It is even more marked on the body serious i

The subject is not politically correct. For insurers, the decline in the number of fatalities on the roads in thirty years, it fell from 17,000 to 5,000 dead is obviously good news. But the increase in the number of serious injuries (less developed in statistics) weighs on their loss experience. "It's terrible to say, but a deceased us is cheaper than a reanimated maintaining serious sequelae." "A 18 year-old quadriplegic due to an accident of scooter, it represents more than 5 million euros in compensation," says a large mutual.

The drift of the cost of personal injury, all the place auto insurers suffer. For ten years, inflation is of the order of 6 to 7 per year. It is even more marked on the body serious, i.e. for the wounded which the rate of permanent incapacity (PI) is greater than 15. The causes are known: lengthen the duration of life, cost increasing for the third person (half of compensation), judicialization of society... "This is even more burdensome that interest rates have fallen, raising future costs capitalized in the calculation of annuities", explains (Gema) insurance mutual companies group.

Operators are not equal to the skid. Some began later than others to replenish their supplies, where some differences in tariff policies. "There were provisions marked between 2002 and 2004 refills." "Provisioning ratios were stable in 2005 over 2004, signs that the market now found the right level of provisioning", said Cyrille Chartier-Kastler, Vice-President at Solving International.

Inflection point

Insurers are not less vigilant. "One cannot exclude a reversal of jurisprudence requiring the insurers to retouch their stock of provisions," explains the Gema. Above all, some are beginning to anticipate the end of the blessed period where the decrease in frequency of accidents compensated for the increase in average, tangible costs such as materials. "There are signs that show us that we are at an inflection point," recognizes the Macif, first insurer France car. In the future, the reductions in rates may be more difficult to justify. The insurability of the less good risks may also arise.

The difficulty is that, in reality, the drift of the body is a societal subject what fair level of compensation for victims of accidents on which the insurers indicate have little decision-making. "Despite a decrease in the severity of the injury, the average compensation paid was multiplied by three since 1970." "Progress vehicles safer and more effective medical relief were offset by jurisprudence awarding higher compensation," said Jean-Paul Guilhamon, Deputy DG damage insurance and individual services in Groupama branch. Although it is possible to further reduce the frequency of accidents, the company may continue to exert pressure to increase the compensation.

Insurers do not dispute these changes. "Our goal is not to reduce benefits, but provide compensation we will have to pay", summarizes Roger Iseli, DG of the Macif. Hence the need, find the profession, to install a repository for compensation to put an end to the differences between courts, and provision to allow a better predictability of the amounts. "The idea is not to supervise the compensation, but to draw the picture of the current practices of the courts," justifies the Gema.

This repository project has be retoqué by the Chancellery. Insurers still want to believe that their idea will eventually prevail. "In fact, the schedule already exists, said Gisele Mor, of the national Council of the bars." With 90 of claims settled directly with victims, insurers may agree to regulate the market. "The debate is closed.