer complaint to MAS".