BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 6
Trend:
As it was reported earlier, insurance of farm animals is envisaged within the agricultural insurance mechanism in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
The Agricultural Insurance Fund cited the details of the mechanism of this insurance.
In accordance with the relevant decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, dairy cows and buffaloes (1-7 year-old) are insured. This list is planned to be expanded in the future.
Livestock is insured against the following risks in accordance with the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers:
• infectious diseases, except for the quarantine and especially dangerous infectious diseases approved and specified in the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolutions #65 dated March 7, 2006 and #66 dated April 16, 2007;
• snake and insect bites;
• poisoning by toxic plants and food poisoning;
• natural disasters (earthquake, landslide, hurricane, storm and hail);
• fire;
• attack of predators;
• actions of third parties.
Besides these cases, the owners will be able to insure their livestock against theft, and plunderous attack for an additional insurance fee.
To insure farm animals, owners must comply with a number of requirements. These requirements relate to the issues of keeping and caring for animals, as well as their identification.
Thus, the livestock must be kept in the closed shelter that complies with the "Rules for keeping, breeding and using livestock", approved by the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution #19 dated January 30, 2007.
Secondly, the care for an animal and its nutrition must comply with the "Rules for organizing and conducting the veterinary measures" approved by the Cabinet of Ministers #11 dated January 23, 2007.
Thirdly, the insured cattle must be vaccinated and provided with a special tag. The information about the animal must be included into the Electronic Agriculture Information System.
To insure livestock, farmers and farm owners must contact the offices of intermediary insurance companies operating in their regions and included in the agricultural insurance system.
Among these companies are Pasha Sigorta OJSC, Qala Sigorta OJSC, Meqa Sigorta OJSC, Azerbaijan Industrial Insurance OJSC, Xalq Sigorta OJSC, AZSIGORTA OJSC, Baki Sigorta OJSC.
The applications and documents submitted by farmers are sent to the management structure - Joint Agrarian Insurance Company. The employees of the company consider the submitted documents for the accuracy of information.
If, on the basis of this information, a preliminary agreement is issued to conclude a contract, an independent expert inspects the subject of insurance, that is, the insured livestock, and the conditions for its maintenance.
The expert issues and submits a conclusion on the results of the inspection to the management structure. Having analyzed the data, the responsible person of the structure makes a decision in connection with the conclusion of the contract.
The work on insurance tariffs within the agricultural insurance mechanism, which will be applied in Azerbaijan, is currently at the completion stage and will be announced after correction.
Insurance fee can be paid as a lump sum or installments.
In accordance with the Azerbaijani law "On Agricultural Insurance", a half of the insurance fee will be financed through the state budget. The rest amount is paid by the farmers.
In any case, the amount of the advance payment to be made by the insured is at least 25 percent of the total amount of the insurance fee.
In case of the death of a farm animal insured within the agricultural insurance, an owner must inform the intermediary insurance company or the management structure within 24 hours, as well as other authorized state bodies, which, in accordance with the legislation, must be informed.
An independent expert is involved to investigate and assess the damage caused as a result of the insured event.
Proceeding from the opinion and photos given by an independent expert, a decision is made to pay or refuse it.