DANA October 2024: In memory of the more than 200 people victims of the DANA
Dear clients and readers,
First of all, the professionals of BZN LEX INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS stand in solidarity with the victims and their families, whose lives have been deeply impacted by the devastation caused by these DANA storms last 29 October, which hit hard the Valencian area.
Heavy rains have also caused a great deal of damage to vehicles, homes, the countryside, premises and also to people. Many are questioning who will be responsible, at least financially, for these important losses.
In this case, only those who have taken out an insurance policy will be able to recover these losses. Nevertheless, it is not their insurer that is really responsible, but the Insurance Compensation Consortium (CCS).
The CCS is a public institution that only acts in cases where the damage has been caused by an extraordinary risk such as floods, an atypical cyclonic storm with winds exceeding 120 kilometres, earthquakes or volcanoes (like the one In La Palma).
II. If you have an insurance contract in force: Steps to follow in order to claim compensation for the DANA
The first step consists of making photographs or videos of all the damage (i.e. property, car, etc,)
Second, you need to contact your own insurance company ASAP (remember the short deadline of 7 days!) to start the process right away. Your insurance agent will verify that the meteorological phenomena associated with the DANA comply with the thresholds and specific circumstances that activate the extraordinary risk insurance coverage. And in the affirmative case, he will guide you in order to submit the claim to the Insurance Compensation Consortium. Your insurance agent will manage the process and follow up on your behalf.
III. What do you do if you do not have insurance?
The only feasible option for those people affected who do not have an insurance contract will be to claim any possible public aid that might be approved by the government. However, in practice, those affected will need to wait for several years to receive any compensation.
Therefore, considering the huge risks involved in not having an insurance policy, we believe that it is crucial to have an insurance contract with coverage subject to the surcharge for extraordinary risks.
Finally, – another important advice, is- that before buying a property in Spain, it is very important to check the maps of flood zones. You can contact us and we will be glad to inform you if your property might be included in any of the “risk areas”.
For ex-pats who are not our clients, if you need guidance, feel free to send us a private message, write to us at our website https://bestsolicitorsinspain.com/contact/
We’ll do our best to assist you during this challenging time.
We hope you find this information useful and thank you very much for your attention.
Mr. Oscar Ricor
Founder Solicitors BZN LEX INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS. Dual Solicitor registered in Spanish & English (non-practicing).
