Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad (Allianz General) is seeking PIAM Approved Repairers Scheme (PARS) workshops nationwide via open tender to join its panel of Allianz Authorised Repairers for 2023 and 2024.
The last time the company revamped its panel workshops was in 2020, during which time 195 PARS workshops were engaged through an open tender process.
The Allianz Authorised Repairers are an integral part of the company’s Allianz Road Rangers 24-hour accident service, which has served over 330,000 customers since its launch in 2017.
During this festive season, millions of motorists are travelling up and down the highways. Most will reach their destinations safely and enjoy the reunion with family and friends, or the long-awaited holiday.
But there will be some who are unfortunate to have an accident, or their vehicle has a breakdown along the way. That certainly would spoil things but for those who have insurance coverage from Allianz, things won’t be so bad as they will be able to get assistance easily from the Allianz Road Rangers. All they need to do is call 1800-22-5542 (24/7).
Free service
The Allianz Road Rangers are a support team which provides roadside assistance for cars as well as motorcycles. It’s available free of charge to policyholders of vehicles registered for private use and for motorcycles with comprehensive insurance policies.
Between April 30 and May 8, the Allianz Road Rangers will be stationed around several R&Rs along the North-South Expressway, Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway and East Coast Expressway which have seen the highest volumes of traffic.
Specifically, the R&Rs are at Gurun (Kedah), Tapah (Perak), Ulu Bernam (Tanjung Malim, Perak), Ayer Keroh (Melaka), Yong Peng (Johor), Genting Sempah (Karak Highway), Gambang and Maran (Pahang), Gua Musang (Kelantan), and Paka Arah (Kuala Terengganu).
First such iniative by Allianz
“This is a first of such an initiative. We know how everyone has been looking forward to celebrating this Hari Raya Aidilfitri and will be travelling to their hometowns and out of the Klang Valley. So, we have mobilised our tow-trucks from our Allianz Road Ranger fleet to be strategically located to assist our customers,” said Allianz General Chief Claims Officer, Damian Williams.
“Our goal with this initiative is to reach customers as quickly as possible when they need assistance and to help make their journey a smooth one,” he added.
Comprehensive assistance provided
The Allianz Road Rangers began in 2017, initially operating in the Klang Valley before going nationwide. Besides having their own Allianz-branded tow trucks, the team also has a first-responder bike team to reach motorists faster. They can provide initial assistance and first aid if needed.
The Allianz Road Ranger fleet includes a motorcycle team to reach the vehicle earlier and provide initial assistance before the tow-truck arrives.
Other benefits from Allianz include a claims concierge service at police stations, e-hailing transportation services, Allianz Motor Own Damage (OD) claims and vehicle delivery. Damaged vehicles will be brought to an Allianz Authorised Panel Repairer or to a franchise workshop upon request. Motorists can also specify a preferred location to send the vehicle to (within the specific distance) instead of having to collect it from the panel workshop.
The entire Allianz Road Rangers journey — from accident assistance service to claims, vehicle repairs, and the selection of workshop repairers — is a structured and transparent service. The service is among the initiatives taken by the company to prevent corrupt and unethical practices that occur in the insurance industry.
Victims of the recent floods will face major expenses on repairs and replacing many things. It is going to be a stressful time for everyone, and each will have suffered in varying degrees. Both the government and private sector are doing whatever they can to ease the burden. Apart from providing financial and other forms of aid for the affected, there are also special provisions made for motorists whose vehicles or documents were damaged or lost.
Free replacement of JPJ documents
The JPJ will not charge for replacement of driving licences, Motor Vehicle Licences and Vehicle Ownership Certificates for those affected by the floods. They must however make a police report first which must then accompany their application. Anyone who loses the original documents will need to bring a copy of the police report or Disaster Victim Registration Form issued by the District Office or the Social Welfare Department as evidence.
JPJ Mobile Service van
Meanwhile, the police advise owners of flood-damaged vehicles to make the police reports themselves and not use third parties (such as workshop or tow-truck representatives). They should make sure they have pictures of their vehicles to show the condition as well as the details of the tow-truck company and where the vehicle was taken to.
Specific coverage for floods necessary
While specific flood coverage is needed to make a claim from insurance companies, a police report will protect a vehicle owner so that the workshop and tow-truck company are on record.
Regarding insurance claims, many will not be able to claim from insurance companies if they do not have specific coverage for flood damage. Such cover is not typically included in comprehensive insurance policies and is an optional add-on for an extra charge. In many cases, motorists regret not doing so and then make sure they add it but unfortunately, the damage is already done this time. So do give serious thought to this additional coverage. It used to be thought that living on the west coast is fairly safe as the major floods are on the East Coast but with climate change and other new conditions, it appears that even the west coast is likely to see flooding in future.
Standard insurance coverage does not cover floods and motorists can add on such coverage (including windscreen damage) for an extra charge.
ETIQA waives police report requirement
With any insurance claim, a police report is required to confirm damage and other details which the police will investigate. The same applies to claims for flood damage repairs. However, for motorists who have ETIQA as their insurance company and have Special Peril coverage (which includes floods) with their insurance policy, the police report requirement is not necessary. The owner should take pictures of the vehicle at the scene of flooding and the numberplate must be visible.
This waiver came into effect from December 18, 2021 and will remain effective until further notice. So that’s one less headache if you are an ETIQA policyholder but it is only for those affected by floods.
Allianz goes to affected areas
As for other companies, many have assured their policyholders that they will process claims as fast as possible. Allianz, for example, has positioned Allianz-branded 4x4s and a team of adjusters on stand-by in Selangor and Pahang to attend to customers promptly. The 4x4s and Claims Caravan will be routinely deployed to other locations in other affected states to enable a swift and seamless claims process.
