In just the past few years, from fire in a rented room in Hanoi, mini apartments to fires at factories in residential areas, people across the country have been shocked to witness the loss of seemingly " hard-to-come" incidents many times. Not only the damage to billions of dong in assets, the most heartbreaking thing is the tragic deaths and devastated homes.
In that context, the Government's issuance of Decree 105/2025/ND-CP, requiring the compulsory purchase of fire and explosion insurance for high-risk projects - such as 5-storey apartments and collective houses over 1,000m2 - is not an "exorbitant" matter.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Public Security, in 2024, there were more than 4,100 fires nationwide, with property damage of nearly 658 billion VND, killing 100 people. In just the first 4 months of 2025, there were more than 1,200 fires and 32 deaths. Of these, most of them are fires in residential areas, houses combined with business - where the fire prevention system still has many loopholes, and living habits have potential risks.
In that situation, fire and explosion insurance needs to be viewed not only as a type of financial service, but as a "soft shield" to protect each citizen against unpredictable surprises. If a fire or explosion occurs, insurance can help restore property, rebuild a house, and support victims. But above all, being forced to pay for insurance will force people to pay more attention to the fire safety of where they live.
However, unfortunately, with less than two weeks left until the policy takes effect (July 1, 2025), many people... do not know anything. Not because they do not care about their safety, but because the information has not come true and sufficient. Many people living in collective housing areas, apartments or rental businesses have expressed surprise when hearing this mandatory regulation. Some people even worry: Where to buy insurance? How much is the fee? Who is responsible for paying if an incident occurs?
On the State side, it is necessary to soon announce the list of qualified insurance companies, compensation procedures, instructions on how to calculate fees and make contract terms transparent. On the business side, in addition to the responsibility to provide services, they must have a correct communication obligation, not be ambiguous, and not abuse the buyer's lack of knowledge to "hold" compensation after the incident.
On the people's side, it is time to change the mindset of " avoiding losing money" to "taking action to prevent". Every citizen needs to understand that: Insurance is not a useless cost, but an investment in safety - such as buying a helmet when riding a motorbike, installing an anti-theft door lock. In a rapidly urbanizing society, the risk of fire and explosion can come at any time. The responsibility of protecting yourself and the community cannot be left to the fire prevention force or local government.
