There will be no ceiling on road death benefits for closest circle of relatives

GERB gave up the idea of introducing a ceiling on road death benefits for the closest circle of relatives. The offer of BGN 5,000 remains for the wider circle, the chair of the budget committee in Parliament Menda Stoyanova told journalists on 13^th of November. The party has asked for a meeting with President Rumen Radev on the subject. Last night, a meeting of the Executive Committee of GERB (majority partner in the ruling coalition), discussed the tensions in the country and the demands of the protesters against raising the cost of the Third Party Liability insurance

The ruling power took a step backwards and decided that there would be no limit to the indemnities for spouses, children and parents of victims of road accidents.

Menda Stoyanova, Chair of Parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee: We offer a ceiling of up to BGN 5,000 for non-pecuniary benefit in case of death in a traffic accident, to all relatives outside the close family circle who were subject of compensations up to now. We make it possible for there to be no major claim that would affect the level of third party liability insurance. Otherwise, if this proposal is withdrawn or not accepted, it means that third party liability could increase two or three fold, or even more. Very strong words were spoken - no cost to human life, but there must be a limit to the demands of this wide circle.

In August, the Supreme Court of Cassation decided to extend the circle of persons who could seek such benefits and to include a wider range of relatives of those who died in accidents and of those who were emotionally affected. The chair of the Budget Committee Menda Stoyanova proposed a limit of BGN 20,000 for spouses and partners of the victims of accidents, BGN 15,000 for brothers and sisters and BGN 5,000 for other people in emotional relations.

Menda Stoyanova: 300 complaints have been filed for 3 months for 850 people seeking compensation at an average claim of about 100,000, which makes about BGN 100 million additional. These 100 million as well as other claims have to be paid by insurers, and they are paid by the third party liability insurance by all of us.

Stoyanova pointed out that if today's proposal is adopted, there will be no need to raise third party liability for the payment of large benefits to a wide range of people.