Part. II: Insurance and Thrift 



BELGIUM. 



AGRICULTURAIv ACCIDENT INSURANCE IN BELGIUM. 



by M. E. Vliebergh, Professor at the University of Louvain. 



Let US first of all say a few words with regard to the law farmers must 

 conform to in the case of accidents occurring in the course of work ; and 

 in the second place examine into the manner in which the law has been ap- 

 plied and, as it is more than eight years since it came into force and it is 

 proposed to introduce many amendments into it, briefly mention the prin- 

 cipal modifications experience shows to be desirable in the case of agricul- 

 ture, in so far as they may be of interest to people in other countries. 



§ I. The law. 



Up to the passing of the law of December 24th., 1903 on accidents in 

 work, the farmer, like every one else, was subject to the provisions of the 

 Civil Code, in the matter of such accidents. When the victim of an 

 accident succeeded in proving the culpability of the master or an officer 

 employed by him for the conduct of the work, or that the injury was 

 caused by an animal made use of by the master and so serving at the 

 time, the master was to pay him full compensation as fixed by the courts. 



The law of December 24th., 1903 completely altered the basis on which 

 compensation had up to then been paid. Masters, subject to the law, had 

 thenceforth to contract to give compensation on the basis laid down in 

 the law whenever an accident occured during work on property belonging 

 to them, whether due to their fault or not. 



The bill was specially drafted to meet the case of industry. It was 

 first of all thought more advisable, in imitation of the laws of various. 



