Motorists in the country have been put on the spot as the government cracks down on fake vehicle insurance certificates.
The crackdown on fake motor vehicle insurance certificates is being carried out by a multi-agency team comprising the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI), the Traffic Police Department, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), and the Insurance Fraud Investigation Unit.
According to the government, there are various cases being investigated where motorists have been using fake insurance papers to operate their vehicles.
It is alleged that during the recent crackdown operations carried out in the country, there were at least 44 cases of fake motor insurance in two regions in the last one year.
In June last year, the government carried out a crackdown in Central Kenya that targeted motorists with fake insurance papers and found 27 motorists with fake insurance certificates.
According to the government, four cases have already been completed in court with offenders being fined between KSh15,000 and KSh30,000 or sent to jail for a period ranging from four months to one year.
Another crackdown was carried out in the Coast region in December that targeted motorists with fake insurance papers and found 17 cases of fake motor vehicle insurance.
Three cases have already been completed in court with one motorist being fined KSh200,000 or sent to jail for a period of two years.
In two other cases, the offenders were fined KSh50,000 or sent to jail for a period of six months.
The officials noted that the misuse of the covers is a serious criminal offense and has put motorists in great danger since the covers do not offer protection in case of an accident.
Speaking during a press briefing, the AKI Executive Director Tom Gichuhi noted that the misuse of the motor vehicle insurance covers continues to affect both motorists and the industry. “Digitization has helped to improve verification. However, enforcement remains very important. Fake motor insurance certificates offer motorists no protection and also undermine the sector’s trust among the public.”
The agencies noted that the exercise will now be extended to other regions to ensure all motorists comply with the regulations. This is part of the efforts to ensure the safety of motorists is achieved through the digitization of the motor vehicle verification systems.
Motorists have been encouraged to check whether the their insurance is genuine by dialling *352# or using the Bima Yangu app before buying any cover. Authorities also cautioned motorists against purchasing insurance from unlicensed agents or brokers.
The government says the crackdown will continue as part of efforts to clean up the sector and protect innocent road users from fraud.
