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Prostitute-orgy insurer had a sex habit

The German insurance company that rewarded its top-sellers with a prostitute sex party in Hungary also paid for employees to visit brothels and swingers clubs in Majorca and Jamaica, according to a new report.

Published: 30 August 2012 10:33 CEST
Prostitute-orgy insurer had a sex habit
Photo: DPA

The Handelsblatt newspaper said on Thursday the insurance company Ergo paid for employees to visit the swingers Hotel “Hedonism II” in Jamaica, as well as a brothel on the Spanish island Majorca.

Ergo CEO Torsten Oletzky had until now consistently maintained that the 2007 sex trip to Budapest, for which the company hired 20 prostitutes, was an isolated incident.

But an audit reported to the CEO as early as 2011 by a former head of sales contained details of a €2,428 brothel visit in Majorca 2005, which was later reimbursed as the cost of “food and drink,” reported Handelsblatt.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011 branches of the Ergo subsidiary insurer Hamburg-Mannheimer went on expense-paid trips to the swingers club Hedonism II in Jamaica. The full costs came to more than €75,000, the report says.

The Hedonism II club describes itself as the “ultimate pleasure” for singles and couples over the age of 18.

Ergo told the Handelsblatt that the brothel visit to Majorca and the trips to the swingers club in Jamaica were not comparable to the Budapest affair. It seems they were organised by decentralised offices, not the headquarters.

Company spokesman Alexander Becker said the decision on the choice of the hotel was made by independent agents. “To our knowledge, Budapest was an isolated incident,” Becker said.

Ergo lost more than 500 customers last year after it was revealed that its subsidiary Hamburg-Mannheimer had thrown a prostitute sex party for its sales representatives in the historic Gellert health spa in Budapest, Hungary.

Lurid details of the 3-day weekend were widely published in the German media.

One participant told the Handelsblatt that four-poster beds were set up on either sides of the thermal baths. “Anyone could go to one of the beds with one of the ladies and do what he wanted. The ladies were marked with stamps on their forearms after each such meeting. So it was recorded how often each lady frequented.”

“The ladies wore red and yellow wrist bands. One group were there as hostesses, and the others were to fulfill any and every desire,” he added. “There were also ladies with white wrist bands. They were reserved for the board and the very best salesmen.”

The Local/sh

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PROPERTY

How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

Storm Ciaran’s property-wrecking passage through France - with another storm forecast for the weekend - may have many people wondering how comprehensive their insurance cover is. 

Published: 3 November 2023 15:45 CET
How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

In the wake of Storm Ciaran, thousands of property owners in France are preparing insurance claims – with initial estimates of the bill for damage between €370 million and €480 million.

Home insurance is compulsory in France, whether you own the property you live in or you rent – and it must include some level of storm damage cover. 

Check also to see if your insurance provides cover in case of a declaration of a catastrophe naturelle.

The garantie tempête (storm guarantee) covers damage caused by violent winds. What constitutes a ‘violent wind’ varies from contract to contract, but there appears to be a widespread consensus of agreement on wind speeds over 100km/h.

In most insurance contracts, this covers damage caused by the storm and within the following 48 hours – so you’re covered if, for example, a tree weakened by the storm comes down within that period and damages your property.

Be aware that, while the storm guarantee automatically covers the main property, it generally only covers any secondary buildings and light constructions – such as a veranda, shed, solar panels, swimming pool or fence – if they are specifically mentioned in the contract. 

The same is true of any cars damaged by debris. A basic insurance contract might not include storm damage, so it is always worth checking.

Damage must be reported to your insurer as quickly as possible. The deadline for making declarations is usually five days after any damage is noticed. This is especially important for second home owners, who may not be at the property when the damage occurs. 

In some cases – such as in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran – insurers may extend the reporting period. But under normal circumstances, it’s five days after the damage has been discovered.

What happens next

To make a claim, the first thing to do is contact your insurer by phone or email. Your insurer will take you through the next steps, but usually you have to send in a declaration – which should include an estimate of any losses and for any repairs, with evidence where possible, such as photographs and any receipts for purchases. 

Your insurer may also request proof of wind intensity, which can be provided for example by a nearby weather station.

The insurance company may appoint an expert to come and assess the damage, so make sure to keep damaged property safe until they arrive, as well as all invoices for any urgent repair work. 

What if you’re a tenant?

If you rent your property, you must report any damage inside the accommodation to your insurer and also notify your landlord so that they can file their own claim. 

In the case of a co-propriete, you must declare damage inside the accommodation to your insurer, while the trustee sends his own declaration to the collective insurance (which sometimes covers the private areas) .

How long does it take for claims to be settled?

Payment of the compensation provided for by the “storm guarantee” depends your home insurance contract. After the insurer has estimated the amount of damage, compensation is generally paid between 10 and 30 days following receipt of the insured’s agreement.

What if we got flooded?

In the case of flooding, you may have to wait for a natural disaster order to be issued. 

Catastrophe naturelle

The ‘state of natural disaster’ is a special procedure that was set up in 1982 so victims of exceptional natural events, such as storms, heavy rain, mudslides and flooding, as well as drought, can be adequately compensated for damage to property.

The government evaluates each area and deems whether it qualifies for the status of catastrophe naturelle (natural disaster). 

Essentially once a zone is declared a natural disaster, victims can claim from a pot of funds created by all insurers. If the zone is not declared a disaster, insurance companies are under no obligation to pay out. 

Under a “state of natural disaster” residents are covered for all those goods and property that are directly damaged by the phenomenon, in this case storms.

It applies to residential or commercial buildings, furniture, vehicles and work equipment that are already covered by insurance policies.

Homes must be already covered by a multi-risk insurance policy for the status of natural disaster to count.

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