"A very small percentage of people" ensure their houses
Three percent of the over eight million homeowners have signed compulsory home insurances although they expire in one month and a half time.
Articol de Cora Enache, 07 Decembrie 2010, 09:47
Starting 15 January, people who do not have such an insurance risk getting fines up to 500 lei.
The insurance guarantees compensation up to 20.000 euros in the cases of natural calamities and the price is ten or 20 euros depending on the type of building.
The city capital of Vaslui is below the national average, with only 2500 insurants from a total of 170.000, and the ones who are behind their payments are the representatives of the City Hall themselves who should start giving fines starting January.
The representatives say that with a poor budget like theirs it is impossible to get 4000 euros, which is the price of the insurance of the social houses.
Vaslui City Hall has not ensured the social houses
And in this context the question remains: who will give fines to the citizens who have not ensured their houses if not even the people from the City Hall who were suppose to make sure that the law is applied, comply with it?
The deputy of Vaslui, Valeriu Caragaţ says that people are not well informed about the house insurances.
"Where there is a law, there is not bargain. According to the law, the sums come from amounts that are deducted from the state budget and if they do not come, I do not know to what degree we will be able to do this. We will not be able to fulfill our duties.
We are waiting to see what sums of money will be given to us for social houses insurance".
"But I have local information that individuals are not in a hurry either for several reasons. Firstly, they do not have the necessary financial resources. Secondly, people are not well-informed about house insurances and we will end up giving them fines, understanding that these responsibilities lie with the City Halls and we will find ourselves fighting a losing battle", said Valeriu Caragaţ.
The only ones enjoying this new law are the insurance companies.
Mihaela Coşeru, the representative of an insurance company from the town of Vaslui says that having to choose between an annual policy of 80 lei and fine of 500 lei for not paying, people should choose the first.
"There is a database containing these policies and the City Halls will probably take them over and see who has paid their policies and who has not and will start issuing fines. Fines from 100 to 500 lei", said Mihaela Coşeru.
Translated by: Iris Butnariu
MTTLC, Bucharest University
