Mobile service helps
accident victims check insurance at the roadside
Download
your askMID Roadside Lookup card with the insurance check routine so you can
keep it with your cards in case of need.
Download
Posted:
131218
Updated: 131220
 |
 | The
Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) recently launched the free askMID mobile service
to the public. The service, which is only accessible via a smart mobile device
at www.askMID.com, will help millions of accident victims a year check the insurance
details of the other parties involved in a road traffic accident.
MIB Chief
Executive, Ashton West, believes the new mobile service will help these drivers
and many others take some of the stress out of collecting important information
at the time of the accident. "Accidents
can be harrowing experiences, but collecting accurate details at the scene of
the accident is absolutely essential to making insurance claims for damage |
and
injuries. The new askMID Roadside service provides drivers with an instant check
of the Motor Insurance Database (MID) from their mobile phone. This confirms whether
the other vehicle involved in the accident is showing as insured on the MID and
provides the other party's insurance details so that the claim can be pursued
quickly.”
West adds: "The askMID Roadside service offers motorists
peace of mind that the insurance details provided by the other driver at the scene
of an accident match the records held on the Motor Insurance Database. If the
results from askMID checks are inconsistent with the person you've had an accident
with, you should report that to your insurer immediately.”
Three
simple steps for a roadside check of a third party's insurance details after
an accident | | 1.
2.
3. | Visit
www.askMID.com from your smart mobile device
Enter:
-
Your email address
- Your vehicle registration number
- The third party's
vehicle registration number
Receive confirmation of insurer and contact
details (on screen and to your email address) |
|
Comment
on using the askMID roadside support service with a mobile device at the scene
of an accident
Commenting on this NEWS item a fellow member noted "I
am more equivocal about the askMID roadside service mentioned in the recent NEWS
item, and I believe it should be used with discretion. If the driver whose insurance
you are checking with the askMID roadside support service is insured, then fine,
he should not mind you checking his insurance and you have reassurance that you
have the correct details. But if he is uninsured there are potential problems
as of course it is too late to correct the situation, the collision has already
happened while he was uninsured. So at best it simply makes you aware of a problem
earlier, at worst you might have an unpleasant confrontation or he might snatch
your lovely smart phone while you are standing in front of him and makes off.
My advice would be to wait to make the askMID check until you have parted company,
then if you discover he is uninsured you can alert the police who may be able
to catch him, not that it makes any difference to you. General advice in the event
of an accident is to err on the side of caution and report it to the police if
there is any doubt whether it should be reported or not. If there may be allegations
and counter-allegations about poor driving, the police are more inclined to regard
the driver who reports the accident as the innocent party and a driver who makes
no report as the villain of the piece."
Advice worth bearing in mind
but still well worth carrying the askMID Roadside Lookup card and leaving a copy
in the car too. | | |
