THE SHORT ANSWER
When something has happened, it is easy to wait until all the paperwork is ready. According to Konsumenternas, a claim is still best reported as soon as possible. The insurer then asks for what it needs, and gaps in the documents can mean you receive no compensation.
This guide goes through the steps in order: the report, limiting the damage, the evidence and what the insurer must do under the Insurance Contracts Act. It also shows which time limits apply and where you can turn if you disagree with the decision. [2][1][5]
Keep these points in mind
- Report as soon as you can, even if the documents are not complete.
- You must do what you reasonably can to prevent or reduce the damage.
- As a main rule, the insurer must pay within one month of complete documents.
STEP BY STEP
How to check your cover
Report the claim as soon as you can
Contact the insurer when something has happened. Konsumenternas says you can report by phone or through the insurer's web form, and that the web form may be better because you are less likely to miss something. Answer truthfully and in detail, and make sure you receive confirmation that the report has been received.
Always tell the insurer if you report the same incident to several policies. According to Konsumenternas, several policies may pay out for the same injury, but costs are reimbursed from only one of them. If you are unsure which policies applied when it happened, start with the guide to which policies may be relevant.
[1]Limit the damage: the duty to mitigate
The Insurance Contracts Act calls this the duty to mitigate. When an insured event occurs or appears to be imminent, the insured person must, as far as they are able, take steps to prevent or reduce the damage. If someone else is liable, you must also preserve any right the insurer may have against that person. The rules are in Chapter 4, Section 7.
Under the same section, compensation can be reduced by what is reasonable if the duty was neglected intentionally or through gross negligence. Write down what you did to limit the damage and when, and keep receipts for what you paid for it. Ask the insurer what applies before throwing away anything damaged.
[5]Document the damage and what happened
You need to be able to show that you suffered damage or an event covered by the policy, Konsumenternas says. For belongings, you need to show that you owned them and what they were worth. The Swedish Consumer Agency mentions receipts or bank statements, photos and various certificates. For a personal injury, the injuries need to be documented in medical records and any medical certificates.
After a theft or burglary, check in the terms whether a police report is required. The Swedish Police Authority says many crimes can be reported online, that you receive a copy of the report within about ten working days and that you can use the case number when dealing with your insurer. If a receipt is missing, there are other ways to show ownership and value; see the guide to receipts and proof after a loss.
[1][6][7]Follow the case and ask for a written decision
An insurer that has been notified of an insured event must, without delay, take the steps needed to settle the claim, and claims handling must be prompt (Chapter 7, Section 1 of the Insurance Contracts Act). According to Konsumenternas, the law sets no fixed maximum handling time, but the insurer must actively investigate the case.
You are entitled to a written decision. According to Konsumenternas, the insurer must give its reasons and state which policy term the decision is based on. If you disagree, you can ask the insurer to reconsider, normally within six months of the decision. The next steps are described in the guide to what you can do when your insurer says no.
[5][3][4][6]
- Something happens
- Limit the damageAs far as you can
- Report it to the insurerPolice report for theft
- The insurer assesses and decidesAsk for the decision in writing
- A review, or ARNIf you disagree
Time limits: reporting, payment and limitation
The terms may require you to report a claim within a certain time. If you missed such a deadline and this harmed the insurer, compensation can be reduced by what is reasonable under Chapter 7, Section 2 of the Insurance Contracts Act. The rule does not apply if the negligence was minor. The equivalent rule for personal insurance is in Chapter 16, Section 3.
The outer limit is the limitation period. Under Chapter 7, Section 4, anyone who wants compensation must bring legal action within ten years of when the event giving the right to cover occurred. If you made your claim to the insurer within that time, you always have at least six months after the insurer has taken its final position. Konsumenternas says older rules apply to damage that occurred before 1 January 2015.
- Reporting: as soon as possible, and within the time stated in the terms.
- Payment: within one month of reporting the claim and providing the information that can reasonably be requested.
- Review by the insurer: normally within six months of the decision.
- ARN: within one year of your first complaint to the insurer.
- Limitation: ten years from the event, under the Insurance Contracts Act.
