Unofficial fees<\/p>\n
I have recently had to suffer through a time without a car as
\nmine was stolen and I found it difficult to obtain money from the
\ninsurance company. This was not their fault so much as that of
\nthe police.<\/p>\n
Somehow, in October\/November 1984, the Insurance Council of
\nIndonesia agreed to implement a regulation written by the
\nregional police chief of Greater Jakarta and its surrounds,
\nstating that a letter, which has now come to be called Letter of
\nInformation, had to be obtained from the police chief of Jakarta
\nMetropolitan City when reporting a vehicle theft.<\/p>\n
This regulation has now been adopted by all the regional
\npolice offices in Indonesia. A copy of it is produced by
\ninsurance companies to car owners when they protest, quite
\nrightly, at having to produce an unnecessary piece of paper at a
\ncost in "unofficial" expenses that can amount to ten percent of
\nthe claim value.<\/p>\n
The letter is completely unnecessary because the only thing
\nthe police station needs or can quite rightly demand is a letter
\nsigned by the original owner stating that they, the police, may
\nrelease the vehicle that they have recovered, to the insurance
\ncompany as the insurance company have paid the original car
\nowner's claim. This is called subrogation and is a normal part of
\nthe insurance business. No other document is needed nor can be
\ndemanded, no matter how the law of property is interpreted.<\/p>\n
I am unable to understand why the Insurance Council allowed
\nthe police to interfere in the insurance business in this way but
\nI have written to them requesting that they tell the police that
\nthey, the insurance companies, will run their own business in
\nfuture and that they will produce the letter from the original
\ncar owner, and no other document.<\/p>\n
In obtaining the Letter of Information, I had to get 11 other
\npieces of paper from various police departments, for all of which
\nI had to pay the "unofficial" expenses. I was lucky in having a
\nfriend who was able to get everything for much less than ten
\npercent.<\/p>\n
I, as a foreigner, coming from a country where "unofficial"
\nexpenses are a rare occurrence and where the majority of the
\npeople would not allow them under any circumstances, have not
\ngiven up hope because my future is tied to this country.<\/p>\n
W. WALLER
\nBandung<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unofficial-fees-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}