Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon expects severe weather to be recognized as a disaster

As Gambon points out, the bulk will have to be covered by private insurance companies, particularly through fire insurance. It’s not required, but almost everyone has one. In addition, it includes standard cover against natural disasters (which, by the way, does not require official government recognition).

In fact, fire insurance covers most damage to the home itself, as well as the costs of cleaning it. A person without fire insurance—about five percent of the population—can’t turn to a disaster fund if they can get fire insurance. The only exception is people who receive a living wage or equivalent benefit.

If the fire insurance covers everything indoors, then the car insurance covers damage to the car if it is parked on the street, albeit only with a small comprehensive insurance policy.

Then there’s the catastrophe fund: which covers everything that isn’t reimbursed by the insurance company. For example, a washed car without that little aluminum. What a disaster fund does not cover are damage to the garden house or pool, or items that could have been removed. There is also a privilege of 500 euros, which you always pay out of your own pocket.