By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
INSURANCE coverage for Filipinos injured in vehicular accidents must measure up to the cost of appropriate medical care, according to a newly filed bill supported by several members of the House of Representatives.
The proposed House Bill (HB) No. 10497, filed by Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee last month, seeks to expand the Philippine Insurance Code of 2012 by providing financial compensation for bodily injuries, fractures, and disablement caused by traffic accidents.
“A road crash accident entails injuries to the person and property. For this bill, the lens shall be focused on damage to persons… ensuring that road crash victims receive appropriate, immediate, and subsequent medical care,” the bill’s introductory note stated.
Mr. Lee stipulated in the bill that financial indemnity for hospitalization must range between P1,000 and P40,000, depending on the type of medical treatment required for the injuries sustained from the road mishap.
It also provides dismemberment and disabilities insurance coverage of up to P100,000 as well as cash indemnity for victims amounting to no less than P50,000.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) accident reporting system recorded around 92,853 road crashes annually over the past decade, with an annual average of 410 deaths.
“Among these fatalities, 51% are drivers, 36% are pedestrians, and 13% are passengers,” an MMDA statement released in May said. “These statistics emphasize the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures to protect all road users and reduce the number of preventable deaths.”
