Changes to the Polish Personal Injury Claims System

First steps to make settlement clearer

Poland is one of the European countries where a lot is changing in handling personal injury claims. Mr. Mariusz Wichtowski gave several examples during the CBC webinar. He chairs the board of PBUK (Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau) and is a member of the Financial Market Development Council at the Ministry of Finance.

One of the key ingredients to determine a settlement amount is the Polish Civil Code of 1965. This year, this document had an amendment, Art. 446. This article provides a clear basis for awarding compensation for material damage to close relatives who cannot enter into or continue family relationships because of severe and permanent physical injury or a health disorder. Another change adopted by the Supreme Court in Poland is that health care costs must also be paid if the care or care is provided to the victim free of charge by close relatives. These Polish court rulings will make settlements more transparent, to the extent that the insurer knows what points to consider when determining a settlement price. In Poland, too, the situation is complicated by the lack of standardized price tables. Instead, the indication is based on the court's judgments, the basis of the accounts or average costs, and technical assessment.