Insurer cancels contracts of drivers who have accident while under the influence
Insurance company Baloise will cancel its contract with any driver who has an accident while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Het Nieuwsblad reports. The move is part of the insurer's recently introduced zero tolerance policy on alcohol and drugs.
Any Baloise customer who submits a claim for an accident while they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs will have their policy cancelled, even if it is the first time the driver is at fault and they were only slightly over the legal limit. The insurer will also refuse new customers who have had an accident under the influence in the past.
The strict policy is remarkable, as most insurers currently only cancel a driver's insurance after a series of claims.
"As an insurer, we want to play an awareness-raising role and contribute to a safe road environment"
Baloise says it wants to send a signal that it takes alcohol and drug use in traffic particularly seriously. "As an insurer, we want to play an awareness-raising role and contribute to a safe road environment," spokesperson Ines Leroy told Het Nieuwsblad.
Alcohol and drugs are among the main causes of fatal road accidents in Belgium. Every day, there are 11 road accidents in the country that result in at least one injury. According to a 2023 survey by the Fondation Vinci, 7 per cent of Belgian drivers were involved in an accident related to drink-driving, or around 420,000 drivers.
© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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