Hungary - Information on national systems about compensation

Hungarian national rules on state compensation regulated by Act CXXXV of 2005 on victim support and state compensation:

  Victims who are entitled for state compensation:

• victim of a violent intentional crime against person, whose physical integrity and health were severely damaged
• person who is a direct relative, adoptive parent or foster parent, adopted or foster child, spouse, life partner of the injured or deceased victim in one household at the time of the offense
• person to whom the injured or deceased victim was or is obliged to support on the basis of an enforceable court or official decision or a valid contract
• person who has provided for the burial of the victim who died as a result of an intentional violent crime against a person

The application for compensation must be submitted in one copy, by completing the standard form. The application can be submitted in any victim support services, which are operating in each county and in the capital government offices. Government Office of the Capital is the deciding authority, victim support services in the counties are the assisting authorities. Application forms from abroad should be transmitted to the deciding authority in the Capital. Application form for compensation – with some exceptions (e.g. unavoidable obstacle) – may be submitted within one year after the commission of the criminal offense. The procedure is free of charge. The following documents shall be attached to the application form:

• expert opinion or medical documents certifying serious damage of physical integrity and health
• documents certifying the extent of the damage (e.g. bill, receipt, preliminary quotation or other document) shall be attached to the claim for lump sum compensation
• an expert opinion or medical certificate certifying the incapacity for work and its probable duration in the case of a claim for monthly annuity
• documents certifying cohabitation, family relationship and support obligations

Compensation must be paid in a lump-sum or as a monthly annuity. As lump sum compensation, the victim may claim full or partial compensation for property damage caused by the crime. Maximum amount for compensation has been fixed in 2021 at HUF 2,372.520. In the event of the victim’s incapacity for work due to the crime, if the incapacity for work is expected to exceed 6 months, the victim may claim partial mitigation of decline in his or her regular income as an annuity. The maximum amount of the annuity is HUF 158.168 per month. The annuity can be granted for up to three years.