Public urged to be concerned about Compulsory Fire insurance

The National Insurance Commission (NIC) and Ghana Fire Service have embarked on compulsory fire and insurance enforcement activities at commercial properties and premises in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

This sensitisation and enforcement activity was to find out the compliance level of property owners and occupiers in accordance with sections 218 and 219 of the Insurance Act 2021, Act 1061. In total, 20 commercial properties and premises including hospitals, schools, hotels, marts, fuel stations and offices were visited.

From inspecting the 20 commercial properties and premises, eight were able to produce their valid insurance fire certificates while one property had expired insurance, and another had also just started the process of acquiring one with an insurance company – with the remainder not having any insurance.

The Western Regional Manager of NIC, Justice Agyei Peprah, stated the need for property owners to have the compulsory insurance to protect their own properties against perils such as flood, earthquake, collapse, storm, burst pipes, impact from vehicles and others.

He said the most important aspect of the policy is protection for third parties, who come to these premises and can sustain injuries or die as a result of the perils. The third parties’ properties could also be damaged as a result of the same perils.

Mr. Agyei Peprah also advised the public to look for an insurance certificate whenever they enter a commercial place. “We should ask ourselves whether the schools we take our children to are insured, that the marts we enter to buy groceries are also insured, among others.”

The Act, he explained, mandate property owners to display the insurance certificate where users of these facilities will see it. It is also worth noting that a person who contravenes subsections (1) and (2) and fails to insure his property or premises against liability toward third parties commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine or term of imprisonment or to both.

“It is believed that if this partnership between the National Insurance Commission and Ghana National Fire Service continues in this manner, most property owners will understand the importance of insuring their properties, he concluded.”