The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Thursday notified new rules on reporting road accidents for faster settlement of accident insurance claims. They also lay down timelines within which investigations have to be completed and submitted to the claims tribunal. According to the notification, immediately on receipt of information of a road accident, the investigating officer police shall inspect the site, take photographs of the scene of the accident and the vehicle(s) involved and prepare a site plan. Within 48 hours of the accident, the IO will have to intimate the claim’s tribunal about it. Victims and their legal representatives will have to be informed about their rights and the flowchart of the settlement scheme within 10 days of the accident.
The IO will have to submit the interim accident report to the claims tribunal within 50 days. He will have to complete the criminal investigation and file the report before the criminal court concerned within 60 days. The IO will have to complete the verification of the information and documents and submit the detailed accident report (DAR) to the tribunal within 90 days. Within this time-frame, it will have to submit a DAR to the insurance company which will have to carry out the verification and submit its report within 30 days.
