Newsroom
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NTSB & Tourist Bus Accidents
NTSB Study Spotlights Dangers of Discount Tourist Bus Services A recent NTSB study found that the fatal bus accident rate for discount intercity carriers is seven times higher than the rate for conventional bus operations. February 05, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ --
NTSB Study Spotlights Dangers of Discount Tourist Bus Services Last year's horrific fatal bus crash in the Bronx that killed 15 passengers returning to New York City from a Connecticut casino struck fear into the hearts of bus commuters throughout New Jersey, New York and nationwide. Passengers who ride from urban centers to Atlantic City, Niagara Falls and other regional destinations for recreational outings have every right to expect the same safe travel that every bus company is required to provide.
A recent study released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the fatal bus accident rate for discount intercity carriers is alarmingly higher than the rate for conventional bus operations. The investigation was intended to define curbside bus companies as a distinct sector of the interstate motorcoach carrier industry, compare relative safety records, and evaluate existing federal safety oversight of these companies.
The NTSB defined curbside motorcoach operations as interstate bus companies that conduct scheduled trips between cities and serve passengers at locations other than bus terminals. For the most part, these operations pick up passengers at a series of advertised locations and bring them to destinations such as casinos and other attractions. Among the study's key findings: -Curbside carriers with ten buses or less, as well as companies that have operated for less than a decade, have both higher bus accident rates and higher violation rates during roadside inspections. -The six-year fatal accident rate for curbside carriers leading up to March 2011 (the date of the Bronx fatal bus crash) was seven times the rate of terminal-based bus operations. -The curbside nature of these operations reduces the chance that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) can detect and enforce safety violations. -The FMCSA does not have adequate resources to ensure compliance with federal regulations due to a ratio of 1.15 investigators for every 1,000 motor carriers nationwide. -Bus driver fatigue, which is found to cause many bus accidents, is an ongoing safety concern. -The FMCSA needs broader authority to regulate the online ticket brokers that most curbside operators use. When a tourist or charter bus outing leads to a personal injury or wrongful death, federal regulations are the last thing on the minds of passengers or surviving family members. The path to meaningful justice for those harmed by bus company negligence can be explained by a New Jersey motor vehicle accident attorney.
Article provided by Aiello, Harris, Marth, Tunnero, Pastor & Schiffman, P.C.
Posted on: 05/02/2012 -
Centricity Saves Client $1.5m
In 2011 Centricity were asked by a client to investigate a life insurance claim where the alleged death had occurred in Iraq. The insured had been working and residing in Australia for several years and had returned to his homeland where he had apparently fallen ill, was hospitalised and later, after discharge, subsequently died. Younger than 30, the sudden death seemed out of character given his previous clean medical record.
Centricity liaised with our investigators in Baghdad and following an extensive investigation we were able to establish all documents presented by the beneficiaries in support of the life insurance claim had been fabricated.
The reports manufactured for the purpose of the claim included the autopsy and forensic medical examiners reports as well as the death certificate and other related documentation.
This evidence was presented to our client enabling them to make an informed decision on the claim.
This further typifies the reach, coverage and expertise offered by Centricity, worldwide.
Posted on: 29/01/2012 -
Dengue Fever in Bali
On a recent trip to Bali last week we met with a number of locals and spoke with several ex-pats residing there. There is currently a high incidence of Dengue Fever due to the rain and humidity in the region at present and one individual has been in hospital for the past 10 days while recovering.
Care should be taken while in the country and be sure to drink only bottled water.
Posted on: 29/01/2012 -
Terror threat issued for Thailand
Travel alert by: From correspondents in Bangkok From: AAP January 14, 2012 1:27pm
AUSTRALIA has not altered its travel warnings for Thailand in response to warnings by US authorities about the increased chances of terrorist attacks in Bangkok.
The United States today warned of a terrorist threat against tourists "in the near future" in the Thai capital.
