2023-07-01 20:50:00
After four days of chaos in several French cities following the death of Nahel, 17, killed by police fire after refusing to comply, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, asked insurers to extend declaration deadlines, reduce deductibles and quickly compensate professionals who are victims of revolts.
“Compensation must arrive as quickly as possible”, “within deadlines which must be calculated in days and not weeks” for traders and entrepreneurs affected by damage and looting, he said, Saturday July 1, after having received representatives of traders, hoteliers-restaurants, insurers and bankers in Bercy.
Bruno Le Maire also asked the banks for “the greatest understanding in terms of processing deadlines” from the professionals concerned.
Adjustments to claims acknowledgments
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! “, he argued. “We have planned to extend, if necessary, the reporting deadlines”.
“Declaration deadlines must be extended, but insurers must also adapt the recognition of claims”, remarked Philippe Coy, president of the Confederation of tobacconists. “I don’t think there will be enough experts in the short term, each member should be able to photograph the damage in order to be able to repair without waiting for an expert, because it will be urgent to prepare for the repairs”.
READ ALSODeath of Nahel: Marseille groggy after riots which it is not used toIf France Assureurs did not respond immediately to AFP’s requests, the president of the French Banking Federation Philippe Brassac assured that the banks were “present, fully mobilized to respond in a personalized way to the needs of their affected customers. by the recent riots. “All meeting participants are committed to simplicity and speed,” he added in a statement.
A deferral of payment of social and tax charges for companies in difficulty will also be possible. Traders are also demanding a delay in the repayment of state-guaranteed loans (PGE) granted during the health crisis.
After four nights of unrest, there are about ten shopping centers and more than 200 retail chains attacked and looted, including 15 burned down, 250 tobacconists, but also 250 bank branches, stores of all sizes, fast food establishments… “It’s hyper critical and there is really very significant damage,” said Alain Di Crescenzo, president of CCI France (chambers of commerce and industry).
A gesture that “will not be enough”
“We are at several thousand shops”, including 400 in Marseille alone on Friday, with a predilection for sporting goods, food and optics. A balance sheet all the heavier according to him as many security guards have asserted their right of withdrawal.
Crisis units have been reactivated in each department and “we want to provide quick and strong responses”, said Bruno Le Maire, noting that “90 to 95% of traders are covered by claims and damage insurance” and 53% by business interruption insurance.
Each CCI has also opened a crisis unit, including psychological, according to Alain Di Crescenzo, who is also asking for aid to compensate for deductibles, operating losses if they are not insured, the payment of security guards and partial unemployment. He also wants, more prosaically, priority in the police stations for traders so that they can easily declare their claims.
READ ALSORiots: Nahel’s death in the international pressFor Murielle Bourreau, vice-president of the French Federation of Trade Associations, the minister’s gesture “will not be enough”. “I hear yet another postponement [des charges] after the one we had after the Covid, that we had after the pension reform or the yellow vests. I think traders are going to be taken by the throat once again,” she said on the set of BFM TVdenouncing overly cumbersome compensation procedures.
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, Minister Delegate in charge of SMEs and trade in particular.
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