A Centurion-based private investigation services firm FICS has developed a new smartphone app, that’s a first of its kind in South Africa and possibly worldwide.
The FICS app uses geo location technology and helps motorists to collect all the relevant information at an accident scene to make it easier to claim back from insurance or the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
This information is admissible in court and can be used by prosecutors, insurers, investigators and any other parties involved.
Over 14 000 claims are lodged with the Road Accident Fund (RAF) each month, which is hampered by litigation and delays in the processing of claims – which currently take on average between five and seven years to process. FICS says using the app will shorten the time between claiming and receiving compensation.
The FICS App also provides emergency numbers you can contact from your phone.
Users are able to capture data such as:
* Accident Location
* Accident Date and Time
* Accident Type
* Causes
* Videos and Photos of the scene
* All Parties involved (People, Vehicles, Authorities)
* Road / Weather Conditions
FICS owns and stores all information captured using the app. Interested parties may purchase this information from FICS in the form of a report. For each report sold, the person who collected the data is paid R500 (a report can be sold to more than one party).
The Fics App is free to download and is compatible with iPhone and Android devices.
Founder Gerhard Becker says that FICS has focused on RAF claims for the last 23 years and he saw a need to accelerate the resolution of third-party claims.