The current floods in southern Germany have led to criticism from the German insurer at the politics Oliver Hauner from the German Insurance Association (GDV) said that uncomfortable questions must be asked. In particular, he pointed to avoidable dam breaches that would not have happened if the dykes had been better maintained.
There are more than 320,000 houses in flood-prone areas, something insurers have long complained about. The idea of Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder to convene a round table with insurers is generally welcomed. However, there are complaints that such meetings should have taken place much earlier.
The discussion about introducing compulsory insurance for natural hazards such as floods and flash floods has flared up again. While the federal states are in favor of this, insurers are opposed to it due to the expected high costs. The GDV argues that the French model, in which the state steps in in the event of major natural disasters, should not serve as a model.
Source: nachrichten.ag
