Obligatory home insurance to create 148 MN Euros market in 2009

The house insurance market may add up to 148 million Euros this year, after the law that imposes an obligatory insurance of households becomes operational. Some 8.25 million houses may be insured in Romania, said Radu Popescu, Interior and Administration Ministry counselor for NewsIn. The law will become operational on July 1, 2009.

The house insurance market in Romania is rather insignificant with less than 10% of the homes bearing an insurance policy. In Hungary, UK, Ireland or Belgium, the insuring degree is between 65 and 95%.

A 100% insurance degree in Romania would be much too optimistic, but many will have to insure their homes, since the law includes higher penalties for those not insured in some cases.