Immobilized vehicles, helpless agents… The town of Lavaur has no longer been insured since January 1st

Immobilized vehicles, a convoluted legal situation and helpless municipal staff. This is the situation that Lavaur, a Tarn commune of 11,000 inhabitants, has been going through since the start of the year. On January 1, all his insurance contracts expired, without others having taken over.

“The automobile fleet, civil liability and legal protection of Vauréen agents are no longer assured. The thing is serious,” worries the municipal opponent, Pauline Albouy-Pomponne. Today, only property damage to city buildings is insured.

Earlier this week, the general manager of services warned officers that they could no longer use the vehicles. The situation is far from anecdotal for municipal staff, who are potentially no longer covered for damage that could be caused in the exercise of their duties.

“We need to find a solution quickly”

What will happen if an officer is responsible for an accident? If a childminder hurts a student? What about vehicles? Some services can hardly function without it. In fact, many of them continue to circulate. Like the municipal police. Will it be able to fine motorists for lack of insurance?

“Let us remember, however, that agents are no longer insured in the event of an accident. They are entitled to trigger their right of withdrawal. No one can force them to work without professional insurance that covers them. A solution must be found quickly “, warns Pauline Albouy-Pomponne.

Although the situation may seem ludicrous, in the eyes of agents and users, it is not unprecedented. In France, for several months, several hundred municipalities have had difficulty obtaining insurance. Insurance premiums have soared. Hence the dilemma that arises for many of them: paying (much) more. Or find a new insurer… with the risk of finding yourself stuck in the water. This is what happened to the town hall of Lavaur, which launched a call for tenders in mid-2024. This was declared unsuccessful.

Alerted to this delicate situation by the association of mayors of France, the government was considering support measures. “But with the instability, nothing has been done,” recalls opponent Pauline Albouy-Pomponne, who also points to “the lack of responsiveness of the town hall” in the face of this problem. “We do not understand how the city could not avoid this situation. A lack of anticipation? A mayor too far from operational concerns?” asks the opponent.

When asked, the mayor, Bernard Carayon, was not able to answer us. “We are working to find a solution quickly,” specifies his office.