Another fire incident occurred at the "Sədərək" shopping center located in the Qaradağ district. This was the tenth such incident at the mentioned shopping center in the last 8 years. It is clear that this time too, the entrepreneurs suffered significant damage. So, who will pay for the damage caused to the entrepreneurs due to the fire?
In developed countries, when such fires occur, the damage is paid by insurance companies. Entrepreneurs insure their property and products so that in such cases the damage can be shared with the insurance company.
In Azerbaijan, entrepreneurs can also compensate in advance for unexpected damages by using compulsory and voluntary insurance for property. However, observations show that the technical safety condition and the level of property insurance at the "Sədərək" Shopping Center are completely different. Even some property owners cannot insure their premises and goods despite wanting to do so. This is because insurance companies refuse to insure most of the shops there due to the high-risk situation.
Of course, insurance companies must also be able to plan their risks in advance. These companies will never be interested in taking responsibility for high-risk properties. For insurance of such properties, it is necessary to obtain the relevant opinion and documents related to operation from the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Naturally, without such documents, insurance companies will not be interested in insuring properties in a shopping center where fires occur almost every year.
Along with all this, it is necessary to bring insurance relations to the "Sədərək" shopping center as well. It is important for the entrepreneurs to insure the damages already incurred and those that could happen in the future in advance. But for this, the complete provision of technical safety rules in those premises is needed. Otherwise, insurance companies will not be interested in working with these properties and the damage caused to the entrepreneurs as a result of the fire will not be covered by insurance.
It is clear that the monthly payments made by entrepreneurs are not small amounts. Therefore, part of the accumulated funds should be used to strengthen technical safety. Otherwise, insurance companies will again bypass such centers.
Vuqar Bayramov,
economist deputy
