System launched to check illegally insuared vehicles

Mbeya. The commissioner for Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA), Dr Baghayo Saqware, has cautioned executives of insurance firms and agents that they will have their licences cancelled and taken to court if discovered to be dishonest and carrying out their activities unprofessionally.

He made the statement earlier this week in Mbeya Region at the launch of a new system to ascertain the legality of vehicle insurances in Southern Highlands regions by using mobile phones.

He said there were fake insurance firms that caused inconveniences and big losses to their customers, including defrauding people with the intention of being providing them insurance services to protect themselves and their property.

Mr Baghayo added that the other effect by fake insurance was about car accident victims failing to get compensations and ending up blaming the police, TIRA and the government as a whole.

He said a wave of forging insurance documents was estimated to reach 10 percent of insurance business for motorised vessels, resulting in making the government fail to get earnings from insurance fees charged on every insured motorised vehicles and vessels.

Further, he said the system had been launched with the aim of protecting users of insurance services against those with the intention of getting money through fraudulent means.

He added that the system aimed at assisting road accident victims to get their rights and enable those with genuine insurances to be compensated for their damaged vehicles or vessels.

For his part, Mbeya Regional Police Commander Dhahiri Kidavashari said the system would help a great deal, particularly in Mbeya, where vehicles from Dar es Salaam Port, most with fake insurance, were transported through the region to neighbouring countries.