In Colombia, more than seven million vehicles do not have SOAT affiliation

About 7.1 million vehicles, revealed the Federation of Colombian Insurers (Fasecolda), do not have Compulsory Traffic Accident Insurance (SOAT). The guild highlighted that of the 16 million vehicles in the country, 10.1 million are motorcycles. As of September 2021, only 8.9 million cars were covered by insurance.

In other figures, highlighted by that body, it is stated that 45 per cent of all vehicles correspond to motorcycles, 44 per cent to family vehicles and vans and 11 per cent to motor vehicles in other categories. Taking these numbers into account, it is understood that the avoidance of SOAT payment already amounts to 49%. The Federation states that by 2021, there were more than 700,000 victims of traffic accidents, in 87% of those cases involving a motorcycle. The SOAT, in these cases, covers all victims affected by the accident.

In addition to the lack of insured vehicles is the fraud that exists around the insurance industry. Until the second half of last year, 9,916 cases of fraud were detected on this document, that is, one $67,950,170,519. The regions of the country where these irregular practices occur the most are Bogotá, Antioquia, Valle and Atlántico.

The entity claims that 37% were cases of borrowed policies, which consists in the attempt to collect from insurers under protection that did not correspond to the insured vehicle.

This news parallels the tragic accident of which the remembered Colombian football figure Freddy Rincón was the victim. The car in which he was driving, according to preliminary information, apparently did not have the SOAT and had several traffic violations.

On Tuesday morning, Laureano Quintero, medical director of the Imbanaco clinic, in the city of Cali, announced the third medical part of the former footballer. The accident occurred last Monday on an avenue in the capital of Valle del Cauca.

“Freddy Rincón continues with advanced support measures, his condition is still very critical, his forecast has not changed for the time being, considering the delicate evolution he has been presenting. His prognosis is still very reserved (...) We will continue to implement all necessary measures to manage your situation. Let's hope, according to their evolution, to give them additional relevant information,” said the specialist at the press conference. The doctor will give a new delivery 3:30 in the afternoon of the same day.

In the last hours it became known that Freddy Rincón's son, Sebastián, who is a footballer for Barracas Central (Argentina), arrived in Cali after 12:00 in the morning to accompany his father. This information was known to Victor Tabares, correspondent for RCN News, who posted a video on his Twitter account. “Pray, pray and let's hope that tomorrow the doctor can give something positive,” he told the media outlet.

The mayor of Cali, Jorge Iván Ospina, explained that the events occurred at 4:11 in the morning, when the UGR-410 Ford truck, in which the legend of the Colombian national team was mobilizing, hit a bus of the MIO mass transit system as it was heading to the El Perro park sector.

The president pointed out that, in addition to Rincón, two other people who were traveling with the former player in the private vehicle have been identified: María Manuela Patiño, 20, and Diana Lorena Cortés, age 43, who are out of danger. However, there is still no information about a fourth person who would have also been inside the car and who would be the one behind the wheel.

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