Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella announced coordinated measures with the insurance sector to accelerate compensation and subsidies for those affected by the August 10 earthquake. The president confirmed that the State will cross its official databases with private companies to simplify procedures amid the emergency that has claimed 314 lives.
During a press conference at the San Carlos Palace in Bogotá, De la Espriella clarified that those affected will have two years to file claims with insurers. He specified that properties in socioeconomic strata 1, 2 and 3, as well as social interest housing, will receive priority attention without abandoning other policyholders.
The president noted that when a property has policies with different entities, the companies will have to coordinate directly with each other. De la Espriella argued that they cannot shift the burden onto citizens to resolve procedures between companies whilst they face the consequences of the tragedy.
The meeting with the insurance sector precedes the formal signing of an economic emergency decree during the first cabinet meeting, a measure aimed at allocating extraordinary resources to reconstruction. According to an official count on Wednesday, in addition to the 314 deaths, 4,437 injuries and 262 missing persons have been reported.
The earthquake, with its epicentre in San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, affected 15 departments and 471 municipalities, leaving 262,154 people displaced. The damage includes 30,664 destroyed homes, 136,946 damaged houses, 302 collapsed buildings, damage to 3,470 schools, 352 health centres and damage to roads, bridges, water systems and airfield facilities.
