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The theme for this year’s Transport Month is, ‘Together shaping the future of transport’ and aims to raise awareness around the important role that transport plays in our economy. Risk management is the foundation for a healthy transport sector.

October is Transport Month and it would be no exaggeration to say that the role transport can, and must, play has never been more crucial to the South African economy. More so as we work towards rebuilding it after the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown. While this month will focus on all forms of transport, the road transport sector merits special attention because of its importance when it comes to logistics across our continent.

The government’s vision of providing safer, more affordable, accessible and reliable transport, will only be achievable if transport companies step up to the challenge, particularly when it comes to risk management. Knowledge is power and it’s a good idea to track the claims history and what incidents occur.

Based on working with clients across the transport industry, here are some key steps to improving risk management:

• Track your incidents as well as your claims. Incidents are the number one predictor of claims, so if you note all incidents – not just the claims – you’ll find where there are problem areas and put preventative measures in place. The goal is to reduce future claims and the chances of premiums being increased.
• Find the trend. It is important to take note of incidents as you could find that many of your claim costs come from the same area, department or cause. If you can find the root cause of the claims, you can be proactive.
• Mitigate your risk. South African roads bring with them a whole set of risks, some of which are universal and some unique to our situation, and by their nature cannot be controlled. However, if you know where the highest risks are, discover the ones that occur most frequently or cost the most, you can establish a risk management strategy that takes you a step closer to protecting your staff and cargo as well as reducing your insurance premium.

The top three causes for claims are mechanical malfunctioning, followed by collisions and glass (windshields and windows).

Here are five ways you could cut down on claims and unnecessary time-consuming admin.

1. Schedule regular checks and services to ensure your vehicles are well-maintained. All vehicles should be maintained to a minimum standard, with essential safety equipment like brakes, indicators, steering components and tyres, regularly checked and kept in good operating condition.
2. Avoid overloading. Overloading will damage a vehicle, particularly in the long run; it is linked to roadworthiness.
3. Verify your drivers’ information; for example, the validity of driver’s licences and Professional Driver’s Permit.
4. Provide proper training and possible advanced driving courses. People make mistakes; the Automobile Association notes that the single biggest cause of road accidents is human error. This underscores the necessity for appropriate training for every driver.
5. Understand your insurance cover and optional cover available, as well as the excess payable.
6. Make sure you have adequate cover for goods in transit. Truck hijacking remains a problem (the 2019-20 crime statistics show it has increased by a further 1.7%) as does pilfering.

 Taking precautions against both hijacking and theft is advised, but adequate cover for goods as well as the vehicle is essential.

Whether it is long-haul or short haul, trucks are used by every sector of the economy. Our transport corridors act as vital lifelines as they criss-cross our nation, contributing to the health and strength of our economy. Let’s use Transport Month to manage our transport risks and support our economic revival.

For assistance with Transport, heavy commercial vehicles and goods in transit insurance, please contact our office on 031-5021922 or visit our website - www.esbrokers.co.za

Article featured in insurancechat, written By: Jason Mellow, Head of MiWay Business Insurance

In every neighbourhood there is at least one property in a state of disrepair.
It’s common that you see older properties that are left to slowly decay as the harsh elements launches a brutal assault on the external structure over time, but sometimes newer properties are not well-maintained either and that’s where you find re-occurring problems arising, that ends up being very costly, if not dealt with timeously.

Examples of Disrepair would commonly be:

·      Mildew, Mould, rising damp and/or vermin infestation,

·      Rotten woodwork, broken glass, wall and floor tiles.

·      A sagging roof or missing and broken roof tiles.

·      Water damaged ceilings.

·      Unsteady walls or balustrades.

·      Rusting pipework or leaking taps.

·      Broken gutters and downpipes.

·      Cracks in walls larger than 3mm wide

·      Fault electrical wiring and fittings

·      Blocked drains and poor plumbing.

·      Bubbling or peeling of paint work

·      Overgrown vegetation not cut back from the building.

·      Banks not retained properly or movement of retainer blocks

·      Geyser not installed correctly or with no compliance certificate

·      This list is not exhaustive as maintenance could refer to anything requiring replacement or immediate attention.  

Why Protecting your investment is Important?

Your Property is the most significant investment you will ever own, so allowing it to fall into a state of disrepair is not good business sense and if wear and tear and maintenance if left too long it could exacerbate into bigger more costly projects.

In simplest terms, the more neglected a property is, the less it is worth.
You should always protect your investment with a program of regular property maintenance.

Regular maintenance jobs that every Property owner should adopt:

 There are a variety of jobs every building owner can’t afford to leave indefinitely, and they are:
1) On-going roof maintenance should be top of your to-do list.
The roof keeps a property safe from the elements and adverse weather.
If the roof is allowed to fall into disrepair, it won’t be long before water finds a way in causing all sorts of problems, such as damp, mildew, rotten wood , faulty electrics etc

2) Cleaning of gutters and external Pipework.
Too often we see vegetation growing in the gutters which makes it ineffective, restricting the water flow and the weight bearing down tends to rip the gutter from it’s bracket. We recommend clearing the gutters and keeping them free of debris at least every six months. Over hanging tree in close proximity of the main dwelling requires more frequent inspections.

3) Maintaining Boundary walls and retainer walls and vegetation.
(a) Prune over hanging branches that could break off and damage the roof tiles. Branches can be destructive following a storm and high winds.
(b) Ensure that you regularly inspect the boundary wall/fence or retainer for signs of damage.
The problem here is that through soil erosion over long periods of time, the boundary wall begins to lean (if on an incline on embankment). To save the costs of hiring a contractor the building owner tries repairing the wall himself, with dire consequences. If the foundation is compromised rather get a professional to offer advice.

4) External Paint work

Even if you have done a great job on the rest of your house and are happy, you can still end up with a house that is not worth having. By painting the right kind of material and the right type of paint, you can guarantee that you will end up with a great looking house that will give you a good sense of comfort as well as a comfortable home for you and your family.

There are several different kinds of paint that you can choose from. For example, you can opt for wall paint that is made from ceramic tile or wood, for instance. However, there are also plenty of other options, including vinyl and other synthetic materials. One of the best things about these materials is that they are extremely easy to clean and can provide you with a nice looking finish over a long period of time.