The Free Nutritious Food Program (MBG) is a vital government initiative aimed at improving the nutritional quality of the nation’s children. However, behind this noble mission lies a highly vulnerable logistics network. MBG’s operational risks, particularly in the distribution phase, should no longer be taken lightly. The accident involving an MBG transport vehicle in Tasikmalaya on October 20, 2025, in which a three-wheeled vehicle plunged into a ravine, is a warning signal for all program implementers. This incident, which destroyed hundreds of food packages and injured the driver, demonstrates that caution in the kitchen must be accompanied by robust MBG vehicle insurance on the road.
As a professional insurance broker based in South Tangerang, L&G Insurance Broker believes this incident presents a crucial opportunity to strengthen logistics risk management. A program as large as MBG requires integrated operational insurance, capable of ensuring distribution continuity when road hazards strike.
Chronology of the MBG Transport Vehicle Accident in Tasikmalaya
The tragic incident that occurred on Monday, October 20, 2025, became news that shook the MBG implementers. A three-wheeled vehicle with police number B 9162 SWY, driven by Andi Hermawan, carrying 156 MBG packages was traveling from Mangunreja to Salawu. In a statement given by the Head of the Law Enforcement Unit of the Tasikmalaya Police Traffic Unit, Iptu Aripin, while passing a straight road that had a slight bend on Jalan Raya Eor, Salebu Village, the driver allegedly lost control. The vehicle swerved, and finally plunged into a ravine about 10 meters deep.
As a result of this incident, the driver suffered minor injuries and was immediately evacuated to Dr. KHZ Musthafa Regional Hospital. However, the impact on the MBG program was far more serious: hundreds of free nutritious food packages were scattered and the vehicle was severely damaged. Although the SPPG promised to replace the menu, the process of evacuating the vehicle using a crane and operational downtime were unexpected costs that the implementers had to bear. MBG vehicle insurance is the only financial defense in situations like this three-wheeled vehicle accident.
Dissecting Risk Gaps in MBG Distribution Operations
L&G Insurance Broker views this incident as the culmination of MBG’s high logistical risks in the field. Food distribution vehicles are mobile assets that face two main types of risks:
a. Commercial Vehicle Risk
Three-wheeled vehicles or trucks transporting goods (MBG) are physical assets vulnerable to own damage due to accidents, rollovers, or getting stuck in difficult terrain. MBG operational insurance, which focuses on the kitchen (static assets), does not cover physical damage to vehicles on the road. MBG vehicle insurance must include all risks coverage to cover expensive repair costs and evacuation costs, such as using a crane in Tasikmalaya.
b. Cargo and Contractual Risk
MBG cargo is a perishable goods. Delays or total damage to the cargo (as happened to the 156 MBG packages in the ravine) result in a total loss of the cargo. This requires cargo insurance integrated into MBG’s operational insurance to cover the lost value of the cargo. Furthermore, the risk of delayed food delivery to beneficiaries can trigger reputational and contractual risks.
Failure to properly insure a MBG vehicle will burden contractors with repair costs, downtime, and cargo replacement. In areas with difficult access, such as Tasikmalaya, the risk of accidents with these three-wheeled vehicles increases significantly.
Why is MBG Vehicle Insurance Different from Regular Insurance?
Vehicles used for MBG distribution cannot be insured with standard personal vehicle insurance alone. MBG vehicle insurance requires specific commercial underwriting and risk coverage because:
- High Intensity of Use: Vehicles operate daily on long and repetitive routes, increasing the potential for wear and tear and accidents.
- Extreme Operating Terrain: In many areas of Indonesia (including Tasikmalaya), MBG fleets traverse rough, uphill, or cliff-edge roads. Standard policies often exclude damage from sinkholes, rollovers, or flooding, requiring special extensions.
- Special Cargo: Vehicles carrying sensitive cargo (food) that must arrive on time and in good condition. Damage to the cargo must be covered by additional cargo insurance, which is often combined with commercial vehicle insurance.
- Legal Liability (TPL): Three-wheeled vehicle accidents on public roads can potentially injure third parties (road users, local residents). MBG vehicle insurance must include adequate TPL coverage.
L&G Insurance Broker strongly advises MBG program implementers to not only purchase commercial vehicle insurance but also ensure extended coverage such as Personal Accident for drivers and sufficiently high Third Party Liability (TPL).
