A massive stock of almost 300,000 vehicles is proudly driven on our over-burdened roads day in, day out. Over the years, that figure has only been increasing. That's an awful lot of expensive metal and machinery innocuously geared for big, small, negligible or serious accidents.
It is enough to say that last year members of the Malta Insurance Association registered a total claims expenditure of Lm28,959,473 for a total of 25,000 claims, 13 of which exceeded Lm50,000.
The sheer quantity of cars guarantees a dynamic motor insurance sector to our insurers, with a substantial pool of premia and a significant ebb of payments for accident-related claims.
Traffic jams speak for themselves, especially during the rush hour, as do the drivers' jaded faces secretly studying each other while they are collectively stuck in dreary queues. Until some dramatic piece of road entertainment is there to steal their passive curiosity.
There is an accident, an opportunity for drama and sanctioned overt voyeurism. Well, let's see. You reckon they must have more than Lm700 in damages. You wonder whose fault it is.
Wonder no more. The Malta Insurance Association has issued a standard reference fault chart which local insurers are using to determine issues of fault relating to vehicle-collision claims.
This fault chart is an experience-based reckoner designed especially for easy reference by the public and insured clients. It is not meant to replace legislation but merely to supplement the public's knowledge of local insurance practice. One finds that in some minor instances the chart differs from current legislation in the attribution of fault and often presents a bias towards the injured party.
Dr Anton Felice, director general of MIA, explains: "The fact that this tool is being made available for the Maltese public and insurance policy-holders for the first time ever is a clear signal that our members are taking concrete steps towards having a better-informed client. The availability of the collision fault chart online clearly shows that we are opening new avenues of communication and product awareness with local customers."
The collision fault chart portrays a number of potential collision scenarios and how fault is interpreted according to given circumstances.
All the scenarios presented in the chart include such illustrations for the sake of clarity as well as a list of accident conditions and exceptions. This is most helpful in difficult circumstances where fault is to be shared rather than shouldered by one of the drivers involved.
In turn, MIA's members are referring to this collision fault chart as a standard tool complimenting a claims-handling code of practice to be endorsed by all insurers from next month. This fortifies previous efforts to speed up resolution of claims and improve overall insurance services.
The MIA's fault chart can be viewed and downloaded for free at www.maltainsurance.org.
Mr Calleja is communications officer of the Malta Insurance Association (MIA), a non-profit-making organisation that represents the views and common interests of all insurance companies in Malta, both indigenous and foreign. MIA members write over 94 per cent of all life and non-life insurance business in Malta and account for a domestic premium income of approximately Lm122 million in 2006.