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VESA - assisting the insurers in motor theft claims

The Motor Vehicle Security Association (VESA) has become a major partner to motor vehicle insurers in combating vehicle theft fraud in the use of the extensive VESA database in validating a vehicle's installed security systems.

VESA currently has over 1500 insurance brokers, assessors and underwriters utilising the comprehensive VESA database to verify the authenticity of an aftermarket installed vehicle security system. VESA has been regulating the standards of vehicle security products and the installation thereof for over 20 years. Part of this process is the issuing of a VESA certificate at installation to verify that the product installed is an ABS certified product and that the installation was done by a VESA Approved* installation centre according to set installation specifications. Of significance is that the vehicle's details are also captured onto the VESA database during the computerised certification process. This has resulted in VESA having captured data of over a million vehicles on its online database.

A registered broker or assessor simply has to provide the vehicle's registration number or VIN number and this will recall the original captured VESA certificate that will provide details validating the vehicle and the security system that was installed. It even provides details of the actual installer staff member that installed the product. This is of great use to brokers when insuring a vehicle or for assessors in processing vehicle theft claims.

"VESA is not a manufacturer or an installer but is a non-profit organisation that has been serving as a regulating body, for over 20 years, to control the quality and standards of vehicle security products in setting quality and performance standards and then testing products from manufacturers according to these specifications. The testing is done at VESA by the Accredited Bureau for Security (ABS), our affiliated, internal test house, and approved products then receive an ABS rating and number. The ABS Test House has tested over a thousand products over the years and annually all approved products are re-tested, at random, to ensure that the products available in the market are still of the same standard as the products that were tested and approved previously," says VESA's chairman, Colin Snyman. He adds that a product is only secure if it is properly installed according to set installation criteria by competent staff. This is accomplished by over 450 installers nationwide that are VESA certified installers and only if an ABS accredited product is installed by an approved VESA installer can a VESA certificate be issued. The quality and standards of fitments are in turn monitored and audited by a national team of VESA Technical Advisors (TAs). The TAs randomly visit fitment centres to assist and guide the installers and also to audit actual fitments to ensure that the installations meet the specific laid down installation criteria. End customer complaints are also investigated by the TAs should they arise.

Do we require all this testing and certification? According to Snyman the answer is a resounding yes, because it protects the vehicle owner from inferior and risky products and ensures that proper installations are done. In turn VESA has saved the insurance industry millions of rands over the years in protecting the vehicles that they underwrite.

Over the years VESA has raised the bar in vehicle security by increasing the level of security of the products. For example the keys on VESA Approved* high-security gearlocks cannot be duplicated by locksmiths and the main lock is contained in a solid welded steel housing that cannot be prised open. While in terms of electronic immobilisers the bar was raised with encrypted rolling code activation/deactivation protocols, armoured housings, uniform black wire harnessing, protection against magnet de-activation etc. In terms of tracking systems these products not only have to pass ABS' stringent electrical tests but also the product's capability to track a vehicle along with the capability of the recovery unit, all correlated with audited recovery statistics.

VESA's security product portfolio also includes vehicle identification with micro-dots. In this system coded micro-dots are placed sprayed on all vehicle parts and should the vehicle be stolen the vehicle can still be identified even if engine and chassis numbers have been removed. However, individual parts can all be identified by decoding the micro-dots making them far less attractive to thieves and re-sellers.

VESA strongly advocates a so called 'layered security' approach to increase security. According to Snyman layered security implies adding one or more additional layers of security. The first layer is prevention by ensuring you have a VESA Approved* gearlock or immobiliser fitted to prevent the theft from occurring in the first place. The second layer is recovery by fitting a VESA Approved* tracking system should you live or travel in a high-risk area or have a high-risk vehicle. This will allow recovery of the vehicle should it be hijacked, the keys be stolen or it being towed away. Then finally add identification so that should your vehicle be recovered or end up in a 'chop shop' the vehicle or its parts can still be traced back to you as the owner.

*VESA Approved requires:

* A vehicle security product that is tested and approved by the Accreditation Bureau for Security and Safety (ABS).

* An installation of an ABS Approved Product by a VESA installer.

* A VESA Certificate issued for the ABS Approved Product Installation by the VESA installer.

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