Lowering V.A.T.-tariff saves the construction

The V.A.T.-tariff for the building of new houses is decreased from 21 percent to 6 percent. The descent is only valid for the year 2009 but there are some votes to continue this measure in future.

The people are definitely interested. This is noticeable to the request of information and the increase of entering contracts. The descent of the V.A.T-tariff is not the only cause of the ascent. The very low interest rates and ‘the insurance guaranteed living’ instigate the rising of new building projects. This year it is very favourable to buy, to build or to renovate a house.

The construction firms are doing well because of these measures, some even better than before the financial crisis. The improvement is only remarkable for the residential market but not for all the building firms.

The three measures are really helping the construction firms. This sector has known hard times, now the government is finally helping. I think it is everyone’s dream to have a propriety of their own and with these measures it can happen. I don’t think that the provisions should only be for one year because of the economic crisis. It is always difficult to find such a huge capital and definitely to make the down payments. The resources should be permanent, because the prices of propriety will continue to increase.

Sofie De Cooman

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/3324/Financiele-crisis/article/detail/812214/2009/04/08/Verlaging-btw-tarief-redt-de-bouwsector.dhtml

Flemish government has to keep investing

The “building union” formulated their most important points of interest. They especially ask the Flemish Government to keep investing, even during the period of election.

“To prevent a collapse in the building activity and employment in the sector, the Flemish government has to keep up their regular investment inputs”, that is what the union of “KMO-building company” says. Which means that the transition to the next government may not have a negative influence on the investments. So the best solution is to invest as soon as possible and put the concrete projects on the market.

The union also asks the Flemish government to import the insurance “guaranteed living” again for builders and buyers. This insurance provides a coverage for who cannot pay off his or her mortgage loan because of involuntarily incapacity of work or disability.

I think it is a good thing that “the building union” indicates what the government should take in account. And I also find it true that what the union says about the fact that the government has to keep investing in the building sector.

There is already a financial crisis and if the government stops investing because for example the elections then there will be less work and more unemployment. When the percentage of unemployment is already very high.

Ruth Blommaert

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/936/Nieuws/article/detail/674522/2009/02/06/Bouwunie-Vlaamse-regering-moet-blijven-investeren.dhtml

Wanted: purchaser for Ethias Bank

Ethias wants to get rid of Ethias Bank because they want to concentrate them more on their insurance activities. The popular “First-account”, a pure insurance product stays with Ethias. This decision forms part of “Plan Horizon 2011” , the saving plan of Ethias. Beside it there are almost 170 other decisions that have to guarantee an extra earning capacity of 150 million. This due to the financial crisis.

Ethias also wants to reduce the staffing. But this without really firing people, they want to do it by advanced retirements and partly replacements.

At the taking over will be considered that the people that work for Ethias bank will keep there job. Ethias also wants to keep a strategic view over the bank products, so they can offer them to their clients. Two other important goals of “Plan Horizon 2011” are the reconfirmation of the values and the development of an appealing commercial management.

Ethias also wants to strengthen their position as insurer of public services and their employees. Some products have to change and become better. They will also lower the cost of sponsoring and operation. ..

In my opinion it is a good idea of Ethias to concentrate them back on what they used to do. They also have a whole catalogue of what they are going to do, so they really want to work on it. But at the other side, I think they have no other choice. It is changing or going bankrupt. Every financial institute has problems. They are doing to many things like selling bank product, insurance products, loans, stock exchange… and they lose control. So banks decide to go back to basic. I hope it all works out!

De Ridder Steffie

Source:http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/942/Economie/article/detail/807306/2009/04/03/Overnemer-gezocht-voor-Ethias-Bank.dhtml

Complaints about insurance companies risen with 6 percent!

Last year, insurance companies got 6 percent more complaints then the previous year. This comes out of a report from insurance companies. There were also 3 percent more complaints about intermediaries. The majority of all complaints seems to be founded. Last year, the biggest increase the insurance companies had, was in the subject of the live insurances. But also in the subjects health care and living, the number of complaints increased. But there is also a very remarkable decrease. The complaints about the car insurances decreased with no less than 10 percent! 44 percent of all complaints go about contracts. People have lots of difficulties to end a contract and they complain about it in this survey.