This followed an announcement by Thai authorities that they had detained a Lebanese man with suspected links to the Hezbollah militant group.
"Foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future," the US embassy in Bangkok says in an emergency message posted on its website.
"US citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok."
A Thai senior intelligence officer who did not want to be named told AFP that Israel had warned the kingdom last month of a possible threat.
Posted on: 15/01/2012
The suspect was detained on Thursday while the other man had already fled the country, he said.
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told AFP by telephone that the detained suspect was being questioned by the Thai authorities.
"We already have one suspect in custody for interrogation at a government building in Bangkok. He is a Hezbollah from Lebanon," he said.
"I want to assure people that there is nothing to worry about. The police will take care of the situation and everything will be under control."
A spokeswoman for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said its travel advice for Thailand already advises Australians to "exercise a high degree of caution" because of the threat of terrorist attack.
This applied particularly in the provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, where tourists were advised not to travel.
She said the overall level of travel advice for Thailand had not changed as a result of the US warning.
"We encourage all Australians in Thailand to read and subscribe to the travel advice and to register their details though on smartraveller.gov.au," she said.
The warning is another blow to Thailand's tourist-friendly image, which was badly dented last year by devastating flooding across much of the country, as well as rounds of rival political protests in recent years.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said that authorities in the kingdom had the current situation under control.
"I would like to tell our people and tourists that there is nothing to worry about," she said. -
Phuket Accident Statistics
Overall figures for the first four days of the 2011-2012 campaign show 52 accidents resulting in six deaths and 55 serious injuries requiring hospital admittance.
Posted on: 02/01/2012
The figures more than doubled those of the first four days of last year’s campaign, when three died and 20 were seriously injured in 20 accidents.
However, the total percentage of accidents attributed to drunk driving was down significantly, from 34.6% last year to 15.5% this year, according to DDPM-Phuket figures.
The police effort to stem the carnage by setting up a network of over 50 checkpoints resulted in 32,882 vehicles being pulled over for inspection during the first four days. Of these, 2,376 drivers were charged with violations.
The most common offense was failure to produce a valid license (1,267 people charged), followed by:
-failure to wear a safety helmet, 872 charged
-failure to wear a safety belt, 159 charged
-unroadworthy motorbike, 20 charged
-drunk driving, 17 charged
-driving while talking on a mobile phone, 17 charged
-failure to observe checkpoint police commands; overtaking, 12 charged
-backing up at police checkpoint, 6 charged
-failure to observe traffic signals at a police checkpoint, 6 charged -
Centricity Expands CM Team
Centricity is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Jim Drake who will head up our new Conversation Management Program which is already achieving significant savings for our clients.
Mr Drake has an extensive background in insurance claims and conversation management having recently worked with First Assist in the UK as a Technical Claims Evaluator. Jim has been the CM team leader with the First Assist CM team and his exceptional experience in working with Travel, Creditor, Personal Accident, Life and Health Insurance policies and applying both CM and investigative skills to the claims will add substantial value to our program.
Jim will take up his position with Centricity in the first week in January and he will be available to answer any of your queries so please feel free to email him on jdrake@centricityci.com or call +61 7 5446 1100.
Posted on: 23/12/2011 -
Thailand - Take care
Thailand recorded 83,261 traffic accidents last year, including 7,468 fatalities, it was stressed by Asif Ahmad, British Ambassador to the Kingdom.
Ko Samui alone reported that seven British nationals were killed in motorbike accidents, Ahmad added. So far this year, 17 British nationals have died in traffic accidents and a further 36 have been seriously injured. He noted that 70 percent of serious traffic accidents involved motorbikes.
The ambassador warned that hospital bills arising from such accidents could be very high, and that many factors could invalidate any insurance cover. For example, he said, the vehicle’s engine size, failure to wear a crash helmet and use of alcohol or drugs
Posted on: 12/12/2011 -
ITIC Portugal
The Centricity Team recently attended the International Travel Insurance Conference in Portugal and as usual, it was an outstanding event attended by more than 500 delegates from around the world. There were a number of excellent presentations during the four day conference adding further value to the knowledge and scope of Centricity's international services.
