With over a year driving in Santo Domingo?s chaos, my biggest fear has always been getting into an accident: not just fearing for my health but also in trying to deal with the accident itself. I imagined total confusion and disorder, inefficient police and uncooperative insurance companies.
Well, yesterday I got into a minor accident- thankfully no one was hurt and there was only minimal damage to one car. The good thing to come out of this is that I discovered what, in my experience to date in the DR, is the most efficient place in the city ? Casa del Condutor, on Bolivar just off of Tiradentes. (It appears that there is also one in Santiago.)
The major insurance companies have this benefit as an option with an annual fee, from what I understand. (I drive a company car so I am not exactly sure how much the Casa del Conductor benefit costs.) From what I could tell, Casa del Conductor is funded by these payments and all major insurance companies are represented there.
Basically, it is a one-stop-shopping accident center. After registering and being offered FREE coffee by a man in uniform (!!) you are directed to a large sala with a room of at least 10 AMET officers waiting to take your declaration. After giving your declaration, you are directed to the official jur?dico, who will notarize your declarations. Then you pass directly to the representative of your insurance company who gives you all the forms you need and an instruction sheet detailing exactly what you need to do. It's all in the same room and clearly organized.
It even has an on-site jail and cafeteria offering FREE FOOD if you are there during meal times.
All in all, I spent more time in traffic trying to get to Casa del Conductor than I did in declaring the accident and dealing with the insurance company. I also got lucky in that the other driver involved in the accident was very nice and understanding. (The accident was my fault and it helped that I immediately assumed responsibility.)
Hopefully I?ll never need this service again, but I wanted to share because I think this service is well worth the money.
Well, yesterday I got into a minor accident- thankfully no one was hurt and there was only minimal damage to one car. The good thing to come out of this is that I discovered what, in my experience to date in the DR, is the most efficient place in the city ? Casa del Condutor, on Bolivar just off of Tiradentes. (It appears that there is also one in Santiago.)
The major insurance companies have this benefit as an option with an annual fee, from what I understand. (I drive a company car so I am not exactly sure how much the Casa del Conductor benefit costs.) From what I could tell, Casa del Conductor is funded by these payments and all major insurance companies are represented there.
Basically, it is a one-stop-shopping accident center. After registering and being offered FREE coffee by a man in uniform (!!) you are directed to a large sala with a room of at least 10 AMET officers waiting to take your declaration. After giving your declaration, you are directed to the official jur?dico, who will notarize your declarations. Then you pass directly to the representative of your insurance company who gives you all the forms you need and an instruction sheet detailing exactly what you need to do. It's all in the same room and clearly organized.
It even has an on-site jail and cafeteria offering FREE FOOD if you are there during meal times.
All in all, I spent more time in traffic trying to get to Casa del Conductor than I did in declaring the accident and dealing with the insurance company. I also got lucky in that the other driver involved in the accident was very nice and understanding. (The accident was my fault and it helped that I immediately assumed responsibility.)
Hopefully I?ll never need this service again, but I wanted to share because I think this service is well worth the money.