The increase of all complaints is the consequence of the obligation the keep the balance between the bonuses and the costs of every case in which there is damage done because of the high health insurance costs and the lower refund. In 56 percent of all cases, the complaints are done in this area.
I understand some people who are complaining about the insurance companies. They don’t pay out very easy when someone has an accident. They often wait for three or four months before they make even with their clients. For people who don’t have much money, it must be hard to wait on the insurance money if you know to have to receive it. But on the other hands, insurance companies have to be sure when they pay money out, it’s not just like that. They have do an investigation to see if the person really had damage and in which conditions.

Nathalie COUDEVILLE

SOURCE:

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF20090428_072&word=verzekeringen

Back to basic

Jan Hommen, the new CEO of ING, said that ING will cancel ten till fifteen non-core activities. This will bring in six till eight milliard euro. Already one point four milliard is realized by selling ING Canada. These disinvestments are part of a bigger strategic plan, ING wants to go back to basic on all levels. The customers have to come on the first place in everything ING does.

There will also be a division of the finance and insurance business. But they stay under the name ING. Further ING will concentrate on the deposit accounts, uncomplicated products and a strong marketing and distribution. They will also concentrate more on Europe , more specific the activities in the Benelux. There will also be a cost saving on fortune control. This by bringing it under one worldwide system.

On the field of insurance, ING will put the accent on life insurances and pension insurances. And the insurance activities are staying under regional management.

ING is right on schedule and that is noticeable because the share rose with 17,8 percent.

In my opinion it is a good idea to go back to basic. Because nowadays banks are doing a lot of different things, actually to many things and they forgot the mean principle of what a bank does. They are too busy with too many things. They are selling a lot of different financial products, all insurances, investments, loans… When they cancel some activities, like ING does, it will go better. It will also be easier and better for the customizer.

De Ridder Steffie

Source: http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=K428S476

Two thirds of tenants have no fire-insurance

Two thirds of tenants have no fire-insurance. This was shown by an investigation of an independent expertise office Galtier Expertises NV. This agency sends experts, after every fire, to investigate the damage that has been done.

The biggest problem for the tenants is that they can lose all their belongings and if they do not have a fire- insurance the consequences will be much worse. With most fires, the tenants will be held responsible. Only if the fire is caused by a flash of lightening or a construction fault the tenant will not be held responsible.

The landlords insurance will cover the costs to rebuild his house in the original state. The insurance company will usually put the fault in the shoes of the tenant. If the tenant does not have a fire- insurance, he will personally be held responsible for the damage and will have to pay for it.

In my opinion it is a pity that mostly the tenant has to pay for the damage if he does not have a fire- insurance . But it is a fact that the tenant lives in the house and that he is responsible if something happens.

The most shocking fact is that two thirds of tenants have no fire- insurance. I think that a fire- insurance is one of the most important insurances because if the house is burned, you not only loose all your belongings, but you also have to pay for all the damages. Certainly if you are a tenant, this insurance is essential.

If there is a clause in the rental contract which contains “distance of story” the tenant is not under obligation to take out a fire- insurance. This means that the landlord takes responsibility, and that his or her fire- insurance will pay if there is any damage.

Ruth Blommaert

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/936/Nieuws/article/detail/821397/2009/04/16/Twee-op-derde-huurders-heeft-geen-brandverzekering.dhtml

Insurance company sends a contentment survey to death person

The insurance company DVV has send a contentment survey about fire insurances to someone who died in a fire. In October 1998, there was a huge fire in an apartment in Meer. Tom Koyen lived there 18 months and he was the only one that didn’t survived the fire. Ten years later, there is a survey from DVV for the family of Tom. Off course, this is a very unpleasant surprise. The survey didn’t arrive with Tom’s parents but with the neighbors. They’ve brought the survey to the parents of Tom. In the survey, the question rose if the parents of Tom were satisfied about the way DVV handled things when Tom died or not. This was to improve their services. The parents of Tom were not happy with the letter and they took it to the office of DVV. The insurance company itself didn’t understand how this misunderstanding could happen! The insurance company apologized to the family and guarantees that this kind of mistakes will never happen again.

I completely understand why Tom’s parents were mad and sad. Their son died in a fire and DVV sends them a letter about the fire insurances. The memories and experiences they have with fires are definitely not positive. I think it’s inappropriate to send these kinds of surveys to people who’ve lost a son in a fire. The insurance company has to take care of their administration and these things, they should keep in mind. They have to know all the cases of deceased people and they should not sends surveys about the contentment of the fire insurances to them.

