Many drivers are under the mistaken impression that their auto insurance companies will cover all their costs when they have an accident. They soon discover that, depending on the type of policy they bought, they are only partially covered for the cost of repairs and car rentals while their vehicles are being fixed. In addition, they may face delays of days and sometimes weeks for all the paperwork to be done. Fahd Al-Khedaidi, a 38-year-old Saudi clerk, severely damaged the front of his car when he rear-ended a vehicle in Jeddah last month. He sustained a few scratches and bruises to his face and arms. He claimed he had to wait a long time for the arrival of a representative of a private insurance services company founded under the auspices of the National Insurance Committee to ease, develop and facilitate all accidents associated procedures in the Kingdom. “After the representative reviewed the accident it turned out that I was 100 percent legally responsible for the collision. But my comprehensive insurance policy covered the cost of repairing my car and the second party's car.” He added that he spent a week wrangling with his insurance company to get money to pay for his vehicle repairs. “Because my car was more than three years old, my insurance policy did not cover repairs at the agency where I bought it. I then had to go around to various garages to get quotes for my repairs. These workshops are linked to the so-called Master of Workshops (Sheikh Al-Ma'ared), who makes the final decision to ensure payment for repairs.” Al-Khedaidi said he received a quote of SR6,000 for the repairs at one garage, while the agency quoted him SR13,000. “The workmanship and the quality of repairs at the agency are much better than private garages. I then made a decision to repair my car at the agency and had to pay the extra charges out of my own pocket,” said Al-Khedaidi. On this issue, the manager of auto insurance services at a local insurance company, told Saudi Gazette that there are two types of policies offered to customers. One type of policy requires a customer to pay an extra SR600 in addition to paying for genuine parts. The policy covers only repairs at private subcontractor garages, he explained. Abdullah Al-Harthi, a secondary school teacher, said he had problems with an insurance company after he had an accident. “I was asked by the insurance company to produce a quote for the repairs and the spare parts. I had to wait a week to have my papers processed and to receive my repair money from the company. I also had to pay for car rental during the 20 days my car was being fixed.” He said that his car is now valued at only SR10,000 because of the poor quality repairs done. His car's market value was SR25,000 before the accident, he claimed. The Master of Workshops, meanwhile, has called on the authorities to help him with damage assessments. He said he needs skilled technicians and mechanics. “I cannot do such work accurately on my own or with a team that has little experience. In some developed countries like the United States, the estimates of the cost before and after accidents are very accurate. There is no room for the slightest mistake or unfair results. All the costs for repairs in those countries depend on the specific type of cars and models,” he said. Some Saudis and expatriates have suggested that specialized workshops should be set up, linked to insurance companies, which can provide fair accident assessments. These workshops should be supervised by the Directorate General of Traffic and staffed by trained professionals and graduates of vocational institutions. __