It was also great to catch up with fellow delegates from Australia and New Zealand and discuss the emerging trends in the local region.
Posted on: 30/11/2011 -
Association of British Insurers
The ABI reports the cost of falling ill abroad continues to rise and have hit a record high, as travel insurers helped a record number of people needing emergency medical treatment while overseas.
ABI figures reveal that last year travel insurers:
- Paid out £275 million in meeting the cost of emergency medical treatments for UK travellers who fell ill abroad – or £5.3 million every week. The cost of medical expenses claims has leapt by over 270% in the last six years.
- Dealt with 337,000 claims for overseas emergency medical treatment – almost 6,500 cases a week. This number rose threefold over the last six years.
- The costs of medical treatment accounts for 55% of the total cost of all claims paid by travel insurers, compared to 33% six years ago.
Stomach upsets, ear infections, allergies and heart problems are the most common illnesses requiring medical treatment while abroad.
Claims dealt with by insurers include:
- £86,000 to cover the cost of treating a holidaymaker who suffered a massive heart attack and needed to be flown home via air ambulance to the UK.
- £54,000 to treat a holidaymaker who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while holidaying in the USA and then needed to be flown back to the UK with a Doctor escort.
- £20,000 to cover the cost of treating a man who had a heart infection and bleeding on the brain. Costs included treatment at two hospitals and an air ambulance back to the UK from Spain.
- £11,000 to treat a holidaymaker who suffered a broken arm after a fall in Spain.
Nick Starling, the ABI's Director of General Insurance and Health, said:
"The biggest cost if something goes wrong on your holiday will not be a lost passport, delayed flight or stolen camera: it will be the medical treatment that may be needed if you, or someone in your family, gets hurt or falls ill. Medical costs abroad can run into tens of thousands of pounds which make travel insurance absolutely essential.
You must disclose all previous medical conditions to make sure you are covered. Call your insurer to talk it through if you are not sure. All travellers should ensure that they take details of emergency medical helpline telephone numbers included in their travel policy to call for advice and help should they fall ill."
Posted on: 30/11/2011 -
World Tourism
The world tourism organisation predicts that the top three destinations for travel by 2020 will be:
- Europe (717 million tourists)
- East Asia and the Pacific (397 million) and
- The Americas (282 million) followed by
- Africa, the Middle East and South Asia
The latest statistics available as of June 22, 2009 from the UStiA showed that in 2008 nearly 120 million people insured against travel-related loss with trip cancellation-interruption representing 90% of coverage.
Americans spent nearly $1.6 billion on travel insurance in 2008, reflecting a steady growth in sales of some 13% over the last two years, according to the US Travel Insurance Association's new Travel Insurance Market Survey for 2006-2008.
Posted on: 30/11/2011 -
Police Reports - Romania
There have been instances in Romania involving claims for theft and loss of property as well as armed robbery. When the insured's have returned home to lodge their claim, they have not been able to produce a Police report. Our investigators in Romania have confirmed that it is standard procedure for the Police to taken a report but they DO NOT provide copies of the report to the complainant and this makes the verification of losses more difficult. When these instances occur our resources in Romania have been able to conduct inquiries to verbally establish the authenticity of the report and circumstances.
Posted on: 30/11/2011 -
Affidavit -V- Police Reports in Nigeria
Travel claim departments should be aware of claims which include the Affidavit filed several days before the Police Report. Many claims involving stolen property or armed robbery (usually on major arterials) emanating out of Nigeria are more often than not accompanied by an Affidavit and also a Police report. Centricity has investigated countless cases, all with similar Modus Operandi and it is important to note the following.
