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+--- Thread: Jamaican auto insurance (/showthread.php?tid=101328)
Jamaican auto insurance - Flintstone - 02-28-2016
Here in Canada we are required to purchase insurance on any vehicle used on public roadways. It varies from province to province, but at a minimum we must have 3rd party liability to cover damages to another persons property, even our ATV's must have this in case we hit something or someone. If someone is not insured due to impairment or disqualified from driving we have insurance coverage for the injured but not the vehicle. Does Jamaica have similar insurance? Reason I ask is there have been some bad bike accidents lately and i was wondering if people are covered for medical costs and income replacement / rehab. / phisio. ect.? While we were there this year we got to know our plummer as he repaired our cabin. We chatted, had a beer together, he told us he has 5 children, we passed along some toys and sweets for the kids. Well about 5 days later we heard that Patrick the plummer was killed in a road accident involving 2 motorcycles that each carried 2 people. 3 of the 4 died and the 4 th a woman broke her leg. All our neighbours and the staff were shocked as we were. So I wonder if insurance is there for the victims family? What about the surviving person do they get disability benefits? Will the man from Ottawa who was killed by a bike while walking with his wife receive compensation to his heirs? Just curious...
RE: Jamaican auto insurance - oldtimer - 02-28-2016
probably not . It is very doubtful that there is insurance on any bike with the exception of rented bikes . They don't have licenses , they don't wear helmuts , they have up to 3-4 on bikes so I can't see where insurance would fit in .
RE: Jamaican auto insurance - CardBoardBox - 02-28-2016
Flintstone; this is unimportant but, was Patric in Canada or on the island? Sad event.
While in Negril, I've seen dads and 3 youth on a motorcycle; I always wish I had a camera just for my own album. Amazing feat. Practical but dumb.
I assumed motorcycles on the island had insurance (although not the right type for bike taxis) and they would be the checked at those roadside police check points. But I was informed otherwise when a friend told me her friend was walking just recently and got hit by a swerving motorcycle, resulting in a broken leg. (She also said it was unusual in that the driver helped the injured get a taxi to the hospital in Sav.) The costs involved must be paid for by the injured in this case.
Tangent; I've never had to deal with insurance for an accident. I carry 100k/300k libility just in case. What people tend to miss is only having the minimum "Uninsured / Underinsured" coverage of 5K or 15K. A "hit and run" accident means if you were in your car, your medical treatment is paid for by your insurance company up to the limits of that Uninsured coverage.
I could try to make the above paragraph more understandable, but I hope you all understand the basics. Upping the U/U coverage is not that expensive.
RE: Jamaican auto insurance - rastagirl777 - 02-29-2016
All vehicles, including motorcycles are required to have insurance and a fitness sticker indicating they have had a fitness inspection. If stopped at a road block those pieces of paper plus a driver's license must be produced or the vehicle can be impounded.
Sure. Now does anyone want to venture a guess about enforcement of such and just about how many vehicles in Negril are in compliance?
RE: Jamaican auto insurance - Flintstone - 02-29-2016
Card board box , Patrick was in Jamaica, he worked at the hotel we stayed at. I know in my province people are insured if struck by a moving vehicle whether or not it was legally in use at the time. However if you do not have a job or are on lay off they may refuse to give you income benifets. On another topic I was surprised how affordable auto insurance is in Jamaica. A 2013 import with air conditioning pw etc. insurance about 70,000 jmd /year my 2004 vibe costs $1100.00 cnd./year which equals about 90,000 jmd for a much older and less valuable car. We also have something called no fault so that we cannot sue each other for injuries (everyone is paid from a meat chart). We can still be sued by someone from another province or the states and that is where the UU motorist coverage kicks in. I am not a fan of our system having been through it in a motorcycle accident just months after the laws here changed forbidding us to sue the responsible party. My heart goes out to the Jamaicans that have a hard enough life as it is and then if hit by a bike have to pay for their meds and treatment while unable to work. One would think that being a former British colony (like Canada was) that the tort law system would be in place to ensure the safety of its loyal subjects.