• Can advance compensation be paid?

    A victim may be paid advance compensation on application if the compensation decision at the State Treasury should take longer than usual due to no fault of the applicant and if the victim is entitled to substantial compensation. Advance compensation can only be paid after the application has been pending for at least four months.

    Advance compensation can only be paid if:

    • the decision is delayed due to reasons beyond the applicant's control
    • the applicant is manifestly entitled to compensation
    • the amount of compensation is significant, and
    • the application has been pending at the State Treasury for at least four months.

    All conditions must be met for advance compensation to be granted.

    For information on how to apply for advance compensation, please contact our customer service from Mon-Fri 9-12 tel. 0295 50 2736 or by e-mail at rikosvahingot(at)valtiokonttori.fi.

    You can apply for advance compensation electronically by filling in the notification of additional information >

  • What is the processing time for claims for compensation to crime victims?

    On average, the expected processing time for claims for compensation to crime victims is 6-8 months. The processing time depends, among other things, on the extent of the claim and whether the State Treasury has all the necessary information to resolve the case. To speed up the process, use the e-service.

    We are developing our practices and piloting a new procedure for processing compensation applications for crime victims. The pilot runs from 15 January to 31 May. Applications submitted during this period will be processed according to the new procedure. This may result in a shorter processing time for some applicants.

  • Can the process be expedited?

    No, claims are processed in the order they were received.

  • Does the State Treasury pay interest?

    No, you can collect interest from the perpetrator through recovery proceedings, for example.

  • What is the share of compensation paid by the State Treasury concerning compensation ordered by the court?

    No stipulations on the share of compensation exist in the law. If the State Treasury should deviate from the decision of the court in their own decision, the State Treasury must provide grounds for the deviation in their decision.

  • Who can sign the application?

    The applicant, their carer, their guardian, an agent authorised by the applicant, an attorney at law or a notary public may sign the application.

  • Which appendices must be attached to the claim?

    You must attach several appendices to the claim. The necessary appendices are listed on the Compensation to crime victims page under Forms and appendices.

  • Are the contact details of the applicant disclosed to the perpetrator during the recovery process?

    No. The perpetrator will only learn the name of the applicant and the sum of the compensation paid by the State Treasury.

  • Can compensation be paid from government funds only based on a court decision delivered to the State Treasury?

    No. Compensation must be applied for from the State Treasury using the appropriate compensation claims form. The form is available on the Compensation to crime victims page under Forms and appendices.

  • If the perpetrator is unknown, can compensation be claimed from the State Treasury?

    Yes.

  • Can compensation be claimed from the State Treasury based on a decision by the district court?

    Yes. Compensation may be applied for even if the decision has not yet acquired legal force.

  • How do I submit a change in my account details?

    Changes to the account details must be reported primarily using the additional information notice in the e-service.

    If this is not possible, you can contact us by post (State Treasury, Korvauspalvelut, P.O. Box 50, 00054 State Treasury) or by fax 0295 50 3333. If necessary, contact the criminal damage claims customer service Mon-Fri 9-12 tel. 0295 50 2736.

  • Can the decisions of the State Treasury be appealed?

    Yes. Appeal instructions are attached to the decision. Appeals are processed in Insurance Court.

  • To whom can the compensation be paid if the victim is underage?

    If the underage person is a victim of a crime, the compensation is paid into the underage person’s own account when the compensation exceeds EUR 1,000. If the parent or guardian of the underage person is the offender and the person causing the damage, the compensation is always paid into an account to which the person causing the damage does not have access. The State Treasury is obligated to notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of a compensation of EUR 1,000 or more paid to an underage person. According to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s guidelines, the child’s trustee and guardian may not combine the underage person’s assets with another person’s assets.

    The property of a person under the age of 18 belongs to him or her, but as a rule, his or her trustee will be the guardian who takes care of the underage person’s financial matters.  The trustee of an underage person may also be another person when the underage person’s guardian is disqualified from protecting the interests of the underage person. When the compensation paid to an underage person is more than EUR 20,000, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency will enter it in the Register of Guardianship Affairs and start monitoring the management of the underage person’s property.

    • When the compensation granted to an underage person is EUR 1,000 or more, the claim should include the child’s own account number.
    • When the compensation granted to an underage person is less than EUR 1,000 and the guardian is not the person causing the damage, the compensation can be paid into the guardian’s account.
    • If the guardian of the underage person is the person causing the damage, the claim should include the child’s account number to which the guardian in question does not have access, regardless of the amount of compensation.
    • You are requested to provide as an appendix to the claim evidence, such as a copy or screenshot of the child’s account, based on which the account holder can be identified. When the guardian of the underage person is the person causing the damage, you must always provide evidence of the account holder and the persons who can access the account.
    • If necessary, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency can provide advice on, for example, opening a limited account for an underage person.

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