Insurance Claim Disputes in Cyprus

An insurance claim dispute — searched as insurance claim denied, insurance claim refused, an insurance claim lawyer or an insurance dispute in Cyprus — is a disagreement with an insurer about whether a loss is covered and how much is paid. In Greek the policy is the ασφαλιστήριο and the payment the αποζημίωση. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “General Insurance Claims”. Typical cases: a burst pipe or a fire at a villa, a car stolen or damaged, treatment that a health insurer will not pay for, stock lost or a business forced to close for a time.

Who it concerns

Property owners whose claim for storm, fire or water damage was turned down; drivers whose own insurer disputes a car claim; residents with private health cover; businesses insured for premises, stock or liability.

How a dispute usually goes in Cyprus

1. Reading the policy: the risks covered, the exclusions, the conditions on reporting the loss and on what had to be disclosed when the cover was taken out.
2. A written complaint to the insurer, which is required to have a complaints procedure and to answer in writing.
3. If the answer is unsatisfactory, a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman, an out-of-court body for consumers that has its own conditions on the cases it takes. Insurers are supervised by the Insurance Companies Control Service, which also receives complaints about how an insurer behaves.
4. A court claim, preceded by the pre-action steps of the civil procedure rules; road accident and injury claims have a protocol of their own.

Points to watch

• Insurers often refuse because something was not disclosed when the policy was taken out, or because the loss was reported late. Both points can be argued.
• Time limits apply to the Ombudsman and to the courts, so a refusal letter is best answered promptly.
• The loss adjuster appointed by the insurer works for the insurer; the insured side can obtain an independent assessment.
• Accepting a partial payment as a full and final settlement can close the claim for good.
• A policy is a contract, so the general rules of contract disputes apply alongside insurance law.

What a lawyer does

The lawyer reads the policy and the refusal, gathers evidence of the loss, writes the challenge, represents you before the Ombudsman, negotiates a settlement and goes to court when the amount or the principle justifies it. Related court work is listed under litigation services.

Questions and answers

Why do insurers in Cyprus refuse claims?

Common reasons are an exclusion in the policy, a condition not met, information missing from the proposal form, late notice, or a disagreement about the value of the loss.

Is the Financial Ombudsman an alternative to court?

For consumers it often is. The Ombudsman examines the complaint and tries to bring the two sides to an agreement; its conditions and limits change from time to time, and a lawyer confirms the current ones.

Another driver hit my car. Is that this service?

Partly. A claim against the other driver's insurer follows the road accident rules; when your own insurer refuses to pay under your policy, this page applies.

The policy is in Greek. Can a lawyer help?

Yes. The lawyer explains the terms in English and deals with the insurer in Greek.