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May 3, 2008
Insurance companies to blame
I FULLY support the statement by the president of the Law Society, Mr Michael Hwang, that lawyers cannot be blamed for motor accident claims, 'Blaming lawyers is unfair: Law Society' (April 30). 

Insurance companies should be more forthcoming. I have records of cases where the insurance company refuses to acknowledge liability after its insured vehicle hit the rear of my car.

Under such circumstances, who else can I turn to but the lawyers and legal action to make the insurance company pay up?

The setting up of IDAC has not solved the problem - some insurance companies still would not accept the survey or costs reports from the institution. They would instead wait until they receive a lawyer's letter with an independent survey report and cost estimates from the workshop.

I agree that fictitious claims do happen, but the insurance companies have there own surveyors to verify such claims. It is the 'red tape' that is making motor insurance claims a complicated issue and open to exploitation.

I recalled an incident in London when the windscreen of my relative's car was shattered. The insurance company did not even bother to survey the vehicle, but instructed us to replace the windscreen and send them the invoice. The claim was settled promptly without any hassle.

Lim Cheng Yin

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