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Motor Claims Framework (MCF)
- Guide to Motor Claims Framework
The Motor Claims Framework (MCF) was set up to provide a comprehensive service for all Motor Insurance Claims. The MCF is fully supported by all insurers in Singapore and allows motorists to make motor claims in a simple, hassle-free and speedy manner, as well as bringing the added benefits of a greater pool of certified motor repair workshops and related services.
What to do after an Accident FROM 1 June 2008
- View PDF presentation
- If anyone has been injured in the accident, call the police immediately,
otherwise, make a police report within 24-hours of any accident involving the following;
1. Damaged to government vehicle or Porperty.
2. foreign-registered vehicle.
2. Hit-and-Run case.
- Parties involed in accident should exchange particulars including their Names, NRIC No, Address, Insurers and Vehicle numbers.If there are witnesses, note their contact details.
- If you have a digital camera or camera phone, take photographs of the accident vehicles and scene.
You may send the photos via MMS to 9711-2758 including the vehicle no and Date of Accident in , format.
You will recieve an acknowledhement SMS from General Insurance Association Record Management Centre.
- Call your insurer's Hotline for a tow truck or for further advise on how the handle the accident. AVOID all unauthorised tow-truck operators or repair workshops.
- Report the accident and take your accident vehicle, whether damaged or not, to the approved reporting centre(provided by your insurer) within 24hours or by next working day.
Take with you the completed Singapore Accident Statement, which contains two forms, if you have it. You can also ask your approved reporting centre or authorised workshop to help you fill up the forms.
- Avoid discussing which party is at fault. Refer all communication from the other drivers or their lawyers to your insurer.
- Do not authorise any repair work without the consent of your insurer.
What to do after a Motor Accident BEFORE 1 June 2008
USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS
Idac Hotline
1-800-887-5151
Traffic Police Department
10 Ubi Avenue 3
Singapore 408865
Tel: 6547 0000
Fax: 6547 4900
Website: www.spf.gov.sg
What do I do if I am involved in an accident?
- Check whether others are in need of assistance. Stay calm and don't get angry. Move to the side of the road or somewhere safe.
- You should have a Singapore Accident Statement in your vehicle. It contains two forms for you to fill in:
Accident Statement (yellow-and-blue form, Part I)
The Accident Statement should be completed at the scene of the accident. Fill it in, sign it, and have the other driver involved in the accident sign it too. There are two copies - one for you and one for the other driver. The Accident Statement helps your insurer establish the basic facts of the accident. It is not an admission of liability.
Individual Statement (white form, Part II)
The Individual Statement does not require the signature of both drivers, so you can fill it in later.
Once completed, please send both the Accident Statement and the Individual Statement to your insurer, appointed workshop or Independent Damage Assessment Centre (Idac) within 24 hours. By filling in these statements, you will help us ensure your claim is processed as quickly as possible.
How to Fill in the Singapore Accident Statement - Open Pdf »
If none of the drivers involved has an Singapore Accident Statement, be sure to note these details at the accident scene:
- The number plates of all other vehicles involved
- The names and addresses of the other driver(s)/owner(s)
- Any witnesses and their contact details
- The names of insurers for the other driver(s)
If you have a camera, take photos of the accident scene.
- Avoid discussing liability, i.e. which party is at fault, with others involved in the accident, or their lawyers. Refer all communications from them to your insurer immediately.
- If an accident involves injury, call the police straight away. You must also make a police report within 24 hours of an accident involving:
- Damage to a government vehicle or property
- A foreign-registered vehicle
- A hit-and-run vehicle
- Notify your insurer through the on-line reporting service. On-line reporting can be done at an Idac, some authorised workshops and insurance companies, where you can get assistance. If you are unsure where to go, please ask your insurer.
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Where do I take my vehicle for damage assessment?
Many insurers require policyholders to deliver their vehicle directly to an Idac following an accident.The Idac network was set up to provide a fast, impartial accident assessment service and to reduce claims fraud. There are 13 Idac at convenient locations around Singapore.If you are unsure whether you should deliver your vehicle directly to an Idac following an accident, check with your insurer immediately.
If your insurer is a member of Idac:
- Your vehicle will be towed free of charge to an Idac within 24 hours of the accident. An assessor will record visible damage and prepare a report on the replacement parts needed.
Once you have the report, you can make arrangements with your insurer for the vehicle to be repaired.
- Remember: Do not authorise any repair work without the consent of your insurer as it will need to negotiate repair costs with the workshop before repairs begin.
Idac Hotline
1-800-887-5151
If your insurer is not a member of Idac:
- Your authorised workshop will contact your insurer to have the vehicle surveyed and authorised for repairs.
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Can I choose who repairs my vehicle?
Your insurer may impose some restrictions on who can repair your vehicle. As part of an ongoing effort to control claims costs, some insurers use the tender bidding system or authorised workshops in making arrangements for repairs. Cost savings will benefit customers by keeping premiums competitive.
More expensive policies may allow you to go to the repairer or dealership of your choice. Your insurer is encouraged to disclose any restrictions on repairs before you buy the policy.
