A policeman in front of the town hall of Garges-lès-Gonesse, set on fire during the urban riots which followed the death of Nahel M., on June 29, 2023. STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP
The damage linked to the urban violence which followed the death of Nahel M. killed on June 27 by a police officer will cost insurers 650 million, their professional federation estimated on Tuesday, more than double the 280 million euros anticipated last week. .
The nine tenths “of the cost of this urban violence concerns the 3,900 property of professionals and local communities affected”, said the president of France Assureurs Florence Lustman, quoted in a press release. The rest mainly concerns damage suffered by individuals for their personal vehicles.
The federation has counted 11,300 claims related to urban riots. In detail, claims on professional property represent 55% of the 650 million euros mentioned, and those concerning the property of local authorities 35%, specifies France Assureurs.
As of July 1, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, had asked insurers to extend the declaration deadlines, reduce deductibles and quickly compensate professionals who were victims of the riots, to whom the banks were also called upon to show understanding.
A very different nature of claims from 2005
The professional federation invited its members three days later to ” reduce “ deductibles for “hardest hit small independent traders” by urban violence.
It was heard by certain mutualists such as Covea (MMA, MAAF and GMF brands), Macif but also the bank insurers BPCE, Crédit Agricole or Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale (which brings together 14 of the 18 federations of the mutualist group as well as CIC), who announced measures for the victims. Axa, Generali and Société Générale had also followed suit.
“The nature of the claims linked to the violence of recent days is therefore very different from what our country experienced in 2005”, completes Ms. Lustman. At the time, damage and fires to vehicles had represented more than 80% of claims for a total cost of 204 million euros.
It remains to be seen whether insurers will react in the same way as before. The following year, an arm wrestling pitted them against the government on the question of whether the responsibility of the state was engaged in urban violence.
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In 2006, the mutual insurance company for local authorities (SMACL), on the front line this year, had, for example, hired “contentious proceedings” against the State for lack of an amicable agreement on compensation for the urban violence of November 2005.