Nathalie COUDEVILLE


SOURCE: http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=RM29CA2N&word=verzekering

Eco Pass Green extra from the boss

The Eco Pass is an extralegal benefit given by an employer to his personnel. The first to enjoy this extra charge are the metalworkers. The ecological cheque increases the buying-power. With this pass people are able to make purchases of ecological justified products and services which are subdivided into several categories like energy saving, deduction of waste...

The use of the Eco Pass has three purposes: it should raise purchasing power, stimulate employment and elevate people’s environmental awareness.

The metal companies can choose to replace the cheque into premiums for hospitalisation insurance. The value of one pass is maximum 10 euro, the total amount for 2009 is 125 euro and for the following years the total sum is 250 euro.

I think the introduction of the Eco Pass is a great idea because people get stimulated by their employer to think environmental-minded. Thanks to the categories, it all gets more obvious for the purchasers.

I think it is not good that people can exchange the Eco Pass into premiums for a hospitalisation insurance. The metalworker thinks about his own prosperity and well-being and the environment becomes forgotten. With these cheques people should only buy environmentally friendly products and services and nothing else. It is time that our planet comes first in place.

Sofie De Cooman

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=KU28NEHM&word=hospitalisatieverzekering

Doubts about payments Ethias dividends.

The shareholders from Ethias have no idea when and if they’ll receive payments of their shares. This year and next year, the insurance group Ethias is not going to pay out the dividends, because now they have other priorities. The main priority is to rebuild the own capital says a good and reliable source in La Libre Belgique. That source tells us that Ethias is not going to pay out dividends because they made a deal with the government. The government gave Ethias 500 million Euros to save the bank and now they want their money back. The board of directors hasn’t given any more information.

Earlier this year, the bank also said that they are not going to pay any profit sharing to the 250 000 clients who have a first account. With this measurement they also want to save money. The return of this account will stay at its maximum of 3,5% without any bonus. The only thing that Ethias did say, is that they will do everything that’s possible to pay out returns, bonuses and dividends next year.

My opinion is divided. On the one hand I understand that Ethias doesn’t pay out any dividends or bonuses because the government must be able to keep up their good work and they need money to invest in projects to help the society. But on the other hand, the clients of Ethias are punished again, because they don’t earn extra money on their investment. They’ve opened an account with Ethias, because they want to gain some profits, but now they will just keep their money and will not receive some extra cash.

Nathalie COUDEVILLE

Source:http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=3C25VG3N&kanaalid=652

KIA offers free job-loss insurance

The worst case scenario: you have put yourself in debts to buy a new car and at the same time you lose your job. When you have bought a Kia, you don’t have to panic. Because Kia offers next to 7 years guarantee also a job loss insurance for their customers.

The reason why? Well that is easy, in times of financial crisis the confidence of consumers have to be restored. By offering this insurance they want to attract customers. The 7 years guarantee is also a stunt to invite people to buy a KIA, but the guarantee is limited on a few models of the brand, like Cee'd, Sportage and Soul. There are some conditions you have to take in account, so it is a matter of reading the little letters in the contract.

The insurances not only covers discharge but also incapacity of work, disability and death. At that stage, the remaining payments will be taken over by the insurance company, in this case Cetelem of PNB Paribas.

Kia’s sister brand Hyundai offers a similar insurance in the United States. But in Belgium, where the Korean brand is imported by a self employed-person under the flag of the Alcopa- group, there is no discussion about giving a job-loss insurance to a customer of Hyundai.

Kia Belgium is in contrast with Hyundai a full sister of the Korean concern. Which leads to a sharp competition between the two sister companies.

I think that giving a free job-loss insurance is a good case, because the goal is to attract customers and to restore the confidence in the economy. Also giving a 7 year during guarantee is an extra reason for buying a car of the brand Kia.
But I also think that the media should not put the item of free job-loss insurance in the spotlights. Like I already said above you have to read the little letters in the contract because I think that the word free can be a little misleading.

Ruth Blommaert
http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/940/Autonieuws/article/detail/794727/2009/03/25/Kia-biedt-gratis-verzekering-tegen-jobverlies.dhtml

Iran women to get equal insurance

Until now Iranian women were still financially discriminated in case of insurances. They received only half of what men collect of their insurances policies. Right now there is a huge change-over. Women will finally receive the equal amount in case of death and injury The financial injury of women did not only affect themselves but also their families and relatives.

Further, the Justice Minister of Iran has decided not to make a difference anymore between Muslims and Non-Muslims. These last mentioned received less payment than the Muslims. Now, the insurance companies have to pay equal amounts to both.

