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Chuks Udo Okonta
The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has reached out
to Nigerian Police for a robust synergy that would help foster relationship and drive the deepening of insurance awareness in the country.
The President of NCRIB, Rotimi Edu, made the appeal yesterday in Lagos, at the August Edition of NCRIB Members’ Evening sponsored by Leadway Assurance Limited, adding that the synergy would enable brokers and other insurance practitioners update the Police on happenings and workings in Nigerian insurance industry.
He told the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Abiodun Alabi, who was a special guest at the event and was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundenyi, that insurance practitioners, desired a robust relationship and collaboration so as to help the public mitigate their risks through insurance mechanism.
Edu said the collaboration would avail the practitioners the opportunity to update the police on the situation in insurance industry, stressing that it had been observed that some of the Police Officers do not know which insurance company is defunct and those that are still functional and that some don’t know which document is issued by touts at the local government offices and those issued by registered insurance brokers and underwriters.
“We know that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has a very good formation structure. We can latch on these formations through collaboration with the police to extend our awareness to the Police, to keep them abreast with the happenings in the industry; update them with the list of functional insurance companies that will help them in carrying out their duties. Insurance is also a security document. We would have wished the Commissioner of Police to be here himself because there are some information here we would have loved to share with him. But I know very well that as the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), you will take this message back to the Commissioner of Police.
“We will like to collaborate with the Police. We are aware that on daily basis the police carry out a brief parade before setting out for duties. We can utilize that period to send out people to various formations within the state to speak to the men and women of the Police Force on the developments in the insurance industry.
“During the brief talk, the Police can ask questions about insurance and through the responses they will get from insurance professionals, it will help broaden their knowledge of insurance.
“Secondly, it is about what the brokers or the underwriters faced when they go to the Police for Police report when there is a claim which is part of the required document by law, and when they see huge some of amount involved, because some of them do not know that the money is a premium paid to insurance companies by policyholders, and does not belong to insurance company or brokers. This is the area we want to collaborate with the police – to sensitize them on the working of insurance.
“Again, if you have a training programme in your various formations, we can also leverage on that to talk to your member. We are going to write to the Commissioner of Police officially on this. We will work hand in hand with the underwriters to set up a committee to handle this on our own side to facilitate the commencement of this initiative,” Edu submitted.
The NCRIB Boss appreciated the Lagos State Police Commissioner for gracing the event and pledged a continuous support for the Police to enable them undertake their work effectively.
PPRO Benjamin Hundenyi, educated participants at the event, tips on anti-kidnapping, as kidnapping has become a social malaise that has attained preposterous height in our country.
He implored them to be wary of vehicles they enter; places to visit; how to speak in public space; inform members of their families of their where about amongst other useful tips.
