Growing car insurance prices still in force

Contacted by Radio Free Europe, representatives of the Central Bank of Kosovo have declined to propose on this issue and provide information on whether such a decision can be annulled.

On December 15th of this year, the CEC through a decision has increased the tariffs for mandatory passenger vehicles by over 26 percent.

This decision had raised the frustrations of citizens, different groups identified as car worshippers and civil society. Such a group named “Marakli to the” continue to oppose rising prices for auto insurance.

Agan Hajdarhoja from this group, in a conversation for Radio Free Europe, says they expect that this week they will have a meeting with representatives of the Kosovo Central Bank and a decision to be made.

We received a response from the Central Bank. We've been asked to have a working group with a communications expert, a security and a lawyer and go to the meeting again, but because of some humanitarian activities we haven't been able to meet. We are now in consultation with a lawyer for the next steps, says Hajdarhoja.

According to him, if the CEC's decision on increased automotive insurance prices cannot be annulled, then other forms that facilitate the payment citizens make for auto insurance will be found.

We believe that this week we will be able to do something, if it's not possible to take off the price increase of 26.6 percent, then they will seek to change BOnus Malusinão, at least after a relief to the citizen”, says Hajdarhoja.

The “Bonus-Malus” system takes on a one-year history of the insurance applicant and whether or not the accidents caused during this period calculate the bonus or macus.

A person who didn't make a traffic accident is rewarded with lowering the amount of pay for vehicle insurance and entering the bonus category, while those who make accidents pay more dearly and enter the master category.

Reactions to raising auto insurance prices have also been made by the Council for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms (KMLDNJ) with headquarters in Pristina.

This Council has rejected the increase in vehicle insurance fees, viewing it as a blow to Kosovo's citizens' pocket by insurance companies.

The Kosovo Insurance Association, which represents insurance companies in Kosovo, had demanded that mandatory vehicle insurance fees be even more expensive and 36 per cent.

Car insurance prices rise according to the cubic centimeter, from lower to highest.

For vehicles of between 0 and 750 cubic centimeters, for which 59 euros was paid, it is now paid 74,71 euros. Meanwhile, for vehicles that are over 2701 cubic centimeters, which have been paid 247.80, the insurance is now paid 313,78 euros.