COMESA Launches Digital Yellow Card Mobile App

Elita Chikwati Features Editor

The COMESA Regional Third-Party Motor Vehicle Insurance Scheme has launched a Digital Yellow Card Mobile Application that will enable motorists and passengers in a foreign country to access emergency medical cover in the case of a traffic accident.

The application is also designed to provide access to real-time information to yellow card motorists, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders.

The Yellow Card is essentially a regional third-party motor vehicle insurance scheme.

It provides third-party legal liability cover and compensation for medical expenses resulting from road traffic accidents caused by visiting motorists.

Besides offering third-party liability protection to the insured or the driver while in a foreign country, the COMESA Yellow Card Scheme also offers emergency medical cover to the driver and passengers of the foreign motor vehicle involved in the traffic accident.

The third-party liability cover offered is limited to the statutory provisions on road traffic third-party liability award limits of that country being visited and in which the incident has happened from.

In a statement, COMESA said the digital Yellow Card Mobile App which is accessible on Google Play Store and Apple iStore, will allow law enforcement agencies to verify the validity of the card.

Motorists will also be able to report accidents when travelling in foreign countries, get notifications on the status of their Yellow Cards and call for support during traffic emergencies using the application.

“This is in line with the Yellow Card Scheme Strategic Plan 2020 – 2024 goal to transform service delivery and enhance customer satisfaction.

“The Yellow Card Scheme is a Third-Party Motor Vehicle Insurance Scheme that aims at facilitating the smooth movement of motor vehicles, persons and goods in the region through the establishment of a common system for the settlement of claims arising from inter-state motorists.,” said COMESA.

The scheme is currently operational in 13 countries; namely: Burundi, Djibouti, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Yellow Card is also issued in Mozambique, South Africa and will soon be issued in Botswana and South Sudan under the Business to Business (B2B) arrangement to facilitate the smooth movement of vehicles from other regions to the COMESA region.