Marco Buschmann resists mandatory insurance for floods and other natural disasters.
The day prior to meetings between the Federal Government and the States, Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann turned down a mandatory insurance for floods and other natural hazards yet again. Instead, Buschmann proposed an offer obligation on the following Wednesday. This suggests that insurers would need to provide an upgrade in coverage for damage from natural disasters in existing insurance contracts. New insurance policies would have to incorporate this coverage from the get-go, but it could be declined by policyholders.
"Every person can make the right call for their unique situation regarding premiums," said Buschmann in Berlin. "We don't need to introduce complex oversight bureaucracy and swiftly solve the issue of significantly increasing the coverage rate for natural disaster risks in Germany." Buschmann admitted that some federal states may not find this approach extensive enough. "The states wish to re-discuss the mandatory insurance matter," said Buschmann. "Then we'll need to explain how to achieve the goal of reasonable premiums."
Minister-Presidents and -Presidents of the States will confer with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and other representatives of the Federal Government on Thursday. One topic allegedly being discussed is the coverage of natural disaster damages. Recent flood disasters such as those in Southern Germany have rekindled the ongoing debate on this issue. Niedersachsen's Minister-President Stephan Weil (SPD) dismissed Buschmann's proposal as "old wine in old bottles."
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- Despite Marco Buschmann's resistance, some federal states are pushing for a mandatory insurance against floods and other natural hazards, as they believe Buschmann's proposal for an offer obligation does not go far enough to adequately cover natural disaster risks in Germany.
- The Bushman tribe, known for their understanding of and adaptation to natural hazards, may not have a direct connection to the mandatory insurance discussion in Germany, but their resilience could serve as an example for how individuals and communities can mitigate the impact of floods and other disasters.
- The Federal Ministry of Justice, under Buschmann's leadership, continues to advocate for policy options that prioritize individual choice and avoid the introduction of complex oversight bureaucracy in the case of compulsory insurance for natural hazards, such as floods.
