28 September 2019, Singapore –In line with the Active Mobility Advisory Panel’s (AMAP) latest set of recommendations to include mandate for commercial PMD users to be protected with insurance coverage, AAS Insurance Agency (AAS-IA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Automobile Association of Singapore, launches a new commercial insurance policy for users of personal mobility devices (PMD).

The growing popularity of personal mobility devices in Singapore has led to more accidents observed on our roads. According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Transport (MOT), there were 228 reported accidents in 2017 and 2018 on public paths. Out of these accidents, 196 cases had reported injuries with one being fatal.
Since the launch of Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Report PAB/PMD function in its MyTransport.SG app on 31 July 2019, 270 reports had been filed by members of the public against errant PMD users in the month after. The safety of PMD users on roads continue to be an issue which must be tackled in order for Singapore to achieve its car-lite vision. We believe that the AMAP’s recommendations will help to improve and enhance the safety on our share paths.

Commercial PMD users, such as food delivery riders, are at a greater risk compared to personal PMD users due to their higher frequency and time spent on roads. Recognising a gap in the industry to protect these users, the Association consulted the LTA on the current issues and developed its very first commercial insurance policy for PMD users. This policy is an extension of the AA Personal Mobility Plus, jointly developed by AAS-IA and Liberty Insurance Singapore.

The AA Personal Mobility Plus (Commercial) covers the insured for a sum of up to S$100,000 in the event of an accidental death or permanent disability. Up to S$200,000 is provided for personal liability claims if the insured is legally liable for causing third party injury. The insured can also claim for medical expenses of up to S$2,000 (Conditions apply).

In a statement by Mr Bernard Tay, President of Automobile Association of Singapore, he said: “Personal mobility devices are a common sight on our road these days. These devices are easy to use and have the ability to achieve high speed within a short amount of time. Such capability makes it dangerous for other road users, especially pedestrians, who may not be able to escape an impending PMD on time. Even with the new speed regulations, PMD users continue to flout the rules. Having insurance coverage is one way to help mitigate the risks faced and we hope that by extending the AA Personal Mobility Plus (Commercial), we are able to provide better protection to all road users.”

Policyholders will be able to attend a PMD and Bicycle Safety Course conducted by AAS Academy, the training subsidiary of Automobile Association of Singapore. The course will help riders identify their risk areas and correct their erroneous behaviours. Through the course, they will also be educated on the consequences of unsafe riding habits, and be able to identify hazards on roads to prevent getting into an accident. With this, the aim is to impart and instil a safe riding culture for all road users.

The AA Personal Mobility Plus (Commercial) is currently priced at S$85. Corporate entities that engage PMD users for provision of services can be entitled to special corporate discounts, subject to the number of riders in the applicable group discount. For existing policy holders of AA Personal Mobility Plus, they may opt to extend for commercial use.

For more information on the plan or request for quote, please visit aas.com.sg/insurance/