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Finland Finland has a crime victim compensation program to provide financial compensation for victims of violent or personal crime. Eligibility Requirements Report to police. Yes; no time limit. Filing period. Within 10 years of the date of the crime; exceptions are made. Foreign citizen eligibility. Citizens of foreign countries are eligible for compensation. Claimants
Procedures A crime victim may obtain an application from the state treasury, the police, or the local offices of the Social Insurance Institution. Abroad, applications are normally available at embassies and consulates of Finland. The application should be sent either directly to the state treasury or to any local office of the Social Insurance Institution. The following should be appended to the application: a copy of the court decision or a copy of the pretrial investigation report of the police if the offender has not been ascertained or if the matter has not been handled by the court for another reason, and the amount of all damages sought. If the matter is handled in court, the victim shall claim compensation from the offender. It will take 6 months, on average, for a victim to receive notification of the program's decision. Compensation is paid immediately after the decision is made. Benefits and Award Limits The maximum awards are personal injury, EUR51,000; property damage, EUR25,500; and person close to the deceased, EUR3,700. Compensable costs
Emergency awards. The program does not offer emergency compensation. However, the Act on Compensation for Crime Damage obliges the state treasury to pay advance compensation where the applicant's right to compensation is evident and the decision is delayed. Funding sources. The program is funded by the state. Contact Information Valtiokonttori/Victim Compensation Program,
P.O. Box 68, 00531 Helsinki, Finland Languages used— |
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