By Christopher Tan

A HOME-GROWN company has what it says is a possible solution to fraudulent claims - an affordable, easy-to-use, windscreen-mounted video camera.

ViG Services is marketing the China-made digital videocam as a weapon in the war on exaggerated motor insurance claims.

The firm's business development manager, Mr Kenney Quek, said: "It is easy to install - no drilling or taping required. Just stick it onto the windscreen and hook it up to the cigarette lighter and it runs.

"Most importantly, at $329, it is affordable."

The system has 4GB or three hours' worth of memory. When that is used up, it will record over the previous footage.

Mr Quek said the system will arm motorists with hard evidence should they choose to contest a wrongful or inflated accident claim.

The concept is not new. In 2002, another home-grown firm, Lee & Lee Electronics, fitted a fleet of CityCab taxis with cameras for the same purpose.

But the relatively stiff price tag of that camera - $1,550 - stopped it from taking off. Its other weakness was that it was not a videocam - it took only still photos at intervals of 1.33 secs.

ViG's Mr Quek said if motorists start using its device, there will be fewer accident disputes, and drivers will be more careful to begin with.

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