I think it is scandalous that nowadays there still is discrimination in case of sex/gender, religion… I know that in the Middle-East the way of thinking and acting is completely different compared to our way of living, but I think that no one has the power or the right to judge someone based on sex, religion… All over the world discrimination should be taken care of.

The equalization between men or women in case of some insurances is a major step in the right direction but there is still a lot of work to do to banish every kind of discrimination. I think that it would be great if the word ‘some’ could disappear in the sentence above.

Sofie De Cooman

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7953282.stm

Do I have to put the car insurance on my name?

Marcel Van Den Cruyce had next question: Do I have to put the car insurance on my name beacause now it is standing on my wife’s name but she is bedridden so I am the the head user now?

According to De Clippele, the representive of Assuralia, this is not obliged. But it is a good idea to inform the insurer, so that they know the situation. Then you are safe and the insurer cannot blame you afterwards.
You can also change the name in the policy, this contains no other changes. The premium wount increase or decrease because the car is now standing on the husbands name. They cannot make a difference between man or wife. The history of damage of the insurer on the contrary can form a problem. That is why it is better to inform the insurer. Because when you already had some accidents, the risk to insure you is higher.

Also the ages can form a problem. Because when you place the policy on a younger person, you will have to pay a higher premium.
You do not have to register the car again if you place him on another name. If the car is registered and you have a licence plate you can easily change of insurer or insured.

In my opinion it is a good idea to change the name of the head user. Because when you get an accident the insurer always looks and searches for something so they do not have to pay. It can be that the premium rises, that is an advantage but you are sure you are insured correctly.

De Ridder Steffie

Source: http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DO286M0Q&word=verzekering

N-VA argues in favour of a ‘Flemish supplementary health insurance’

The premiums of the personal health care are still increasing. This insurance becomes really expensive. This results in the fact that half the people do not have a health insurance. The Flemish political party, N-VA wants to introduce a supplementary health insurance which should cover all medical care including the price of a double hospital room.

The extra health insurance means that the private health insurance should not be taken anymore unless a person wants more luxury than a double room. With the help of the Flemish government, the cost-price for adults would be about 100 euro.

This is a good proposal of the N-VA because people are looking for several opportunities to economize due to the economic crisis. If this idea should become reality people can cancel their private health insurance, which cost a lot. In this way they can use the money for something else.

On the other hand this proposal is no good news for the insurers and the insurance companies. They will lose a lot of their health insurance clients. The income of the insurers will probably decrease and maybe they will increase the premiums of other insurances to compensate their losses.

I think that all the political parties should come together and investigate all the benefits and disadvantages for all the parties involved and come to a solution to encourage people to take a health insurance somehow.

Sofie De Cooman

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/957/Belgie/article/detail/791762/2009/03/24/N-VA-pleit-voor-Vlaamse-aanvullende-zorgverzekering.dhtml

Again rise in contribution for hospitalization insurances!

Last year, the contributions for the hospitalization insurances were already twice as high as the year before and now it seems that a new increase of the contributions is coming. Since 2001, the contributions already rose with 50 till 100%. The insurance companies have to take their chance now or never because on the first of July, there will be a new law coming into effect and then the rise of the contributions will be related to an objective index.

Lots of pensioners saw the price of their insurance double and some saw it even increase in fourfold. But with the new law-Verwilghen, this madness will come to an end! The adjustment to the new law are now in the last phase. On the first of July is the transitional period over and then al the policies have to be switched over so that the new law can do its work. Until then, the insurance companies can do what they want, which is nowadays clearly to see. Market leader DKV announced in January that the contributions would increase with 5,8% after huge raisings in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Also Ethias and Argent made their contributions rise.

A link to the index is one of the forces in the law-Verwilghen. Now they’re still waiting on the elaboration of the medical link with the law. The minister of the financial department Reynders stays very vague when we ask him the question if the medical link will be good for the consumers. For the consumers, the best case scenario would be if they adjust the index to the objective medical costs. This kind of index would offer most guarantee to reasonable evolution of the index says Freya Vandenbossche in her amendment. This amendment would be very positive and good for the consumers if it would be approved of course.

The biggest challenge in the future months will be to come to an objective medical index, that offers lots of security for the insurance companies but also for the consumers.

My personal opinion is that another increase of the contributions is just ridiculous. I completely understand that the financial crisis is a very rough time for everybody, but the consumers can’t be the victim of the situation. The insurance companies also have lots of expenses and costs, but the consumers also. And even in some cases a loss on income. They still have to be capable to pay their bills and being able to buy food and other important things. In the near future, there has to come a law, which protects us from the insurances companies so nobody has to be afraid they’ll not be able to foresee in their own needs.

