General Liberia News: MOTORCYCLISTS DESCEND ON INSURANCE COMPANIES

By Jamesetta D Williams

Monrovia-Motorcyclists in Monrovia and its environs are still reeling from the harsh reality of the regulations placed on them by the Liberia National Police late last month, restricting them from accessing central Monrovia in the absence of meeting the conditions laid down.

One of the conditions set before motorcyclists that they should insure their bikes appears to be hitting hard rock due to Insurance companies’ alleged failure to do business with them.

In an interview with this paper at the weekend at ELWA Junction, some motorcyclists expressed disdain at the decision to compel them insure their bikes.

They complained of serious embarrassment being faced with insurance companies, who they claimed are issuing fake documents.

Motorcyclist David Richard said going through the process of acquiring insurance documents continue to prove too difficult, as he has to visit three different insurance companies prior to the restrictions process regime coming into force.

“We were told that there is no registration for commercial motorcycles; thus I had to disguise myself as private motorcyclist,” David said, to enable him access the streets.

Adding his voice to David’s assertion, Moses Dukuly claimed that Insurance companies don’t pay attention to them under what he termed “third party process.”

He said: “If your motorcycle is insured through a third party arrangement, it indicates that the motorcyclist is on his own in case of disaster, and with such condition, he is obliged to go through the process just to keep hustling.”

Narrating his ordeal also, rider Jacob F. Powoe alleged that most of the insurance companies are indulged into acts of corruption by giving motorcyclists “fake stickers and fake documents after paying US$75.00 to obtain insurance documents.”

“With this, insurance companies will scan the insurance stickers,” he exclaimed, and stressed that going through the insurance process is very difficult.

Despite going through the process, he said police officers are still embarrassing motorcyclists.

For his part, Powoe Clearfield buttressed David’s claims that they are enduing a very serious experience at the hands of insurance companies who he alleged are carrying on corruption, though he did not elaborate on his assertion. Clearfield further said that he for sees disaster with the entire process because “there is no concern from insurance companies.”

According to most motorcyclists, insurance companies continue to refuse to insure their motorcyclists because of the reckless way of driving which often leads to daily accidents. They are calling on the motorcyclists union to intervene in the situation.