A Ford Ranger used by the Allianz team enables personnel to reach many areas in affected states to help process claims faster.
While most will think motorists with passenger cars suffering flood damage, commercial vehicles are also affected. Perhaps the bigger ones might not be damaged but there will be many vans and lorries at depots which are likely to have been flooded. They will need repairs too and being important in the logistics industry, they need to be back in operation as quickly as possible so that much-needed food and other items to help victims can be transported.
Keeping transportation industry moving
“The transportation industry is essential and among the more vital economic activities for a business; having a single vehicle off the road for a period of time would cause some sizeable impact,“ said Arman Mahadi, Managing Director of the Daihatsu Malaysia Group which sells a large number of commercial vehicles.
For this reason, the company has initiated the Daihatsu Flood Relief Program which aims to increase fleet uptime in running an efficient operation and ensuring business remains profitable. “The company is deeply saddened and concerned over the well-being of those hit by the disaster. Therefore, we have a business operation recovery process specifically for our Daihatsu owners and corporate fleet customers,“ he said.
Available to all owners of Daihatsu vehicles affected and damaged by the floods, the Daihatsu Flood Relief Program started on December 22 and will be on till February 28, 2022. Available at all authorized Daihatsu service centres nationwide, owners can get a Towing Service Subsidy of up to RM100, up to 40% off selected spare parts with a 1-year /20,000-km warranty (whichever comes first), 20% off on labour services and free vehicle inspection and Door-to-door Daihatsu Mobile Service. Some terms and conditions apply, and the Mobile Service team is subject to availability and location.
No one wants to have an accident but sometimes it is unavoidable, and even if you are not seriously injured, your vehicle is likely to be damaged. After getting over the initial shock comes the part of having to negotiate and make on-the-spot decisions as numerous touts and tow-truck operators suddenly appear around you. And then there’s the process of making a police report and then an insurance claim.
Each day, many motorists go through such experiences and in order to reduce the stresses, diligently choosing the right motor insurance coverage and company is important. It can make all the difference, especially as many insurance companies offer value-added services as well. No longer do you just get coverage for loss or damage but additional benefits as well.
According to Allianz Malaysia Berhad’s CEO, Zakri Khir, the solution lies with car owners being diligent in understanding the importance of comprehensive insurance coverage and choosing services that resonate best with their needs.
“Anyone who has been in a motor accident will tell you what a painful experience it can be when it comes to settling claims and getting repair works done on time. Should things turn sour, more often than not, insurers are pegged as the bad guy, seemingly profiting from another’s misfortune,” he said.
“However, what most fail to see is that accidents are a litmus test for us insurers and the promise we sell to our customers that we will be there for them in their times of need. Not delivering on those promises is a cardinal sin. The onus is on the insurer to honour its promise to its customers and at Allianz Malaysia, we are about doing things right by you, providing the services that you need at the times that you need them the most,” Encik Zakri said.
“No one ever thinks about accidents when renewing their insurance and road tax. Moreover, you want it to be the quickest transaction, so you can legally drive again. But the reality is accidents happen when we least expect them. So it is important to understand how good motor insurance and the services offered by an insurer can help you in these circumstances. Opting for the bare minimum is never the answer because you are inadvertently depriving yourself of the adequate protection you deserve,” advised Damian Williams, Head of Claims at Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad.
Although the Movement Control Orders (MCO) saw fewer vehicles on the road last year, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) reported that there were 418,237 road accidents reported in 2020. The Allianz Road Rangers, the company’s free accident assistance service for its customers, provided roadside assistance to 67,000 customers nationwide in 2020, with an average response time of 30 minutes for tow-truck services in the Klang Valley.
Launched in the Klang Valley in 2017 and available nationwide since 2018, the Allianz Road Rangers service includes 24-Hours Helpline Assistance; the Allianz Road Ranger fleet (First Response Bike Brigade and Allianz Tow Truck; Claims Concierge Service; e-hailing Voucher; Claims Express Approval, and Vehicle Delivery. To date, the fleet has 190 vehicles, with 30 motorcycles as well.
The Allianz Road Ranger fleets includes motorcycles so initial assistance can be provided before thw tow-truck arrives.
Last year, in a move to enforce transparency and improve its customer journey experience, Allianz General revamped its panel of Authorised Repairers to consist of PIAM Approved Repairers Scheme workshops, via an e-tender. While the move had a ripple effect, the company now has 195 panel workshops nationwide. Besides that, the company also offers a 2-year warranty for repair work carried out (including the spare parts used) on vehicles involved in accidents.
Stopping motor claim fraud
Encik Zakri also revealed that motor claims have become a billion-ringgit scam in Malaysia. Citing an ecosystem that breeds fraud and corruption as one of its main reasons, there is a strong call for better awareness and he issued a ‘call to arms’ for other industry players to play their role in stopping corrupt practices.
“There are many parties that monetise motor claims to their own benefit under a cloud of lack of clarity and mystery surrounding the whole motor claims process that most customers are not wise to it. This gets magnified when customers do not know their rights as consumers – that your insurer is there to serve your needs, not the other way round,” said Encik Zakri.
In developing the Allianz Road Rangers service and its touchpoints, the focus was on serving customers and minimising fraud. “We knew we had to buck up to remove any element or opportunity for fraud and pay out genuine claims. Our customers must know that we will not partake nor condone any devious activity. The entire Allianz Road Rangers journey from the accident assistance service to claims, vehicle repairs, and the selection of workshop repairers is our way of having a structured delivery of service that is visible to our customers,” he said.