Nathalie COUDEVILLE

Source:
http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=V5267QHC

Law proposal of damages compensation for medical mistakes

Laurette Onckelinx has a law proposal that contains a system with payment of a damages compensation for medical mistakes.


According to the paper ‘La Libre Belgique’, the law proposal is a copy of the French model and it will cost the state about 18 million euro.


The major lines of the proposal:
* There are two possibilities for patients who suffer from a medical mistake:
- To take a case to court
- The right to claim from a fund
* This will be funded with contributions from social security.
* If the doctor is found to be guilty of the mistake, his insurance will cover the damages claim, and not the fund. If the doctor did not make a mistake there will only be a minimum damage compensation.


The procedure of the application of the damage compensation will be maximum 10 months.


In my opinion this proposal is a very good idea. When a person suffers from a medical mistake they have to be compensated by the doctor for the extra cost and possible discomfort. These extra costs can involve a further operation or even long term inability to work.


I also think that doctors have a very busy life and have a lot of patients they have to operate on or take care of. In my opinion mistakes are human. But when a mistake happens during surgery and for example the doctor drank too much alcohol, I really think that something like that should be compensated.

Ruth Blommaert
http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF20090321_007&word=verzekering

Reserve funds insurance exhausted in 2033.

A new prognosis tells us that the reserve of the Flemish care insurance will be exhausted in 2033. They first thought the reserve would be exhausted in 2037 but due to the increasing care expenses it will be at the end five years before.

The Flemish care insurance arised in 2001 and is obligated for everyone. It covers the costs of the needy ones. The part of the contributions that is not used comes in the reserve funds.
This enlarged by donations of the Flemish Government. Nowadays the reserve amounts 899 million. And it will stay unaffected till 2010 because from this year there will be a lot more older people.

The question rises what can be done to remedy it. Possible the contribution will raise or the government will give higher donations.

In my opinion the care insurance is a very good idea. It helps the older people who have to manage with a very small pension. The contribution amounts 50 euro a year. It is not much if you see how many people enjoy the funds. You can raise the contribution but for some people that will build up a problem. Especially for the people who are hard up. Enlarge the donation of the government at the other side is also a problem I think. Because where are they going to find the money? The best thing to do is change the whole pension system. Nowadays the actives pay for the non actives. There are continuous more and more non actives, so lower pensions.. In the Netherlands they have another system. There every active person collects for his own pension. As result they have a higher pension and so they can also spend more money on healthcare.

De Ridder Steffie

Source: http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/957/Belgie/article/detail/763563/2009/03/12/Reservefonds-zorgverzekering-in-2033-uitgeput.dhtml

‘Test-aankoop’ launches petition against increase of hospitalization-insurance

According to ‘Test-aankoop’ the premiums for the hospitalization-insurance are too high. That is why they decided to launch a petition with the goal to encourage the Government to create a legal system that will stop the evolution of the premiums of the hospitalization-insurance.
‘Test-aankoop’ claims that the hospitalization-insurance has become a necessary supplement with social security, that is why it has to stay affordable. But people with this insurance have seen their premiums risen with 30 to 300 percent.

There is a law from 2007 that says that the premiums have to advance together with the medical index, so the increase of the premiums is a result of not practising this law. Besides that the big insurers begin deliberate with a low premium and as people get older the premiums shoot up because the insured people are too old to change from insurance company. That is what ‘test-aankoop’ says.

So ‘test-aankoop’ launched a petition on their website and the goal is to maintain affordable premiums.

I think that if the premiums will get too high, people will not take a hospitalization-insurance anymore because it will get to expensive. So when somebody gets involved in an accident and they do not have this insurance, they will have to pay themselves. And maybe they can’t pay it so they will end up with debts. So I think that a hospitalization-insurance has to be obligated and affordable for everyone.

Ruth Blommaert

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF02032009_095&word=hospitalisatieverzekering

National Insurance error pensioners shortchanged by £100 million

There has been a huge miscalculation of pensions of retired public sector workers. These retired people have received too little pension for several years due to a mistake of the record-keeping on national insurance contributions. It is not unusual that there was a miscalculation, because in the past a lot of pensioners already received an entitled pension which was higher than they had right to.Now however, the failure is at the disadvantage of the pensioners.

