Home insurance can cover violence in the home

In January last year, Folksam, the first insurance company that began offering överfallsersättning in the home. And now we also have the Ica Insurance changed its rules in överfallsskyddet, which is gender - and åldersneutralt, but who are expected to have the greatest effect for women, and to some extent also for children.

previously did not apply to the company's home insurance policy if the offender is included in the same household, but covered only violence that takes place on the street.

" We in the business must demonstrate that we take these problems seriously. It is not possible to assign it to all the other actors in the community. We must stop looking at and see how we can shape our products and services on the best way to help to get to grips with the problems, " says Ica the Insurance ceo Caroline Farberger.

”We want to be the Swedish consumers will feel secure when they opt for insurance and you have to have a protection even in close relationships,” says Caroline Farberger, managing director Ica Insurance. Photo: Björn Dalin/ICA

She hopes that more insurance companies will follow their decision.

" We want the Swedish consumers will feel secure when they opt for insurance and you have to have a protection even in close relationships. There has long been an outdated view on these issues within the industry, and with this, we want to help to modernise it.

Insurance, home insurance, have a high standard of proof. In order to get access to överfallsersättningen it is required that the person made a complaint to the police and participating in the investigation. The companies want also that there will be a judgment which has the force of law, that is to say, a judgment or a decision may not be appealed. This process usually takes a long time.

Ica Insurance to a so-called omställningsskydd with immediate cash payouts to fleeing domestic violence. Then a shelter or shelters, confirming the need for, and the insured will receive up to 15,000 a month in three months, for example, food, household items, and purchasing clothes.

To the big four in the hemförsäkringsbranschen usually Länsförsäkringar, Folksam, If Skadeförsäkring and trygg-hansa are counted.

Of those who were subjected to ill-treatment in 2016, say 18 per cent to gärningspersonen was a related, shows national Crime prevention Council national trygghetsundersökning. Photo: Magnus Hallgren

to the DN state Osvald Wiklander, press officer at If Skadeförsäkring, that the standard in the hemförsäkringsbranschen is that violence in close relationships are excluded from compensation for the assault, in the same way as the theft within a family to be excluded from the protective device.

”A family who live together, are insured collectively, under the arrangement we have in Sweden – and that violence in close relationships sets the entire approach to the test is something that have been identified and discussed over a longer period of time, not just with us on the If, but in the industry as a whole,” he writes.

He stresses that If endorses Ica Försäkringars a vengeance. And that approach is something the industry will need to take a stand.

”For us, it has been important that any changes meant to correct for the deficiency in the existing protection is not toothless. It is often the first stage of support is needed, and we think that Ica Insurance initiatives with a transition insurance seems commendable – here we see that the home insurance would actually be able to help in a vulnerable situation. We will take it further in our discussions of the issue,” writes Osvald Wiklander.

is försäkringsjurist at Länsförsäkringar Uppsala. She tells us that the issue of insurance coverage for victims of violence in close relationships is a complex one for the insurance companies.

”I see that the solution where the insurance also applies to the mutual benevolent purposes, but we do not have an insurance policy that applies against each other in that way,” says Susanne Fagerberg, försäkringsexpert at Länsförsäkringar Photo: Länsförsäkringar

– All persons in the same households are covered by home insurance. It is not possible to use insurance against each other to get the compensation that might otherwise be paid out in physical abuse, or sexual offenses. If we come in contact with someone who is suffering usually we always advise them to turn to victim support service for help with compensation, " she says.

She stresses that these issues are discussed extensively in the insurance industry.

– There are ongoing discussions on improvements in the insurance cover. I see that the solution where the insurance also applies to the mutual benevolent purposes, but we do not have an insurance policy that applies against each other in that way.

to cling to their old rules. Where offered since the previous crisis support in the form of psykologsamtal and an accident insurance that can take effect.

Ica Insurance new rules came into force on Monday 1 april. At the same time, also introduced a so-called ombudshjälp of up to 15,000 per insured, for example, help with a review of a discontinued preliminary investigation.