Insurers await claims report from Bristow helicopters

Chuks Udo Okonta

Bristow Helicopters, owners of the Sikosky 76 helicopter that crashed into the lagoon in Lagos is yet to present claims reports to the insurance companies that insured the aircraft, Inspen has learnt.

The Managing Director Scib  Nigeria Company Limited Sola Tinubu, said this in an interview with Inspen, adding that the insurers are still awaiting the reports which will enable them commence work on settlement of the claims.

He noted that the delay in the filing of the report may be attributed to the company quest to ascertain the cause of the crash and put in place necessary measures to forestall future occurrence.

He noted that claims payment is not the first priority at times like this, stressing that the parties will be concerned about the human interest which has to do with staying with the victims families as they mourn the dead.

Meanwhile, the President of Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) Ayodapo Shoderu, while commiserating with the families of the crash victims, called on the  leadership of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to urgently put in place measures to forestall air crashes in the country.

"We commiserate with the families of the victims and pray that God will give them fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. It is of grave concern to us not only because we are humane, but also that we are into business of risk taking. We are using this medium to beckon on the leadership of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), as a matter of urgency to ensure that crashes of air craft in Nigeria becomes a thing of the past. 

"They should also ensure that no Airline Operator is allowed to operate without adequate insurance cover. Adequate insurance will guarantee, that in case of any unfortunate incident, the bereaved families will have something to fall back on. 

"On our part as Insurance Brokers, we have taken our awareness campaign to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON). I like to report to you that we have had meeting with the representative of the Association and a further meeting is to be rescheduled for a later date, not only with AON, but also other professional bodies in the Aviation Industry, to ensure that the mechanism of risk taking provided by law is strictly adhered, to avoid double tragedy for the families of victims. 

"For the umpteenth time, we are using this medium to call on government to also throw its federal might behind the entrenchment of insurance policies not only in Aviation Industry but all other sectors," he said.