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Conrad Mwanawashe Business Reporter
THE Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) is in talks with medical and emergency services providers on a facility to offer on-the-spot assistance to passengers injured in accidents involving public transport.

The ICZ has already set up a facility with Nyaradzo Funeral Services, which allows the funeral company to offer funeral services in the event of death in accidents involving passenger carrying vehicles.

Chairperson of the ICZ public relations committee Mrs Grace Muradzikwa said dialogue is ongoing between the council and service providers.

“We are also in the process of making arrangements with medicals and emergency services.

“Nyaradzo will only deal with the dead, so we want medical and emergency services to cater for the injured to get medical attention,” said Mrs Muradzikwa.

She, however, could not disclose the details of the arrangement as the ICZ is still negotiating with the service providers.

The medical cover comes after the ICZ launched the passenger liability cover which covers travellers in the event of accidents.

Under the facility, after verifying membership, Nyaradzo will provide three classes of services in the event of the death of passengers; adults above 18 years — $1 500; children above 12 years — $1 000; children below 12 years — $500.

The ICZ is also in talks with other funeral parlours to extend the passenger liability cover.

The cover comes as most public transport operators have failed to insure the travelling public through Passenger Personal Accident Policy, a statutory requirement for passenger carrying vehicle.

According to the law, all passenger carrying vehicles must have two types of cover – comprehensive cover for damage to the carrier in the event of an accident and, secondly, insurance for the passengers known as the Passenger Liability Cover which covers the travelling public.

The PPAP disc should be displayed the same way the vehicle licence is displayed. No passenger carrying vehicle should be allowed on the road if it does not have either of the two covers.

“We launched the facility in April ahead of the Easter holidays. Other funeral homes have since approached us and we are currently engaging them to come on board. We went to Nyaradzo because of their branch network.”

“Since then many accidents of passenger carrying vehicles have happened. It seems very clear that these vehicles are being allowed on the roads without cover,” Mrs Muradzikwa said.

The insurance costs $15 per passenger per annum, translating to $1,25 per passenger per month. Passenger liability cover is bought according to the carrier you are operating.