All infrastructure facilities in Serbia are insured
Kopaonik Biznis Forum, March 8, 2022 – Although insurance of facilities under construction in Serbia is not mandatory, all infrastructure facilities in Serbia are insured, not only facilities under construction and installation, but also third party liability insurance, which is usually is an integral part of the policy for construction, but also the policy of professional responsibility of designers and supervision. This definitely refutes the fairly widespread opinion that insurance is considered only when the damage occurs, especially when it comes to values of hundreds of thousands, even millions of euros, ” said Djordje Nedeljkovic, director of the corporate business of UNIQA Insurance at the Kopaonik Business Forum panel “Infrastructure and connectivity agenda”.
He added that the most endangered infrastructure facilities when we talk about roads and railways are those that have a lot of tunnels, bridges, cuts, those that are performed on inaccessible terrains. Insurance in this area has already become a standard element in contracts between investors and contractors, which prescribes the obligation to contract work insurance and liability to third parties.
“When it comes to construction projects, insurance is also a matter of responsibility towards society in general. If damage occurs to third parties, it will be most easily compensated from the insurance, and it is worth a few per mille of the value of the total investment, which is the amount of the premium. The risks that lead to the greatest damage in our region are natural disasters, and in our area, especially floods, which are more frequent – the damage often amounts to several hundred thousand euros, the reports of world insurers also highlight the risks of natural disasters. The list of risks that can be insured is long, and some of the basic ones are fire, construction accident, natural disasters, human error, theft. In addition to the works themselves, the existing property, equipment, warehouses, clearing of ruins, etc. are also provided. Damages to third parties and their property are not uncommon, “said Djordje Nedeljkovic from UNIQA Insurance.
Nedeljkovic warned that the fact that the works and liability to third parties are insured does not mean that project participants may be irresponsible: a prerequisite for damages to be paid is to work in accordance with professional rules and the law, which applies to contractors. as well as for supervision and for all participants in the implementation of infrastructure projects.