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Thu, Nov 21, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 20, 1446 | DXB
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Some UAE residents face issues with vehicle insurance renewal after rains; here's why
Insurance brokers who spoke to Khaleej Times admitted that they have been trying to clear a massive backlog of work
KT Photo: Shihab
Dubai resident Saeed Aijaz has been trying to get his vehicle insurance renewed for the past seven days — but he couldn't reach the sales agent who offered him a policy. Another expat, Anthony DSouza, is facing the same issue.
Aijaz's vehicle licence expired last month and, because he was travelling, he wasn't able to get the process done during the 30-day grace period. He came back on April 6, but he was unable to complete the renewal due to the holidays.
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He reached out to insurance brokerage firms, received quotes, and selected one policy on April 15. However, since April 16 — when the record rains pounded the UAE — he failed to get a response from any of the companies.
"My vehicle is in perfect condition, and I urgently need to renew its registration. Perhaps, they were thinking my car had been damaged," Aijaz told Khaleej Times.
Dsouza, a marketing executive, is in a similar situation.
“I got a quote from a brokerage firm on April 17 and since then, the person whom I was in touch with is delaying the issuance of the policy,” said the expat.
What insurance firms say
Insurance brokers that spoke to Khaleej Times admitted that they have been trying to clear a massive backlog of work as both claims and policy enquiries have spiked after the rains.
“We have been seeing higher demand as compared to the previous weeks ... [marking an increase of] close to over 200 percent,” said Toshita Chauhan, business head, health and motor insurance, policybazaar.ae.
Toshita Chauhan
Dev Maithra, managing director of Savington International Insurance Brokers, said they have been doing their best to accommodate every enquiry despite the huge demand.
“We have been inundated with calls for renewals and enquiries, and we are catering to every motorist even by extending our shifts,” said Maithra.
Chauhan said they are also extending their shifts and bolstered their manpower to serve all customers. “We are committed to ensuring that all our customers are given the level of service that they expect from us."
Evaluation process
Those trying to get a vehicle insurance policy can expect a tighter evaluation process, the experts said.
"We want to make sure that the car is in perfect condition before we issue a policy,” said Maithra.
Dev Maithra
Owners could be asked to provide more details. “We may require a current-dated vehicle passing report, and current-dated videos of the engine running to ensure the vehicle being insured is not currently damaged and to avoid fraudulent claims,” he added.
Chauhan admitted that for their firm, there had been processing delays as "the insurers now want to assess all kinds of risks to the vehicle".
On the other hand, customers who used to pick the cheapest policy by default are now looking more closely into the coverage of each contract before making a decision.
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SM Ayaz Zakir
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.
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