Qatar

Motorists involved in traffic accidents in Qatar will be able to approach their insurers directly as the General Directorate of Traffic has entered into an agreement with motor insurance companies to establish an electronic link between them.
Besides speeding up the procedures, this will make it easier for people who use the electronic services as a substitute for paper documents, especially in traffic accident cases, a statement issued by the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior said yesterday.
"The details of the vehicle involved in the accident as well as the incident itself will be sent to the insurance company through an SMS. This report will be based on the analysis of the situation by the traffic patrol at the accident scene. Meanwhile, the person involved in the accident will get a message to approach the insurance company to follow up for repair works of the car."
The agreement was signed during a recent meeting with Brigadier Abdul Aziz bin Jassim al-Thani, director of the Traffic Patrolling and Investigation Department and the directors of the insurance companies in the country.
Captain Abdullah Misad Qasim, head of the Traffic in Mamoura, said the initiative would ease the task of persons who have met with accidents by saving their time and energy through paperless dealings and moving procedures fast electronically.
Sources said vehicle owners would benefit from the Traffic Department’s electronic linkage with insurance companies as Fahes ( the vehicle inspection division of Woqod) facilities have now become a sort of “one-stop shop” for them.
A vehicle owner who recently used Fahes in Mesaimeer told Gulf Times that he could straight away walk into the Traffic Department office at the Woqod facility for his road permit (Isthimara), where even the prescribed insurance coverage was offered.
“On completing the vehicle inspection, I was told to park my car and move to a MoI kiosk, where my inspection slip got verified. An official told me that my car passed both the technical and legal tests. I was then asked to directly go to the Traffic Department at the Fahes facility, where I was even offered the insurance coverage from the provider I want.
“It is very simple, straight forward. At the same time, I was also given the option to go directly to my insurance company and choose my coverage. Which means, it is not compulsory to get the insurance done at the Traffic Department at the Fahes facility.”
The vehicle owner also said that vehicle inspection (paper) reports were now given only to those who had failed the test. The owners of qualified vehicles only get an SMS message to the effect.