When an insured attends the court in Nigeria to report an offence or an incident, in essence the insured provides a statement of alleged facts relating to the loss or robbery and the court then prepares that statement in an Affidavit format. From there the insured takes the Affidavit to the Police station as an "attestation" of the said event and from the Affidavit, the police log that into their FIR or the First Incident Report. The Police are obliged to enter the incident based on the Affidavit produced by the insured, however as we have discovered this does not in any way prove the incident occurred.
Posted on: 25/11/2011 -
Conversation Management
Coolum Beach - 2011-12-01
Centricity has launched Australia's first Conversation Management program in conjunction with our UK partner, I-COG Claims Management from the UK. Managing Director Tara Shelton has been working closely with Centricity to implement this program here in Australia bringing the knowledge and expertise that has made them one of the leaders in this space in the UK.
Tara presented to key insurers at a breakfast launch in Sydney on November 25 and she has just completed an intensive in-house training program with our claims team at our call centre in Coolum.
The course covered all facets of conversation management, interviwing techniques and methodologies which will assist our clients immensely in fast tracking legitimate claims while identifying medium and high risk cases requiring further investigation.
Our newest and most experienced claim handlers were full of praise for the Tara and the course content with the real beneficiaries will be those clients already committed to this program.
For more information on Conversation Management for your claims team, please call Phil Peart at Centricity:
Tel: +61 7 5446 1100 / Mob: 0418 88 4950 or Email: ppeart@centricityci.com
Posted on: 30/11/2011 -
Fake Death Claim in Bangladesh
Centricity is seeing more and more fake documents and forged medical and property receipts emanating from India, Pakistan and Nigeria. With the emergence free software programs and access to global medical facility websites, the incidence of forged and fabricated documents continues to rise.
Our agents in Bangladesh investigated an insurance claim relating to the death benefit of the policy holder who had been residing in Norway and was allegedly killed in a motor vehicle accident in Bangladesh. Our agent in Dhaka investigated the claim in July this year and ascertained the death certificate and other documentation had been forged and in fact there was no evidence the insured was deceased.
Posted on: 30/11/2011 -
More Accidents in Croatia
In 2005, Croatia had 10 million tourist visitors, and in 2008 11.26 million tourists and as a consequence, we are seeing more and more incidents of serious accidents and even fatalities in Croatia and the Adriatic. In 2010 and 2011 Centricity investigated a number of incidents the region and more recently during the northern European summer, have investigated further occurrences.
Local websites and newspapers have highlighted an alarming number of accidents including:
- Aug 2011 – Four Tourists injured in Bus Accident
- Aug 2011 – 20 year old Perth woman seriously injured after falling down a cliff
- June 2011 – An Australian man died after falling down 10 metre abyss in a pine forest
- June 2011 – Austrian Tourist sustained broken neck after falling from his bicycle
- Sept 2010 – Two Polish tourists killed with their scuba tank exploded
- Aug 2010 – 25 year old backpacker from Western Australian seriously injured after cliff fall
- Aug 2010 – Ukrainian Tourist slipped and fell to his death at the site of ancient fortress
- Aug 2010 – Australian Tourist Tania Hearnden seriously injured after falling from cliff face
- Sept 2008 – 14 Tourists killed in bus accident in Croatia.
Posted on: 24/11/2011 -
Carousel Scam
Centricity recently investigated a large organised travel claim scam perpetrated by a brother and sister from the Gold Coast.
More concerning was that the claims had been investigated this year by another investigation company who had cleared the claims as legitimate when in fact the pair had been pulling the same scam for a number of years across multiple insurers. This is another example of how dedicated travel insurance database was able to connect claims, locations and other intelligence to assist insurers in identifying and recovering against the insureds.
Centricity made extensive inquiries here in Australia and overseas, including personal visits to Bali and following a detailed claim analysis and subsequent interviews both insured’s agreed to withdraw and repay in excess of $70,000 in claims.
Centricity worked with four major insurers on the case and there are further inquiries pending.
Posted on: 25/11/2011
