Insurance Discounts(Bangkok Post)

[Bungus]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1217085/dashcam-discounts-not-an-option


News > General

Dashcam discounts 'not an option'

• 18 Mar 2017 at 15:57 8,796 viewed3 comments
• WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

Regulators have stressed all insurance companies must give motorists discounts of 5-10% on auto insurance premiums for all vehicles equipped with closed-circuit TV systems (CCTVs) or be fined.

The move followed consumer complaints that some companies had refused to do so.

Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, secretary-general of the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), confirmed on Saturday vehicles with dashboard cameras also qualified for the privilege, not just those with CCTV systems, so long as they could record video clips.

"However, other devices modified to work as dashcams are not," he said.

He was probably referring to mobile phone apps that turn a mobile phone into a dashcam.

Mr Suthiphon added motorists did not need to register the installation of such cameras with the Land Transport Department as claimed by some insurers.

Any insurer failing to comply with the order will face a fine up to 300,000 baht, he said, adding motorists could report them through the OIC's 1186 call centre.

The OIC, by Mr Suthiphon, signed the order requiring auto insurance companies give the insured the discounts on March 10 this year.

 

[dash riposki]

They should offer a 20% discount if the dashcam actually works.



I think they'd be better off doing some sort of rebate, if usable video is produced after an accident.

 

[jokiin]

.

I'm taking a guess that whoever was asked to shoot this photo wasn't familiar with what dashcams are about, most unique mounting method to date

 

[kamkar]

Thats what i was thinking too

 

[dash riposki]

Why? Its a rear view mirror mount. Popular in Asia.

 

[SawMaster]

I tend to dislike things being mandated to businesses as I run a small business myself. With this I think it better to let the market sort it out; in time somebody will see the value in offering a discount for those with a dashcam then the rest will have to follow along or lose customers

Having a dashcam in and of itself means nothing about the driver and their potential for liability- just look at the Russian car crash vids and you will see tons of clips where the cam is in the car of a very poor driver who does not deserve a discount on their rates, but a rate-hike instead

Car insurance rates should be based only on the individual in question so that each carries their fair share and no more- there are good and bad drivers in all categories and if the government mandates anything that should be what it is

Phil

 

[dash riposki]

OMG, this sounds like a 'trump' plan. Sounds good in theory, but they forgot to work out the details.

I think Thailand may have a higher percentage of car owners using dashcams than normal, or at least they're quick to pull out a cell phone to record stuff they see happening.

Another recent thing in the Thai news is they want to equip more bicycle and motorbike cops with cameras.
I'm not sure they figured out the power source problem for them, yet.

This is a police patrol that uses a 3 wheeled bike to pick up trash in a tourist area.......

The guy on the back makes siren noises when they have a hot pursuit.

 

[Bungus]

I tend to dislike things being mandated to businesses as I run a small business myself. With this I think it better to let the market sort it out; in time somebody will see the value in offering a discount for those with a dashcam then the rest will have to follow along or lose customers

Having a dashcam in and of itself means nothing about the driver and their potential for liability- just look at the Russian car crash vids and you will see tons of clips where the cam is in the car of a very poor driver who does not deserve a discount on their rates, but a rate-hike instead

Car insurance rates should be based only on the individual in question so that each carries their fair share and no more- there are good and bad drivers in all categories and if the government mandates anything that should be what it is

Phil

Mostly agree with what you're saying. Don't you think having video proof of an incident would've save insurance company some money (lots even) from having to do intensive investigation to find out who's at fault? Shouldn't that saving be pass down to one that provides the video proof? If cam car is at fault and if he/she's dumb enough to present the clips as evidence so be it, he/she's at fault. If he/she don't present the clips, he/she better hope other cam cars didn't record too. Some developing countries need law to get things done.

 

[SawMaster]

A dashcam is just an impartial witness whose honesty is not suspect. If like most of us here you choose to let it remind you to drive safely, then everybody wins but there is nothing forcing that to happen, same as having a speedometer does not prevent people from speeding So while I'd like a discount too, I am seeing that the risk is the driver, not the gadget in the car, and as long as the vehicle is safe it too has almost no role in traffic safety and insurance risks.

