Govt. prepares highway ins. law

The Chilean government hopes to have operational within the first half of 2005 an insurance scheme for drivers who use the country's highways that are operated by private concessionaires, local newspaper Diario Financiero reported. According to the general coordinator of concessions, Camilo Rojas, this insurance will cover acts of vandalism and that takes care of medical costs, damage to vehicles and cover for damage that the driver might cause on the highway. The government would be prepared to put this matter on the "fast track" to achieve a solution in the short-term. To date, as many as four insurance companies have shown interest, but they have still not determined the kinds or levels of risk that they would be prepared to cover considering the policies these companies issue.