This mistake is related to former military and judicial staff, teachers and civil servants who have been underpaid for approximately £200 a year. The total of the shortcomings would be about £10 million!
The government is aware of the miscalculations that took place but it is not yet clear if they will rectify the underpayments.

I think it’s the government’s duty to restore this shortcoming in payments. It is not the government’s money but the money that the former public workers have earned and saved for the day they retire. The authorities should admit their mistake and inform the parties involved of what will happen.
I think it is very sympathetic of the government not to punish the pensioners who have been paid out more, but in my opinion they should take their responsibility and pay back all the shortcomings in payments to the entitled persons. I think it is the only way to direct a justified policy.

Sofie De Cooman

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/pensions/article5871152.ece

Insurers scared of Fortis managers.

According to Le Soir , nobody wants to insure the managers of Fortis anymore. That is why the “bank-insurer” decided to insure their managers themselves. Before the managers had their public liability insurance at the American insurer AIG, they were insured for a yearly amount of 225 million. But AIG cancelled the contract in October because it had financial problems themselves and at that time also Fortis was hit by the crisis.

Since the interruption Fortis tried to take out new insurances, but nobody wanted to insure them. So the Board of Directors came with the proposal to write in the regulations that the corporations will protect their managers against judgement connecting the tasks of management. They will be protect for a maximum amount of 100 million a year.

In Belgium it isn’t allowed to insure prior actions. So there is a gap for the managers that resign between the 10th of October and the 16th of February. In the Netherlands it is possible to insure actions from the past so it will be proposed on the congress.

My opinion is divided. For the managers it is indeed a good solution. They are still protected against judgement and have a public liability insurance. If Fortis didn’t came with this solution I really did not want to be a manager! It would be to risky for me. On the other side what if Fortis has to pay? They are already an insolvent company, when they will have to pay 100 million for each manager… For a multinational it maybe look a futility but not when they are in such a deep trouble. I read in the newspaper they will have to collect new money again!

De Ridder Steffie

Source: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=DMF20090319_017

Insurers 'Manifesto'

The insurers launched a kind of manifesto that underlines the importance of having insurances in times of financial crisis. The recession only gets stronger and so we have to be prepared for the worst case scenario! You can never underestimate anything.

The BIBA, the British Insurers Brokers Association, says that every company which is cutting costs, will also stop investing in insurances, because those are very expensive investments. Especially small companies do this, because they think they don’t need some insurances because their company is small and they have less risks. But when they don’t pay their insurances anymore, they will lose a lot of capital when they are hit by fire of flood. I think if people stop paying their insurances they are taking a very big risk. An accident never comes alone! You always have to be aware and some things in life, humans can’t control, like hurricanes or floods.

The British government thinks that 20% of all businesses are suffering from disruption and 80% of companies hit by a major accidents has to shut their place down within 18 months! This is a very good example why everyone should keep their insurances, because no one can predict the future.

With the financial crisis in the world, people are always looking to the price if they want to buy or hire something. They do the same with insurances. They often only look at the cheapest options, but they forget that those options don’t cover much. Only the basic things are included. I think that everyone should consult his or her broker and ask for advice, because insurances are so important. They are expensive, but when something happens to you, the medical costs will be covered.

There is only one right conclusion here: an insurance can make the difference between success or failure of you company. Everyone must keep this in mind and take wise decisions.

Nathalie COUDEVILLE

Source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6784/is_2009_Jan_19/ai_n31201244?tag=content;col1

Flemish fines for care insurance are unreasonable

According to a member of the Flemish parliament, Helga Stevens, are the administrative fines of care insurance for not paying or paying too late unreasonable.
The fines for people who pay too late is as high as for people who do not pay and she cannot agree with this.

For this month in total there are already 42 000 administrative fines sent to people who did not pay their contribution or paid it partly. The contribution is 25 euro’s, but the fine can be more than 250 euro’s. The most important fact is that in the letters of the care insurance there is a fine mentioned but it does not say the amount of it.

That is why Helga Stevens asked the minister of welfare to be willing, especially for people who did pay their contribution in the financial year. She also asks to lengthen the payment date from the 10th of May to the 31st of December.

In my opinion I think it is not fair that people who pay their contribution partly, have to pay the same fine as people that don’t pay their contribution. I also think that the amount of the fine has to be mentioned on the papers of the care insurance. That Helga Stevens asks to lengthen the payment date is also, in my opinion, better. Because a payment at the end of the year is better than half the year.

Ruth Blommaert

http://webnieuws3.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=DMF23022009_074