Religa Tax goes past for sure
Ewa Kopacz, Polish Health Minister, has mentioned the Polish Chamber of Insurance as a supporter and partner to Health Ministry in preparing new regulations on public health care in Poland that abolish the so called Religa tax. The proposal of the former Health Minister is widely criticized in Poland and also by the Chamber. At the same time Ewa Kopacz has denied press information about upholding the project of Religa's regulations.
Good PFSA interpretation
Polish Chamber of Insurance has shown that amendment to the civil code introduced in 2007 has an important defect. The problem is regulation regarding group life insurance. In view of the existing law, if insurance policy is needed to be changed every insured has to agree with it, even if its point is to attach a new employee to the insurance agreement. It is a serious threat for the development of group insurance market. In this situation PIU has asked Polish Financial Supervision Authority to support a change to this regulation. PFSA has published its interpretation of this rule. At present, if any change of the group insurance policy is not disadvantageous for the insured there is no need for their acceptance.
New bancassurance working-group
The Board of Polish Chamber of Insurance has decided to set up a Working Group for Bancassurance. According to PIU the representatives of all kinds of insurers - life, property and personal - should be the part of the team. The first meeting will take place on the 3 of September 2008 in the PIU seat. The members will elect the chairman and define the operating range of the team. Comments and nominations for members should be sent in writing or by e-mail up to the 30 of September 2008.
Unit linked pension funds agreement
On the 30 and 31 July the conference was held in the Labor and Social Policy Ministry the goal of which was to negotiate the project of the life capital pension funds act . Thanks to a long discussion, participated by Polish Chamber of Insurance, a number of defects have been eliminated. Such themes as the funds financial management, financial allocation and creation of the life capital pension funds by the open pension funds (OFE) were the most difficult ones.
Zurich is back
Five years ago Zurich trade mark disappeared from Poland. The Swiss Group sold the whole business in Central and Eastern Europe to Generali. There were life and property insurers and also pension funds. Currently Zurich is working on direct selling of motor insurance by telephone and internet in Poland.