Many car insurers here offer discounts for insuring multiple cars, for having your homeowners insurance with their company, for being in the military, and for other things unrelated to one's driving habits. That is being unfair to those who do not qualify for such discounts but are safer drivers

From what I understand, most of the places that offer discounts for dashcams require that you not refuse to show your vid clips to them and the authorities on request, as well as when they occasionally request some of your recent footage to verify that you are driving safely and that your cam is functioning. That could work well as long as the insurers are diligent in requesting and reviewing footage, but given the numbers of people they insure that also would take a lot of time and effort which costs them money even when there are no claims being made

The bottom line here is that the only factor which directly relates to an insurer's cost is the driving safety of those they insure, so that alone should be what their rates are determined with.

Phil

 

[dash riposki]

Things happen in mysterious ways in Thailand.

Coincidentally, the government is pushing people to use dashcams during the big bloodfest, I mean, holiday, next month.
(Which usually sees up to hundreds of road deaths a day for a week.)

The head of Thailand's anti drink driving foundation has said that the fitting of dash cams can help lower the number of accidents on the Thai roads.



Dr Thaejing Siriphanit has urged Thai motorists to fit the cameras to their vehicles in advance of the holidays, Sanook reported.



Explaining the move he said that the cameras helped to put pressure on people through the internet and social media to drive more responsible.



Footage was uploaded quickly, he said, and the naming and shaming of people could help with improving driving standards.



He also said that the cameras were also excellent as an extra pair of eyes and ears for the understaffed police in resolving accident disputes and in evidence gathering.


(Here is the coincidence part....)

With this in mind he said that a fair has been set up in Pathumwan, Bangkok, on April 1st and 2nd where half a dozen leading manufacturers of dash cams from China would be selling reliable products at cheap prices.



Source: Sanook

 

[dash riposki]

Thought I'd nose around and see if the insurance companies in thailand are actually giving discounts, and 'some' are, ranging from 5-10%.
(Some are refusing)
The process to get the discount appears to range from showing a receipt for a dashcam purchase, to sending in a picture of a dashcam mounted in your car, to taking the car with dashcam to the insurance agent so they can physically see the camera mounted in the car.

 

[country_hick]

Thought I'd nose around and see if the insurance companies in thailand are actually giving discounts, and 'some' are, ranging from 5-10%.
(Some are refusing)
The process to get the discount appears to range from showing a receipt for a dashcam purchase, to sending in a picture of a dashcam mounted in your car, to taking the car with dashcam to the insurance agent so they can physically see the camera mounted in the car.

I have to ask...

If I install 4 dashcams do I get 4 times the discount?

 

[dash riposki]

It doesn't seem like a majority is having success in getting discounts for ONE, but I will always have one when driving, anywhere.
You'd think they'd give a better discount for front and rear cams, but maybe they're primarily worried about what the customers hit?

 

[country_hick]

It doesn't seem like a majority is having success in getting discounts for ONE, but I will always have one when driving, anywhere.
You'd think they'd give a better discount for front and rear cams, but maybe they're primarily worried about what the customers hit?

A collision from the rear is almost gauranteed to be the fault of the driver in back. Only in a rare case of insurance fraud where someone backs into the front end of another car does this seem to end differently. As such a rear cam is nice but is not necessary to prove who was at fault. If your front dash cam shows you did not move when you had a rear end collision obviously the other party had to be at fault. If it is a hit and run then capturing their face and license plate would be great evidence. This hit and run after rear ending someone scenario however is fairly rare here. Quite often there would be a broken radiator from the impact so the other car could not get far anyway.

 

[dash riposki]

Vehicles tend to come from every direction, wrong or right, in Thailand, and the drivers often do a runner. (No license, no insurance) The motorbikes and small 3 wheeled vehicles follow no rules, and drive against traffic, across traffic, etc.

 

[Bungus]

Vehicles tend to come from every direction, wrong or right, in Thailand, and the drivers often do a runner. (No license, no insurance) The motorbikes and small 3 wheeled vehicles follow no rules, and drive against traffic, across traffic, etc.

Yah. The "Tut tut". Pronounced "toot toot". Literally lawless. They'll do a U turn in heavy traffic when someone hails them. Tut tut are licenced taxis, I think/hope and is a very cheap way to get around.