Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend U.Ismaylova / Interview with the Chief of the State Insurance Control Department of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Finance, Namig Khalilov.
- Such cases have taken place whereby the car has been registered to the name of the owner and the insurance company has concluded the contract with him/her, but during the insurance case, the insurer refuses to compensate for the damage under the pretext that he/she has not been described in the insurance agreement as the driver of his/her car. Can you comment on such a situation?
- Unfortunately, the cases mentioned by you are numerous. Currently several insurance companies are taking such steps in order to refuse, without any grounds, to make insurance payment to the insurant. The insurance contract includes a condition that the insurance compensation will be made if, at the time of the accident the car is driven by the owner who has been described in the insurance contract. Principally this is a normal approach and is practiced not only in Azerbaijan, but all over the world.
Another case: in the normal insurance practice, the insurant himself, who is the owner of the insured car, practically is the driver who has been accepted to drive the car. Several unfair insurance companies in Azerbaijan have drawn up this fraudulent scheme in that when signing the insurance agreement the insurance company employee asks the applicant who would be driving the automobile as well? The employee then insists that names be added to the insurance agreement. However, the citizen does not state his own name, presuming that he has the automatic right to drive his vehicle. Using that loophole, the insurance company then refuses to pay him for any damages incurred.
- How does the State insurance supervision Department struggle against such unfair actions by insurance companies?
- After receiving complaints concerning the case we do our best within the framework of the legislation to protect the rights of citizens by unfair insurance companies. However, we are not successful in all cases as the citizens themselves sign the insurance documents without reading it.
- What advice can you give to our citizens to avoid such cases?
- First of all they should be attentive and familiarize themselves with the conditions stated in the insurance agreement. Secondly, they should be sure that their names have been included in the list. If you do become a victim, inform everyone about the company to avoid it happening to other clients.