Makkah

Car insurance is compulsory in the Kingdom. You cannot renew your vehicle registration certificate unless you have insurance. Most people do not trust insurance companies because they usually make clients go through a lengthy compensation process when there is a road accident. Some of them ask clients to follow up with their company headquarters.

There are insurance companies located near the Traffic Departments of almost all cities. They provide you with insurance documents within 10 minutes of paying the required sum. They usually print out a certificate, not a card, and give it to you. The price of insurance has recently changed dramatically. One is left surprised at the difference in prices.

However, if you have an accident, then you will discover that you have fallen victim to these companies. If you go to any of these offices after an accident, you will be asked by the salesman to visit the main insurance company, which is usually located in Jeddah, Riyadh or Al-Khobar. At the end of the day, you will get nothing from the company and will discover that you have waited for a long time in vain. You will also end up paying for your damages or repairs.

All insurance companies operate under the umbrella of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA). There is a special committee within SAMA that is in charge of settling insurance disputes. This committee is only available in Jeddah, Riyadh or Al-Khobar. But what about other cities or regions of the country? Why is there no committee in Dammam, Madinah or Makkah?

There should be clear-cut regulations that regulate the relationship between insurance companies and their clients. The SAMA website displays insurance regulations, which I am sure many people are unaware of. These regulations are worth reading because they can inform customers of their rights and tell them how to claim compensation.

In today’s age, we should raise the public’s awareness about their rights in a transparent way in line with Vision 2030. Insurance companies should be required to open branches in all of the Kingdom’s regions and cities and should quickly process compensation claims.