Transport insurance against war risks, goodbye

The Federal Ordinance of May 7, 1986, which protected Switzerland’s maritime supplies from war, piracy, riots and terrorism is repealed.

The Federal Ordinance on the Federal Transport Insurance against War Risks (OARG), whose first elements date back to more than sixty years ago, is repealed.
On 4 June 2021, the Federal Council decided to discontinue this state-run insurance offer, since at present the risks of international transport carried out as part of Switzerland’s economic supply can also be validly insured by private operators.
The dissolution of the Federal Transport Insurance against War Risks – and of the corresponding special financing – will allow around 55 million Swiss francs to be paid into the general Federal Treasury by the end of 2021.
Transport insurance against the risks of war (ARG) was a property damage insurance for companies that carried out international transport on behalf of the National Economic Supply (NES).
The means of transport and the goods and valuables transported could be insured. The last policyholders were the owners of ocean-going vessels in the Swiss fleet.

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In 1956 and 1960 two decrees to “correct” the market

The need for this state insurance was due to the lack of adequate cover on the market for war risks and similar risks: piracy, riots and terrorism.
The Federal Ordinance of 7 May 1986 on Federal War Risk Insurance (ARG) governed the provision of coverage by the federal government.
The beginnings of the ARG date back to the postwar period. Since 1955, the Federal Council has been empowered to insure transports against the risks of war and/or to reinsure them against the usual risks.
After this principle was enshrined in the Federal Law concerning the preparation of the economic national defense, two unpublished Federal Council decrees followed in 1956 and 1960 which laid the foundations for the OARG.
An analysis by the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES) has shown that state insurance is no longer necessary: today any risk can easily be insured by market supply.

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Cantons, parties and organisations in favour of change

The repeal of the Ordinance was the subject of a consultation that ended in mid-February 2021. Almost all participants – cantons, political parties and organisations – were in favour.
For this reason, the Federal Council has decided to abolish the ARG and repeal the relevant ordinance with effect from August 1, 2021, the 730th birthday of the Swiss Confederation.
The corresponding special funding of around 55 million Swiss francs will be dissolved.
In the past, the Confederation has lost hundreds of millions in guarantees for ocean-going vessels: now this amount can be paid back into the general Federal Treasury.

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