Groningen residents who have to deal with greater damage as a result of an earthquake can now claim a fixed compensation of up to 10,000 euros, the Institute for Mining Damage Groningen (IMG) announced on Saturday. They will also be able to apply for a fixed fee several times.
Now there is only a fixed compensation of 5,000 euros for minor earthquake damage. Because no extensive investigation is required for minor damage, this amount can be paid out quickly. Half of the damage reports are already handled in this way, but this mainly concerns damage to the edge of the area where the earthquakes occur.
IMG also wants a fixed compensation for larger damage cases in the middle of the earthquake zone. The amount of this compensation depends on, among other things, the size of the house and the location in the earthquake area.
Especially in the core of the earthquake area, residents have to deal with damage on several occasions. “It is especially important for this group to offer a simple procedure as an alternative to the tailor-made approach,” says Bas Kortmann, chairman of the IMG board. He says that even larger claims can be handled easily with the experience the claims desk has gained in the meantime.
The IMG intends to start working with the higher fixed remunerations this year.
Last month there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.9 near the Groningen village of Froombosch. In October, the surroundings of the Groningen villages of Wirdum and Garrelsweer were shaken by several earthquakes. At that time, more than four hundred damage reports were received.
