Publié le Wildfires in Gironde, Landes and Var departments: insurers stand in solidarity with those affected and announce exceptional measures
Gironde, Landes and Var departments are currently facing large-scale wildfires that have resulted in the total or partial destruction of hundreds of buildings and forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate.
Insurers wish to express their support for all those who have lost their homes, belongings or livelihoods, as well as for residents forced to leave their homes and now living in uncertainty. They pay tribute to the courage and remarkable commitment of firefighters, security forces, emergency services, local authorities, charities and all those working to support the affected communities.
In these particularly difficult circumstances, insurers are fully committed to supporting their policyholders and are announcing two exceptional measures:
The deadline for filing claims has been extended to August 31.
Residents who have had to evacuate their primary residence at the request of the authorities, whether or not the property has been damaged, will be reimbursed for temporary accommodation costs, upon presentation of supporting documents, for up to three weeks, for as long as they are unable to return home.
Gironde, Landes and Var have been facing exceptionally large-scale wildfires for several days. They have caused significant destruction and forced several hundred thousand people to evacuate their homes or places of stay.
In response, insurers are mobilising to support policyholders affected by the ongoing wildfires. They are announcing several measures:
- The deadline for filing claims has been extended to August 31, beyond the statutory five-day period.
- Temporary accommodation costs will be reimbursed, upon presentation of supporting documents and subject to the terms and limits of the policy in the event that damage occurs, for residents who have had to evacuate their primary residence at the request of the public authorities, whether or not the property has been damaged. Reimbursement will apply for up to three weeks and for as long as access to the primary residence remains prohibited.
In addition, insurers have reinforced their claims management teams and asked loss adjusting firms to make the necessary arrangements to carry out assessments as soon as access to the affected areas is restored.
Mrs Florence Lustman, President of France Assureurs: “The exceptionally large-scale wildfires in Gironde, Landes and Var departments have forced hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate, with some now facing temporary rehousing difficulties. On behalf of all insurers, I would like to express our deepest solidarity and support to everyone who has been abruptly torn from their daily lives, some of whom have lost everything or are living in fear of what they may find when they return home. In these exceptional circumstances, our priority is to provide swift and practical solutions. Insurers have therefore decided to extend the claim filing deadline to August 31 and to reimburse temporary accommodation costs for policyholders who have had to evacuate their primary residence, for a period of three weeks and for as long as access to their home remains prohibited. Insurers will remain fully mobilised, alongside the public authorities, to provide continued support to those affected.”
Download
Press Release – Wildfires in Gironde, Landes and Var departments: insurers stand in solidarity with those affected and announce exceptional measures (PDF)
