Insurance companies propose compulsory disaster insurance change

Kazakhstan Insurance Companies Association has proposed to charge Kazakhstan citizens with a compulsory insurance fees against future disasters, Megapolis reports. Association's suggestion was sent to Kazakhstan's Financial Supervision Commission. As per Chairman of Oil Insurance Company Zharkyn Alzhanov, a work group is currently being created to define the amounts of compulsory premiums. The insurance cost will depend on a likelihood of the risks. Territorial coefficients will be introduced. As per Alzhanov, insurance premiums shall not be a load only for regions with a high probability of catastrophes. “We are talking about national solidarity here. Cost of insurance policy with the limit of $5.000 may vary within the cost of a pack of cigarettes. I think that this is not big money and Kazakhstan citizens can afford such insurance,” Alzhanov added. Currently Kazakhstan insurance premiums in case of earthquakes vary from 0.2 to one percent of the property cost. As per Chairman of Insurance Companies Association Sofiya Moskalenko, defining the premium requires evaluation of the housing and commercial real estate stock. “Core companies have to be evaluated as well. This is a major job to review all the data in country,” she said.