Mich. Commissioner Notes ICHEIC Holocaust Claims Checks Going Out to 105 Claimants

April 1, 2004

Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Services (OFIS) Commissioner Linda Watters announced that the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC) will mail $1,000 checks to the 105 Michigan claimants who are Holocaust survivors and/or an heir. In total, more than $16 million in humanitarian payments are being distributed to approximately 16,000 ICHEIC claimants in 60 countries.

“OFIS is pleased to be part of this historic effort in conjunction with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and ICHEIC,” said Watters. “Our commitment to consumer protection and awareness is demonstrated by OFIS’ participation on the NAIC/ICHEIC Committee to identify victims and their heirs living in Michigan, who invested their savings in Holocaust-era life insurance policies, however, were never paid.”

A total of 4,867 recipients in the United States, 5,061 recipients in Israel, and thousands of additional recipients around the globe, the vast majority of whom are Holocaust survivors, will be receiving humanitarian payments of $1,000 on a per claimant basis.

ICHEIC is making these payments from its Humanitarian Fund to which all of its member companies and the German Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future” have contributed.

These payments are the first in a series of ICHEIC humanitarian payments to be distributed throughout the spring and early summer.