In view of the abolishing of the road tax, there will be an increased tendency to default on Insurance payments. I am proposing the following to be issued by the Insurance companies to be affixed to the windscreen replacing the road tax discs. It may require an adjustment to the law but we need to avoid lining up again at the Licensing authority wasting valuable productivity time just to be issued a disc of no monetary value to show insurance compliance.
The proposed samples labels are attached and I am proposing the following in its design:
- The labels be perforated and tamper proof so that they cannot be removed and transferred to another vehicle
- The colour of the labels indicate the year they expire and the large number in the center of the label is the month of expiry. Other details are in regular sized font
- Sample 1 is a red label with a 5 in the center. Red denotes 2018 expiry year and the number 5 denotes the month of May. From a distance without having to stop the vehicle to read the disc, any law enforcement officer can deduce that the insurance expired in May 2018
- Sample 2 is a green label with a 5 in the center. Green denotes 2019 expiry year and the number 5 denotes the month of May. This again can be easily read as expiring in May 2019 without having to stop the vehicle.
The above proposal will
- improve compliance of insurance
- improve the ease of enforcement by law enforcement officers
- Drastically reduce the long lines and congestion at the Licensing Authority
- Minimise loss of productivity time of persons wasting hours at the Licensing Authority
- Reduce the man power needs at the Licensing Authority
Data on reinsurance of vehicles can be shared by Insurance companies with the Licensing Authority to maintain an updated database of active vehicles on the road. This will allow the Licensing Authority to administer the issuing of numbers etc.
Dr. Abdul Mohamed
To whom it may concern,
there seems to be suggestions to the effect that even though we no longer have to pay a Road Tax, persons are stilled required to take their insurance certificates or cover notes, to MTW or BRA to receive a disc with a value of $0.00, to show that they have paid their insurance and are legal to drive on the road.
I would like to suggest that instead of having to spend time standing in line at MTW or BRA to present my valid insurance certificate, just to get a disc to stick on my windshield, that the General Insurance Association of Barbados (GIAB) could issue a colour codes sticker (each year have a different colour) which the insurance providers would give to the insured customers, the same time they issue the insurance certificate.
This will eliminate the time wasted standing in line to get a disc from MTW, and put the responsibility of going after persons who haven't paid their insurance squarely on those who benefit from the payment of insurance.
Regards
Peter L Farmer
Good Afternoon,
Just found out about this and let me start by saying I think this email is an excellent idea!!
The disc for to prove you have insurance should be colour coded by year and have big and bold in the center the letters of the expiration month. So if Red is 2018 it would be a big red circle and the letters SEP for September that way police can make an informed pull over from a distance. Then if 2019 is green and you see someone with a red one still you know that for a fact they are illegal.
Easy and simple. This should also be distributed by the insurance company, save the people having to go into the BRA and stand up all day. If the government needs to collect a fee, let the insurance charge the $25.00 and remit but be allowed to print these labels and then send detailed information to the BRA to fill and keep in their system.
Best regards,
Simon Parravicino
Good Morning,
As it relates to the removal of Road Tax for vehicles driving on the roads in Barbados and still having to go to BRA or BLA to have a free disc issued on payment of vehicle insurance.
I know this is in an evolving stage as how we go forward, I would like to suggest that the issue/burden of this disc falls at the insurance company and allow BRA and BLA to concentrate on collection of revenue. This would increase the efficiency of making payments at these institutes since the number of persons required to conduct business at these institutes will be less and will also save our government a substantial amount by not having to produce the said disc.
Best Regards,
Richard Johnson
Hi,
The idea of stickers indicating that vehicle insurance is paid up is a good one, and putting them in the mail is fine, but should be done only on request in case they get stolen. There is also the cost of organizing and mailing over 10k vehicle stickers monthly to be considered.
They should not be external to the vehicle, otherwise they could become illegible when they get dirty or stolen plates with the coveted stickers affixed could become a hot commodity, giving honest citizens and the police another problem to worry about.
The stickers should be colour-coded for the year, have the license number prominently displayed and should be affixed on the front windscreen from the inside. Temporary stickers could be grey.
Another crazy thought would be for the insurance companies to issue the stickers along with the cover note or insurance certificate. In reality, why would this be any different in principle from issuing those documents which the police and courts must rely on? The idea would require some thinking through, but it could be a way to make the system more efficient and less costly to government.
Also, given today's technology, there should be a way for the central database to be updated by the insurance companies by some form of data exchange/upload.
Regards,
David Brathwaite
The new law requires vehicle owners upon renewal of insurance policy to visit the Licensing Authority or any Barbados Revenue Authority office to be issued with a disc verifying insured period. Hired vehicle businesses seem to have been overlooked in the recent amendments to road tax.
Recommendations:
- Consideration should be given to making this a part of the insurance or re-insurance process instead of the individual having to visit two locations one of which is just to be given a disk. Only persons who are registering vehicles for the first time should have a need to visit the licensing authority.
- Hired vehicle businesses should be categorized as commercial vehicles and be expected to pay an annual fee for each vehicle they own.
Submitted by Keisha Griffith
Rather than go to BRA to show insurance, have the insurance industry administer proof of insurance stickers to be applied to each car\s wind screen.
Government would create the blank prenumbered forms. Different colour each year and a clearly visible month number. They would also have temporary 21 day versions.
This should be no more subject to fraud than the current system. A person could make an insurance certificate and take it to BRA/ If BRA does not like the form the person will not be charged with fraud, just sent away for another form. Currently you only need to provide you have proof of insurance for the day of renewal. If it expires next week there is no follow up. My suggestion would allow the police to see who has valid insurance much easier. If fraudulent forms appear I assume that police will watch for them in parking lots.
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