The Fatal Impact of Not Having Insurance: Financial, Operational, and Social Losses
If the MBG program implementers in Tasikmalaya do not have adequate MBG vehicle insurance, the losses will be multi-layered and threaten the sustainability of the program:
- Sudden Financial Burden: The contractor must cover the costs of vehicle repairs (total or partial loss) and evacuation (crane). This will disrupt cash flow and hinder their ability to provide other services. Without cargo insurance, the value of the 156 wasted MBG packages also represents an immediate loss.
- Long Operational Downtime: Severe vehicle damage can render the unit inoperable for weeks. Without immediate funding to rent a replacement unit, MBG distribution will cease, breaching the contract and leaving beneficiaries without food. Good MBG operational insurance should cover the cost of renting a replacement vehicle.
- Reputational and Social Losses: A three-wheeler accident that destroys MBG food creates a negative public image. Residents will question the efficiency and reliability of the implementers. The MBG program is a national social program; local incidents can trigger national evaluations. Public Liability Insurance protects against third-party claims, safeguarding the implementers’ reputation.
Risk Recommendation: Integration of MBG Operational Insurance
To secure MBG’s fleet and supply chain in high-risk areas like Tasikmalaya, L&G Insurance Broker recommends an integrated MBG operational insurance package, not just single vehicle insurance:
a. Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance
All Risks coverage with extended Difficult Terrain coverage (pitfall, rollover) is mandatory for three-wheeled vehicles or trucks. Evacuation costs must be covered.
b. Driver Personal Accident Insurance
Protecting drivers like Andi Hermawan from emergency medical expenses and compensation for lost income due to injuries is the moral and legal responsibility of program implementers.
c. Food Cargo Insurance (Perishable Goods Insurance)
Protects the value of the MBG package from total damage or loss due to three-wheeled vehicle accidents, temperature failure, or contamination.
d. Public Liability Insurance
Protects MBG implementers from third-party lawsuits if a vehicle accident results in injury or damage outside the project.
The Important Role of Insurance Brokers in MBG Operations
Managing MBG vehicle insurance with extended risk coverage in difficult areas requires specialized expertise. L&G Insurance Broker is here to act as your risk advocate:
- Special Risk Audit and Underwriting: We conduct risk assessments of distribution routes in areas such as Tasikmalaya to ensure premiums are calculated based on real data, not general assumptions.
- Negotiating Policy Wording: L&G ensures your policy includes specific clauses such as Perishable Goods and slip risks that are often excluded in standard insurance.
- Fast Claims Assistance: We help expedite the claims process for vehicle repairs or cargo replacements, ensuring minimal downtime for the MBG program.
- Premium Efficiency: We collectively negotiate premiums with insurance companies to obtain the most competitive rates for our national MBG fleet.
L&G Insurance Broker is fully committed to supporting the MBG program to ensure its safe and sustainable operation throughout Indonesia.
Conclusion
The three-wheeled vehicle accident involving a small-sized cargo (MBG) transporter in Tasikmalaya is a wake-up call, reminding us of the high logistics risks of MBG on the roads. This risk demands financial responsibility that program implementers cannot bear alone. It is time for the government and MBG contractors to view MBG vehicle insurance and operational insurance as investments in the program’s sustainability, not simply costs. Only with the right protection can this program overcome operational challenges and ensure the smooth distribution of nutritious food.
To obtain efficient and competitive commercial vehicle and cargo insurance, MBG implementers must partner with a professional insurance broker like L&G Insurance Broker. L&G not only helps significantly reduce premiums, but most importantly, we design policies that specifically cover risks in difficult terrain and poisoning/cargo. We are your risk management partner, ensuring any three-wheeler accidents or fires on program sites are financially and legally remedied.
Don’t let logistical risks threaten this vital national program. Proactively securing the MBG distribution fleet is an investment in the nutrition of the nation’s children. Contact L&G Insurance Broker now on 08118507773 For a free consultation before any risk occurs, secure your MBG vehicle, cargo, and public liability insurance with us, a trusted insurance broker specializing in MBG operational risks throughout Indonesia.
Source:
- https://rri.co.id/makan-bergizi-gratis/1914170/kendaraan-pengangkut-mbg-di-tasikmalaya-masuk-jurang
- https://www.detik.com/jabar/berita/d-8169388/bajaj-pengangkut-mbg-di-tasikmalaya-masuk-jurang-ini-kronologinya
- https://surabaya.kompas.com/read/2025/10/24/123149178/jalan-rusak-mobil-pengangkut-mbg-masuk-jurang-makanan-pun-berantakan
