New Caledonian businesses ask insurers to speed up May riot claims

Businesses in the French territory of New Caledonia affected by riots in May have called on insurers to speed up their claims.

Business group Medef said four months after the outbreak of riots, which were triggered by electoral reform and resulted in ten deaths, more than half of expert assessments of damage and loss have yet to be carried out.

In an interview with AFP, president of Medef in New Caledonia Mimsy Daly called for insurers to complete their assessments by the end of this month. She said most claims for damage caused by fires set during the riots have been filed, but businesses are awaiting settlement for longer than is normal.

Daly, who was in France last week for meetings, including with insurance industry body France Assureurs, said New Caledonia incurred between €1bn and €1.5bn of damage to public infrastructure alone during the rioting, with businesses reporting claims of about €1bn. She further revealed that of 1,250 expert assessments needed, just over 500 have been completed.

Daly further said that trade in the territory has been affected since the riots, with a particular impact on real estate and tourism in the French-Pacific islands. The French government sent police from the mainland to tackle the riots, which president Emmanuel Macron called “unprecedented insurrection” on visiting the territory.