The Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) is issuing a public appeal to the families and dependents of the victims of the tragic road accident that occurred in Chitungwiza on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to initiate the process of claiming financial compensation.

Both the Truck and the minibus were insured.

The COMESA Yellow Card is a regional third-party motor vehicle insurance scheme for member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which includes Zimbabwe. It serves as a uniform, recognized certificate of insurance across participating countries, allowing motorists to travel without purchasing separate insurance at each border. Its main purpose is to ensure that victims of road accidents caused by visiting motorists from other COMESA countries are compensated according to the laws of the country where the accident occurred, covering third-party legal liability for bodily injury, death, and often property damage, as well as emergency medical expenses for the insured vehicle’s occupants.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what this signifies:

  1. The Chitungwiza Accident: This refers to the horrific collision on Seke Road at Hunyani Bridge, Chitungwiza, on July 22, 2025, involving a 30-tonne haulage truck and a commuter omnibus (kombi), which tragically claimed at least 17 lives. The ICZ’s call is directly in response to this specific, devastating event.
  2. The Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ): This is the umbrella body representing short-term insurance companies and reinsurers in Zimbabwe. Their mandate includes protecting, promoting, and advancing the interests of the short-term insurance industry, as well as promoting cooperation among its members. In the context of a major accident like this, the ICZ often plays a crucial role in:
    • Facilitating claims: They act as a central point of contact or an advocate to help victims and their families navigate the sometimes complex insurance claims process.
    • Ensuring awareness: They aim to inform the public, especially those directly affected, about their rights to compensation and how to access it. Many people might not be aware that compensation is available or how to go about claiming it.
    • Addressing challenges: The ICZ, often in collaboration with the Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC), works to address issues like delays in claims settlement, poor guidance for policyholders, and cumbersome processing, which have historically been major complaints against insurers in Zimbabwe. Their recently launched “591 Call Centre” is specifically designed for this purpose, offering real-time assistance and follow-ups.
    • “Ex-gratia” payments in national disasters: In cases of major accidents declared as national disasters, like the Chitungwiza accident, the ICZ, sometimes alongside the government and IPEC, may step in to provide “ex-gratia” (as a gesture of goodwill) compensation, particularly where vehicles might not have adequate passenger liability cover. This is a significant aspect in Zimbabwe, where a considerable number of public transport vehicles reportedly lack such essential insurance.
  3. “Call for relatives… to call for compensation”: This is an active invitation for the victims and their legal beneficiaries (family members, dependents) to:
    • Come forward: Contact the ICZ or the specific insurance companies involved.
    • Lodge claims: Formally apply for financial payments to cover losses incurred due to the accident. This compensation can include:
      • Funeral expenses: For those who lost loved ones.
      • Medical expenses: For survivors who were injured.
      • Loss of income/support: For families who depended on the deceased or injured individuals for financial sustenance.
      • Pain and suffering: Compensation for non-pecuniary losses like physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.

In essence, the ICZ is acting as a facilitator and an advocate, urging those impacted by the Chitungwiza tragedy to exercise their right to compensation and providing a pathway for them to do so, especially given the common challenges in the Zimbabwean insurance sector regarding claims processing and the prevalence of uninsured public transport vehicles.

Relatives should gather all available documentation related to the accident (police reports, medical records, death certificates, identification documents) and contact the ICZ or relevant insurers as soon as possible, as there are typically time limits for submitting such claims.

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