Floods and Insurance: Claims Tens of Millions of Rupees

Claim services of Insurance companies are hard at work since Wednesday to deal with the help of their assessors, engineers, dossiers submitted by customers whose vehicles and residential and non-residential have been damaged by the recent floods. "We worked during the weekend and yesterday to collect customer complaints. We have set up a task force for this purpose, "said Kris Lutchmeenaraidoo, chief executive of group Mauritius Union Assurance (MUA) and President of the Association of Insurers Mauritius. MUA register online claims to be able to treat them "as soon as possible" since the opening of its office this morning.

According to Kris Lutchmeenaraidoo a first assessment records made this morning indicates that claims for damaged vehicles would be about Rs 26 million, while those relating to non-residential buildings (shops, equipment and product inventory) revolve around Rs 10 million. "We expect that the value of claims climb in the coming days but we can reassure our customers that we will honor our commitments under the terms of the contracts were signed," said Group CEO MUA. This indicated that the records relating to motor insurance are currently 37 in number.

The side of the Swan Group, the status of claims is different from that observed in MUA. Swan found for the time before damage evaluations, made by clients homeowners trade and other non-residential buildings in the range of Rs 100 million. Regarding car insurance, fifty complaints have been recorded so far and the amount, according to Jean Yves Violette, Head of Claims of General Insurance group, approaching the Rs 20 million. "As this was probably the case with other insurance companies, the group has been working Swan yesterday, its employees specialized in the processing of claims and maintained constant contact with the designated garages for repairs of use of damaged vehicles. Our goal is to quickly assess the records and pay accordingly. We are aware that there are many other insured motorists who are stressed and want their problems to be addressed quickly. Prompt treatment allows claims to the affected person or a business to quickly resume the normal course of things, "said Jean Yves Violette.

As in Swan and MUA, customer complaints are the subject of the most attention in the State Insurance Company of Mauritius (SICOM), suggested Gilles Chaperon, its Head of Marketing and Communication. The observation made this morning by the responsible claims service group indicates that for car insurance, thirty applications were received for an approximate amount of Rs 25 million, while for the insurance segment as "property", ten complaints were recorded and the total value is estimated at Rs 10 million. Gilles Hood made it clear that the group expects to receive over the next few days, additional claims.

In addition, the Insurers Association, which includes insurance companies of the country, has asked its members this morning to give a first indication of claims recorded and assessments were made thereafter. In the Financial Services Commission also is monitoring the situation closely, said the head of communication controller of nonbank financial services. FSC intends to issue a statement urging customers of insurance companies who may have difficulties in their claims to make themselves known. The FSC says it can not intervene in cases of breach of contract in due form.