Harmony In Setif, Algeria

The insurance industry in Algeria is very different than the United States. There is not the fear of getting sued at every turn if you screw up. Most people work out disputes privately. You will never find anyone yelling, “You’re going to hear from my lawyer!”. LOL. Even, most small businesses remain uninsured against theft or damage. Insurance is just another, often seen as expensive, expense. Plus, you will find the mentality, which I see as pretty apathetic, that what happens is going to happen. Forget considering risk and using your God given common sense and weigh the odds. For example, allowing small children to sit in the front of a moving vehicle. (I’ll always complain about this as it only takes a minute to buckle them up in the backseat, so so stupid some people are!) Anyway…

Life insurance is not very popular in Algeria. I suppose if you are filthy rich, you’d look into it. But for the average person, they would rely on one’s family to take care of his/her loved ones who are left behind. Which has it’s pro’s and con’s. A woman who is widowed, for example, may become dependent on her husband’s family for support. If his family was never very kind with her to begin with, she could really be getting the short end of the stick at every turn. As a women, I certainly never want to be a dependent on anyone. I am an adult for crying out loud. But many women accept this circumstance for themselves. And the men think that’s enough for them.

Car insurance is required here. But, it is not very expensive even with full coverage. And most cars are still paid in full when bought, though car loans are becoming more popular. So, car owners can get away with the minimum coverage. I think my husband payed about $160 for 2-3 months coverage. Plus, you have to consider car theft is pretty low. People guard their cars like hawks. People either park their cars in locked garages(steal bars and all) or park in a 24 hour guarded parking lots.

As for home insurance. Home insurance is pretty non-existent. Unless, again, if you are a very rich family. The homes are made with bricks and cement, so the risk of fire is very low. And it’s sort of hard to break in to a place with several steal doors before you reach the main living areas of the home. It’s kind of like living in a fortress. And ALL the homes are like this. I believe it became like this during the war. As far as having coverage if someone is injured in your home. Well, if the family feels responsible they will probably help with fees if they can afford it. And bring them cake and fruits while visiting the injured person.

There is health insurance. Mostly used by the elderly and retired as it is supplied for by the government. But, the patient must first pay the doctor and submit the forms for remittance. They must wait for the government to reimburse them. Emergancy care is free. Outpatients have to pay at the public hospital. But if you have money you will certainly choose private care. The hospitals lack privacy and from what I’ve seen are pretty filthy, germs germs germs, blahh. I’ll save my rant for another posting.

So, there you have it. If you have questions, please feel free to leave it in the comments. Or if you know something I don’t.