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By Staff Writer
Ryce East Africa, the authorized dealer for Indian based manufacturer of motorcycles, Hero MotoCorp have Thursday rolled out a personal accident cover for motorcycle riders, the first such cover by a motorcycle manufacturer in the region.
The local manufacturer from its Nairobi-based assembly plant, will now include a personal accident cover with every sale of Hero motorcycles under the “Kuwa HERO wa familia Yako Campaign”, the first personal insurance cover for all motorcycle riders, however not covering corporate customers. Corporate customers will be included in the next phase.
Motorcycle riders will have a cover of up to Ksh 400,000 (USD 4,000) under which they will be covered for losses arising from death, permanent or temporary disability, injuries and medical treatment.
This cover is being given free of cost and lasts for one on every new motorcycle purchase from Ryce East Africa and its dealer network.
Hero MotoCorp’s Senior General Manager for Middle East and Africa Ranjan Shivadey said that this is the first ever support provided to this community and he believes that an insurance cover for riders is an absolute essential criterion to promote safety on the roads of Kenya.
Ryce East Africa managing director V.N. Srinivas said that the cover is a response to the growing economic importance of boda boda riders to the Kenyan economy who need protection from losses arising from accidents.
“Boda bodas are increasingly becoming the most preferred and used mode of transport in both urban and rural areas, while employing tens of thousands and contributing up to Ksh 400 million to the economy on a daily basis. This new product is designed to protect riders from financial losses arising from accidents,” said Srinivas.
Speaking during the launch in Nairobi, NTSA’s Samwel Musumba said that he will support one of the authority’s mandate of reducing losses to operators.
“We would like to commend Ryce and Hero Moto Corp for this new innovative offering which will ensure that there is a cushion for victims in the unfortunate event of an accident,” said Musumba.
The personal cover will be provided by CIC Insurance who have partnered with Ryce Motors East Africa to provide this scheme.
Ryce East Africa also distributes helmets, reflective jackets and other safety equipment to boda boda riders as part of the assembler’s corporate social responsibility initiatives. Besides Hero motorcycles Ryce also deals in Isuzu, Chevrolet brands and SDMO generators.