Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire during a press conference on July 1, 2023 in Paris (AFP/STEFANO RELLANDINI)
Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Saturday asked insurers to extend reporting deadlines, reduce deductibles and quickly compensate professionals who were victims of the riots.
“We have asked insurers to show the greatest simplicity in the processing of procedures” and to “reduce deductibles as much as possible,” said Mr. Le Maire in front of journalists.
The federation of insurers has, he insisted, “made formal commitments to study the possibility of reducing deductibles” for traders and entrepreneurs affected by damage and looting committed during the violence that broke out in many cities. of France after the death of young Nahel, killed by a policeman during a traffic check.
For Mr. Le Maire, “compensation must arrive as quickly as possible”, “within deadlines which must amount to days and not weeks”.
He invited professionals “affected by acts of vandalism” to declare “as soon as possible” the claims to their insurance. “A call is enough, or an email, or an SMS!”
“We have planned to extend if necessary to extend the reporting deadlines,” he added.
The insured must theoretically file a complaint immediately with the police authorities and declare their damage to their insurer within five days of becoming aware of the loss.
Bruno Le Maire also asked the banks for “the greatest understanding in terms of processing deadlines” from the professionals concerned.
A deferral of payment of social and tax charges for companies in difficulty will also be possible.
The Minister spoke at a press briefing in Bercy with the Minister Delegate responsible in particular for SMEs and trade Olivia Grégoire, after having received representatives of traders, hoteliers-restaurateurs, insurers and French banks.
– “Getting out of emotion” –
After four nights of unrest, the figures are “very high”, noted the minister: a dozen shopping centers and more than 200 large retail chains attacked and looted – including 15 burned down -, 250 tobacconists but also 250 bank branches, many fashion and sportswear shops, fast food establishments…
The Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire and the Minister Delegate for SMEs Olivia Grégoire (G), July 1, 2023 in Paris (AFP / STEFANO RELLANDINI)
“This concerns the whole territory”, lamented Mr. Le Maire, who expressed the government’s support for entrepreneurs and employees “in shock” to see their workplaces ransacked.
“It is still too early to have a quantified assessment” of the damage, according to him.
Crisis cells have been reactivated in each department and “we want to provide quick and strong responses”, the minister said, noting that “90 to 95% of traders are covered by claims and damage insurance” and 53% by business interruption insurance.
For Murielle Bourreau, vice-president of the French Federation of Trade Associations, the aid announced by Mr. Le Maire, “it will not be enough”. “I hear yet another postponement (of charges) after the one we had after the Covid, that we had after the pension reform or the yellow vests. I think that the traders will be taken by the throat once moreover”, she declared on the set of BFMTV, denouncing the passage of the procedures of compensation too cumbersome.
“We were already wondering how our traders were going to be able to survive. (…) For the moment we are rather counting the curtains closed.”
The president of the Union of Trades in the Hospitality Industry (Umih), Thierry Marx, felt that “everyone has been heard”, “now it is up to us too to get out of the emotion to find solutions”, discuss with insurance companies and banks, he told AFP.
In addition, the possibility of extending sales for one week for affected businesses is being studied.
“The sales started very well, tourism is doing very well. We have so many chances, so many assets in this country, we must preserve them”, pleaded Olivia Grégoire.
A municipal employee walks past a broken window on July 1, 2023 in Lyon, after a fourth consecutive night of riots caused by the death of Nahel, 17, killed by a police officer (AFP / OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE)
More generally, “we need quick and strong responses” to the current crisis, which requires “the return to order as soon as possible”, declared Bruno Le Maire.
© 2023 AFP
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