SOME department stores, restaurants, hotels, cinemas and other entertainment venues in the city will begin to buy public liability insurance against fire under a government recommendation, according to the Shanghai Fire Control Bureau yesterday.
　　
　　The bureau said public liability against fire was currently only in a pilot program in public gathering sites and other places with flammable and explosive items. The first entertainment venues to buy the insurance will also include securities service departments and Internet bars. It is expected the insurance will cover all public sites after two years and become compulsory, said the bureau.
　　
　　"Without public liability insurance against fire, many business operators fail to undertake compensation responsibility after fires, thus increasing the burden on governments," said an official surnamed Zhou with the bureau. "Due to government aid, many business operators don't care about hidden fire perils."
　　
　　In order to improve the situation, the Ministry of Public Security and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission decided to carry out the pilot program in Shanghai and five other provinces and cities.
　　
　　Public liability insurance may help enterprises return to normal operations and give fire victims a chance to live a full life, according to the bureau. Eight insurance companies now offer public liability insurance. These firms include PICC Property and Casualty Co, China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co and Ping An Insurance (Group) Co of China Ltd.
　　
　　The premiums and compensations are different according to the different type of the venues and their level of fire control, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission said.
　　
　　"Annual premiums from these policies range from 5 million yuan (US$724,638) to 60 million yuan," said Deng Xionghan, deputy director of the Shanghai's commission. "The insured party will receive a maximum of 300,000 yuan for a death."
　　
　　There were 38,295 fires in Shanghai from 2000 to 2007, causing financial loss and casualties.
　　
　　There were 200 fires in public places in the first five months of this year, leaving three dead and three others injured. The fires caused 1.39 million yuan worth of losses.