We, Folksam and Forena, hope that insurance companies in other countries will introduce protection in case of domestic violence, so that the protection will be available all over the EU. This is what Jens Wikström said at the Social Dialogue for the Insurance Sector yesterday in a joint presentation with Sarah Goddard AMICE Mutuals and Susanne Lindberg Forena. Globally one in three women meet physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence is a big societal problem. Yet it is a type of criminality that is not always met with as robust measures as other types of criminality by policymakers and society at large. We think that the society and leading actors in society can do better. As the economic situation is a hindrance when women - they are the large majority* - consider leaving a violent relationship - insurance companies we have an important role to play via the insurance protection in case of domestic violence. *The protection is of course also available for men and children who are subject to domestic violence. When Folksam, as the first insurance company in Sweden, introduced compensation and support for persons who suffer domestic violence in our home insurance 2018, we introduced it for many reasons. For example since our customers, via trade unions who represent their members who are our customers asked for it. We also introduced the cover for reasons of equality; men who were abused at the pub could get compensation, but women who were abused at home could not get any compensation. That was not ok. Introducing it felt like the right thing to do. And by introducing this protection in the home insurance we also hoped to set a new standard in the insurance industry. Since 2018 a lot has happened. Folksam improved the protection via an economic support to cover urgent extra expenses for those that have to flee their homes in 2021. Today the protection is available for 95 % of the Swedes as several other Swedish insurance companies now have introduced the protection and the protection is, according to Forena’s report also available in Iceland. Hanna Wallinder Jimmy Johnsson Jens Wikström Martha Ekström Christina "Tina" Hedman #DomesticAbuse
AMICE member Folksam highlights the role of insurance protection in the event of domestic violence to European insurance social partners. Folksam was the first Swedish insurance company to introduce protection in the event of domestic violence. The protection includes, among other things, financial support for urgent additional costs that arise for those who need to flee their home, as well as crisis support. The protection applies to everyone who is covered by home insurance, regardless of who signed it and regardless of whether you have your insurance via the union or via an individual home insurance. Read Folksam's press statement: https://lnkd.in/e7xE3Np2 Read more about the EU social dialogue for the insurance sector: https://lnkd.in/eG6W4cwX Read Forena's new report: https://lnkd.in/esFdSRGg Jens Wikström Emma Lindberg Susanne Lindberg Hanna Wallinder #mutual #insurance #proudtobemutual #socialimpact #socialdialogue