NZI’s emergency hotline for truck accidents is being welcomed by the transport industry.
NZI has launched a one-stop shop when it comes to clearing up truck crashes.
A call to the NZI Crash Scene Assistance number (0800 11 11 08) mobilises a team of local experts to recover the vehicle and handle any road clean-up, environmental issues, and driver support that’s needed.
One of the procedures that NZI has introduced is using catch-bag technology to right a truck that may have tipped or rolled during an accident.
In a demonstration held at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek, NZI’s commercial motor vehicle team showed how the portable air bags are blown up to then support the truck as it is returned to its wheels.
General manager of Orion Haulage Greg Crawford had used the service for his trucks and welcomed the use of airbags which could save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"The time for repairs is lengthening now, you'll be lucky to get a unit back on the road in under 10 to 12 weeks after a crash."
Crawford said it was critical to get the trucks back on their wheels and recovered from the scene with no further damage.
"The airbag basically minimises the damage to the vehicle when it’s being righted as the bounce factor provides a softer landing during a rollover.”
NZI’s national portfolio manager, commercial motor, Ian Taylor and his team wanted to simulate what happened after a truck accident, including the emergency team’s initial response.
“These are scenes which you are unlikely to be able to observe unless you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a crash,” he said.
“Our aim was to help our broker partners understand the added value we can bring at what can be one of the most challenging moments of their client’s life.”
And Taylor said while NZI put emphasis on improving the customer’s experience, it should be no secret that plenty of money could also be saved.
“Such savings eventually reflect in the premiums customers need to pay for future renewals.”
He said trucks were over-represented in serious crashes due to their large mass, but often it was not a truck driver at fault.
“These crashes can be hugely traumatic for them because of the damage they can do with their vehicle.”
According to Taylor, the right assistance is crucial so the driver doesn’t have to worry about anything except getting the emotional support that’s often needed.
“It’s important brokers make sure their clients are aware of this service and get that hotline number added to their and their clients’ phones.”
Taylor said the involvement of the right people and equipment immediately after an accident could make these situations far less stressful.
