VDA Code of Conduct

Respect Ethics Honesty Integrity

THE CODE

The Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA), hereinafter called Insurance Motor Surveyor stands in a position of high responsibility.  The Insurance Motor Surveyor is a representative of expected and respected principals valued by policy holders, policy providers and the damage repair industry.  Formal registration involves accepting the duties, obligations and restrictions inherent in the role.

The Code of Conduct for Insurance Motor Surveyors is established for the purpose of providing an unambiguous statement of the standards of behaviour expected from a person occupied in the undertaking of insurance motor surveyor by insurers and their agents who instruct or employ them. This code of conduct offers support to and protection of honest and diligent insurance motor surveyors who aspire to such standards.

The code of conduct consists of both guidelines and rules of conduct reflecting the key position held by insurance motor surveyors and that their behaviour reflects positively on the insurance industry they represent.

 

GUIDELINES

  • A strict professional approach governs the conduct of the insurance motor surveyor who is in a position of trust and holder of the highest reputation.
  • The insurance motor surveyor is required to make an impartial judgement based on material facts.
  • The insurance motor surveyor damage assessment is to be considered an objective and accurate professional opinion, having acceptable transparency and clear neutrality.
  • The insurance motor surveyor should avoid inappropriate relationships which can prejudice impartial negotiations or give rise to false perceptions of integrity.
  • The insurance motor surveyor shall not accept any advantage arising out of his position that is not freely available to others.

RULES OF CONDUCT

  • The insurance motor surveyors relationship with a client / employer is one of trust,  At no time shall the insurance motor surveyor discuss the details of engagement or instruction with another third party without the knowledge and express permission of the client / employer.
  • The fee or salary shall be the only remuneration received in connection with any engagement.  The insurance motor surveyor shall not be influenced directly or indirectly by any gratuity, discount, trade commission, nor shall accept or solicit any gifts, inducements or inappropriate hospitality.
  • The insurance motor surveyor shall not hold any conflicting interest or position as is likely to affect the discharge of the function of an insurance motor surveyor.  The insurance motor surveyor is obligated to sign the no conflicts of interest and data protection directive statements as required by the Malta Insurance Association.
  • The insurance motor surveyor shall not delegate or pass any engagement to another surveyor without the express approval of his client/employer.
  • The insurance motor surveyor shall not sign an assessment or report on behalf of another party.

REGISTRATION

  • The Malta Insurance Association will maintain a register of insurance motor surveyors in the employ of or offering independent services to member companies.
  • Insurance motor surveyors offering independent services to or in the employ of insurers are required to register their details with the MIA and disclose any interests, relationships or associations that may give rise to conflicts of interest connected to their work.
  • As a condition of entry into the register to sign agreements to abide by this code of conduct, and to be bound by the no conflict of interest and data protection directive statements for insurance motor surveyors.

ETHICS COMMITTEE

A committee of arbiters, the “Insurance Motor Surveyor Ethics Committee” appointed for the purpose by the MIA Executive Council, alone shall determine whether or not a breach of this code of conduct has been committed and shall have the power to waive any of the provisions of the rules in any special case. The committee shall be constituted on an ad hoc basis and shall be made up of three members as follows:

  • The Director General of the MIA as Chairman.
  • Two other members, one appointed by the Executive Council from amongst their number and one from amongst members registered with MIA as Insurance Motor Surveyors.

None of the committee members, or their respective companies or employers shall be parties to the complaint or affected by its outcome.  In the event that a breach is determined the committee may award a verbal warning, written warning or removal and disbarring from the register for a period which they shall specify.   The issuing of a written warning shall be noted in the register of insurance motor surveyors.  The findings and decision of the committee shall be communicated to the complainant and to the insurance motor surveyor concerned.  The Director General of the MIA shall provide all members with a synopsis of the cases where a breach is determined without indicating the name of the insurance motor surveyor concerned.