Tony Ng, AsiaOne

For some motorists, there can never be too many safety gadgets when it comes to protecting their precious set of wheels. For example, taxi driver Fam Ten Fong has installed video surveillance cameras in his vehicle to protect himself against fraudulent insurance claims and rising insurance premiums.

Mr. Fam, who has been driving a cab for five years, said the extra outlay of $300 is worth the peace of mind on the road as the video recorder acts as a “witness” for “his own safety” in the event of an accident.

“I can be going straight at a junction, with the lights in my favour, but if a car which is turning right crashes into mine, the insurance company can say I was partly liable for the accident”, he said, painting a scenario in which the recorded footage would come in handy.

However, very few taxis in Singapore are equipped with a camera said Mr. Fam, 59

Mr. Shawn Lim, underwriting manager of online insurance provider DirectAsia.com, said that in-car video-surveillance systems are a “new trend that more people have to get used to”.

The company recently introduced lower premiums for motorists who install such systems in their cars. It offers a 4 percent discount on policy premiums and discounted prices on digital video-camera systems by VisionDrive™, which retail from $248 to $438.

Mr. Lim said the discounts are part of the firm’s initiative to encourage safe driving amongst Singapore motorists.

In an accident, a surveillance system can determine which party is at fault and, therefore protect the insured party against false claims and a prolonged claim procedure, he explained.

Insurance firms decide the parties’ liabilities when contradictory statements are given. An innocent motorist may get penalised with a costlier premium renewal and lower no-claims discount.

For example, video evidence can ascertain who is at fault in cases of lane-changing accidents, when a car cuts into another’s path and causes an accident.

Mr. Lim said lane-changing cases may result in each party taking 50 per cent of the blame if the party at fault provides a statement that is different from what actually happened.

A video-surveillance system also shortens the entire claims procedure from the usual four months to the “moment the insurer receives the video evidence”.

Another benefit of video surveillance: self-policing.

Mr. Richard Ong, manager of automotive product distributor Eurohaus Imports, the firm that supplies VisionDrive™ cameras, said on-board cameras can record a car’s speed, so dangerous driving habits can be observed and curtailed.

Mr. Ivan Koh, sales director of parallel-car importer Vincar, said he supports the installation of such video-recording devices in vehicles. The recorded footage could prove to be “extremely useful for insurance claim and police reports”, he said.