‘Insured Nigerians on the increase’

Fola Daniel,
Commissioner for InsuranceThe National Coordinator, SERVICOM and Chairman, Presidential Committee on OSCAR, Mr. Ad’Obe Obe, has said uninsured driving which hitherto stood at 91 per cent in Abuja before the OSCAR pilot scheme began four months ago, has now reduced to 25 per cent.

Mr. Obe, who addressed insurance correspondents in Lagos attributed the OSCAR success to massive awareness campaign by OSCAR on the benefits of third party insurance to Nigerian.

He said that one of such campaigns hinged on the unlimited liability on insurance companies should anybody dies in accident situation involving a vehicle with valid insurance. With just N5000, you get unlimited liability from an insurance company underwriting the vehicle that got involved in an accident that a third party died, he said. According to the OSCAR boss, following the success of the OSCAR pilot scheme in Abuja, it would soon be replicated across the states of the federation.

Answering a question on why government vehicles are notorious for not getting valid insurance yet third parties are often killed in accidents involving them with no benefits, he said the government vehicles too would soon be compelled to get valid insurance as a private bill is been sponsored in the national assembly to address that.

“When we present our report to the government, it will also include how the federal, state and local governments will be compelled to insure their vehicles,” he said. Adding that it will also contain details on when we will extend OSCAR services to other states.

For now, he said, though all Nigerians can get compensation if involved in accident but people outside of Abuja would have to process the police reports, medical reports and other details themselves, unlike Abuja, where a dedicated one-stop claims shop exists to process all technical details for victims.

Ad’ Obe Obe called on Nigerians to get valid and proper insurance for their vehicles, so when involved in accidents rather than fight; the insurance companies take full responsibility.

On SERVICOM, he explained that it exists to ensure that Nigerians have access to quality service because it is their right to be served well.

NCRIB perfects plans for national insurance conference

Chief Dede Ijere, NCRIB PresidentStrategies for sustaining the relevance of insurance to national economy will take the centre stage as insurance brokers under the aegis of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers gather between Tuesday October 7 and Thursday 9, 2008 at the Sheraton Abuja Hotel & Towers for the 2008 National Insurance Conference of the Council.

According to a statement by the Chairman, Organising Committee of the conference, Mrs. Laide Osijo, “in a bid to sustain an effective feedback from delegates, the national insurance conference would feature the Great Insurance Debate which is a no- holds-barred session, where insurance operators as well as members of the public will exchange views on universal banking from the perspectives of operators.”

Mrs. Osijo noted further that the conference, which has the theme, “Sustaining the Relevance of Insurance to National Economy,” will attract notable speakers, among them is Mr. Dotun Sulaimon, who will deliver the theme paper while Mr. S.F Korode, registrar of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, will deliver a paper on corporate governance.

Similarly, the Managing Director of MDS Ltd, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, will talk on E- Broking: Delivering Quality Service.

She opined that the conference would witness an unprecedented attendance of dignitaries, particularly from the professional, business and government circles. “The Local Organising Committee has left no stone unturned towards ensuring robust attendance of dignitaries, given the strategic importance of Abuja as the citadel of government activities.”

High points of the conference, according to the Chairman, include the election of new officers into three vacant seats on the Governing Board of the Council. Members who have indicated interest for the positions are Messrs Akin Akinade; Tokunbo Olaofe; Femi Ojeremi and Ayodapo Shoderu. The Governing Board is the highest decision making organ of the council.