Earthquake victims in North Drenthe and Groningen can apply for a fixed ‘repeat compensation’ from the Institute for Mining Damage Groningen (IMG). The damage settlement is one of the measures of Nij Begun, the program of the government and the region that should make Groningen and North Drenthe stronger.
With the compensation, the IMG wants to make it ‘milder, more human and easier’ for victims who have previously received money and have suffered new cracks in their house after a new earthquake. For homeowners, the fixed compensation will be 5,000 euros per house and 2,500 euros for damage to sheds and garages.
The new scheme should provide a solution for people who live in the core of an earthquake zone of the Groningen field and the Norg Gas Storage. These are places where the IMG is responsible for claims handling.
If claimants opt for the fixed compensation, they finalize their claim settlement. This means that you can only submit a new claim in the event of the next earthquake.
To determine which homeowners can then again claim rapid claims settlement, the IMG uses a ‘vibration tool’. With each new earthquake, the damage counter measures whether the vibration at your location is strong enough to cause damage.
In addition to the accelerated claims handling, victims remain able to request customization, which in turn requires an extensive application. This way you will have someone come to your home to investigate, or a contractor who can repair the damage.