Like hail insurance

Doskozil in favor of nationwide disaster insurance

Governor Hans Peter Doskozil

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

Many people are worried about their livelihood after the flood disaster. In many cases, the insurance benefits are just a drop in the ocean. In order to provide people with better support, the Governor of Burgenland, Hans Peter Doskozil, is calling for nationwide disaster insurance.

The hail insurance financed by the federal government, the provinces and farmers should serve as a model for this. The SPÖ politician explained on Wednesday that the money from the disaster fund would only cover part of the damage caused. 

The damage in Lower Austria is devastating.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Doskozil referred to the flood aid introduced by the state after the storms in the Oberwart district in June, which now also applies to those currently affected. Damage of up to 150,000 euros will be compensated in the private sector, whereby insurance benefits or a deductible of 10,000 euros will be deducted. Five million euros of the estimated ten million euros in damage caused by the June floods have already been paid out.

Doskozil combines proposal with criticism of the government
However, this would "not be possible every year". "The federal government would therefore be called upon to implement statutory insurance for private individuals in the event of disasters, similar to the hail insurance for farmers. That would be the right way forward," said the Governor. The experience from the Oberwart district in June and currently from Lower Austria had shown the need for this. The suffering caused by the storms could at least be covered by insurance. The fact that the federal government "doesn't even come up with such ideas in pre-election times is telling", criticized Doskozil. 

"This is a joke"
He also pushed for a VAT exemption for fire departments: "The demand is on the table and has never been implemented." This is "a joke", said the governor angrily.