Dealer workshops
The warranty on new or relatively new vehicles will often state that the vehicle has to be repaired by the dealer or appointed agent of the manufacturer. If this is the case with your vehicle, you should check with the authorised motor dealer, agent or distributor on the terms and conditions of your warranty as repairs by other workshops may affect this.
Authorised workshops
Some insurers limit your choice of repairer to a panel of authorised workshops - which does not always include authorised dealerships. Upon completion of repairs, a six-month warranty is usually given. [ Back to Top ]
What is tender bidding?
In order to obtain cost-effective repair for your vehicle, some insurers use the tender bidding system. Insurers will invite selected workshops to provide quotes for the repairs to your vehicle and will award the job to a competitive bidder. Insurers adopting this system offer assurance that there will be no compromise on the quality of repairs. A post-repair survey may be conducted on the vehicle before it is returned to you.
Insurers adopting the system of authorised workshops and tender bidding seek to control claims costs without compromising quality. Such cost savings benefit customers in the form of competitive premiums. [ Back to Top ]
Will my vehicle be repaired with new or reconditioned parts?
The aim of most policies is to have your vehicle restored to a condition similar to the one it was in before the accident.
Based on this principle, for a relatively new vehicle, damaged items will usually be replaced with new parts, which are either genuine or OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts.
However, for vehicles more than three years old the insurer might opt to use good-quality reconditioned parts. Such parts are carefully checked to ensure they do not compromise the safety or roadworthiness of the vehicle. A six-month warranty for repairs is usually provided by the workshop.
Your insurer will be happy to clarify its policy on replacement parts. [ Back to Top ]
Why do insurers sometimes declare vehicles a total loss?
Where the repair cost exceeds the economic repair value, insurers may settle the claim as a constructive total loss. The economic value is the difference between market value and residual value (COE and PARF).
Should you wish to have your vehicle repaired even though the cost is more than the economic repair value, the GIA recommends your insurer pay the economic repair value plus 50% of the difference (up to $5000) between the actual cost of repair and the economic repair value.
You should contact your insurer for details, or visit www.gia.org.sg [ Back to Top ]
Will I be compensated for the loss of use of my vehicle?
With payment of an additional premium, some insurers also offer loss-of-use replacement car benefit, whereby a replacement vehicle of an agreed engine capacity and condition is provided for an agreed number of days. Some repair workshops, especially those authorised by insurers, may provide a courtesy car for your use while your vehicle is being repaired.
In cases where you are not liable for the accident, you may seek reimbursement from the other party's insurer for the cost of car rental or alternative transport. Generally, you can make claims for:
- Rental of car with the same or lower engine capacity Transport fees e.g. taxi fares
- General compensation when no other transport claims are made (from S$35 a day)
You will need to submit the relevant supporting documents (accident reports, survey or inspection reports, receipts or invoices of transport expenses, etc.) in your loss-of-use claim form to the other party's insurer.
Should you have a repairer who is filing a third-party claim for your repair cost, the repairer can also submit your loss-of-use claim on your behalf. [ Back to Top ]
What is a No-Claim Discount (NCD)?
If you have not made any claims for a year or more, you are entitled to a No-Claim Discount (NCD). The NCD reduces the policy premium for the following year. This is your insurer's way of recognising you for having been a careful driver. The following table shows how the NCD is set by all insurers across the industry.
Private car policies
| Private car policies |
Commercial vehicle and motorcycle policies |
| Period of insurance with no claim |
Discount on renewal |
Period of insurance with no claim |
Discount on renewal |
| 1 year |
10% |
1 year |
10% |
| 2 years |
20% |
2 years |
15% |
| 3 years |
30% |
3 years or longer |
20% |
| 4 years |
40% |
|
|
| 5 years or longer |
50% |
|
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If I make a claim, will I automatically lose my NCD?
Not necessarily. All insurers in Singapore use a guide called the Barometer of Liability Agreement (BOLA) to determine how much each party is liable in an accident.The BOLA is designed to speed up claims processing. It does not diminish your right to contest liability under the law.
Under the BOLA, your NCD will not be affected if your liability is 20% or less in an accident involving an identified vehicle. In all other cases, your NCD may be affected. [ Back to Top ]
Does my NCD apply to me, or to my vehicle?
In principle, your NCD applies to you and not to your vehicle. For example, if you sell your vehicle and buy another one, you will retain your NCD. However, if you own more than one vehicle, you might have a different NCD for each vehicle. You should check the details with your insurer, but generally:
Your NCD can:
Be transferred to another vehicle owned by you, but it can't be applied to more than one vehicle at any point in time. For example, if you have accumulated a 30% NCD while using one vehicle, it does not follow that the same NCD applies to any other vehicle that you own or decide to buy. In other words, you will have to earn the NCD for each vehicle separately.
Your NCD can't:
Be transferred to another person. [ Back to Top ]
Can I insure against the loss of my NCD?
If you have accumulated a 50% NCD (five years without a claim), some insurers may allow you to buy protection against the loss of the discount.
By paying a small amount of extra premium, you can make one claim during the year, and still have the discount fully protected. The 50% NCD is protected as follows:
| Claims during the period of insurance |
NCD on renewal |
| 1 |
50% |
| 2 |
20% |
| 3 or more |
Nil |
Please check with your insurer whether NCD cover is available. [ Back to Top ] | | |
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