Question 27669 — businesses

Summary

The natural disaster compensation scheme is not adapted to cover the risk linked to a serious health threat such as the one we face today. Firstly, on a financial level, the scheme was not designed to cover the risks of an epidemic. This plan only covers direct material damage resulting from a natural disaster and operating losses resulting from this damage if the insured is covered against these losses. In this case, the operating losses due to Covid-19 were not caused, in the vast majority of cases, by material damage. Like any insurance mechanism, the level of plan provisions and premiums collected are calculated in advance based on previously identified contingencies. Take charge of operating losses linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, beyond any possibility of having organized financial coverage in advance, could jeopardize the economic balance of the system, already heavily mobilized in recent years by extreme natural disasters. Furthermore, in any event, a modification by law of insurance contracts already in progress to impose coverage of the risk of a pandemic would prove unconstitutional in that it would disproportionately harm the economic balance of legally concluded agreements. However, the Government is fully aware of the legitimate expectations expressed with regard to insurance and coverage of the risk posed by serious health threats. A reflection around the idea of ​​creating an insurance-type scheme intended to intervene in the event of a future major health disaster has just been initiated. Such a mechanism cannot necessarily relate only to the future. A working group was set up by the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, bringing together the main stakeholders. Its objective is to determine the opportunity, the technical feasibility of such a regime as well as the advantages and disadvantages for all economic actors. Elected officials will be fully involved in this work. Initial recommendations must be made as soon as the month of June. They will be the subject of the broadest possible consultations.

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