If you cannot agree: Konsumenternas and ARN
Konsumenternas, the Swedish consumers' insurance bureau, gives free and independent guidance on insurance matters, the Swedish Consumer Agency says. Complain to the insurer first. According to Konsumenternas, complaints are as a main rule answered within 14 days, and every insurer must have a complaints officer.
ARN, the National Board for Consumer Disputes, considers many insurance disputes. According to ARN, what you claim must be worth at least 3 000 kr, and the application must arrive within one year of your first complaint to the insurer. ARN does not consider disputes that require medical expertise or that can be handled by certain other boards. According to Konsumenternas, the application fee is 150 kr.
[6][4][8]Keep the terms for the right period at hand
Keep policy documents and terms in My Forsio. You then have periods, deductibles and the wording of the terms in one place when you report, and each detail shows the passage it came from. In Claim check you can describe the event and read the passages of the terms that may be relevant. If the terms for the period when the damage occurred are missing, the cover is Not verified, not confirmed as missing.
Forsio does not report the claim for you, does not track your deadlines and does not decide whether the claim is paid. The insurer decides that. Forsio is not an insurance intermediary and does not provide insurance advice.
Fictional example
A stolen bike, three things to keep track of.
Elias's bike is stolen outside his workplace. He reports it to the police and to the insurer the same evening.
- Police report and claim report
- Made the same day, confirmation saved
- Terms for the period
- Not verifiedThe policy was renewed after the theft. Ask for the terms that applied then.
- Receipt for the bike
- MissingPotential gapOther documents can show ownership and value.
The report was made in time. The terms for the right period and the evidence of value need adding before the insurer can assess the claim. The example says nothing about the outcome.
Common questions
How long do I have to report a claim?
According to Konsumenternas, a claim is best reported as soon as possible. The terms may set a time for reporting, and if you miss it, compensation can be reduced if this harmed the insurer. The outer limit is the limitation period: under the Insurance Contracts Act, legal action must be brought within ten years of the event. For damage before 1 January 2015, older rules apply, with a three-year limit from when you learned of the damage. [2][5]
How long does claims handling take?
The law sets no fixed maximum time, but handling must be prompt. Compensation that is not periodic must be paid within one month of you reporting the claim and providing the information that can reasonably be requested. This does not apply to the extent that compensation depends on property being repaired or replaced, or on a decision by an authority. If you are clearly entitled to a certain amount, it must be paid straight away and deducted from the final compensation. [5][3]
What is the duty to mitigate?
It is the obligation to do what you can to prevent or reduce the damage when an insured event occurs or appears to be imminent. It is set out in Chapter 4, Section 7 of the Insurance Contracts Act. If it was neglected intentionally or through gross negligence, compensation can be reduced by what is reasonable. [5]
Do I get interest if the insurer pays late?
Under the Insurance Contracts Act, the insurer must pay interest under the Interest Act if payment is not made on time. Konsumenternas says late-payment interest is the reference rate plus eight percentage points a year, and that it applies to compensation paid in money, not to repairs of damaged property. [5][3]
Do I need to report a theft to the police?
Check what the terms require. The Swedish Police Authority says you can use the case number on the report when dealing with your insurer, and that you receive a copy of the report within about ten working days. Many crimes can be reported on the police website. [7]
Where can I turn if I disagree with the decision?
Ask for the decision in writing with reasons and a reference to the terms, and ask the insurer to reconsider, normally within six months. Konsumenternas gives guidance free of charge. If you still cannot agree, ARN can consider many disputes, provided the application arrives within one year of your first complaint to the insurer. [4][6][8]
MY FORSIO
Have the right terms at hand when you report.
Keep policy documents and terms in My Forsio. Read periods, deductibles and details that need confirmation, with the passage each detail came from. Free for individuals.
Sources and references
Sources checked
This guide explains general principles of Swedish insurance. Your policy schedule and terms set out what applies to you.
- Konsumenternas: reporting a claim
- Konsumenternas: reporting deadlines and limitation periods
- Konsumenternas: how long may claims handling take?
- Konsumenternas: complaining in an insurance matter and requesting a review
- Swedish Parliament: Insurance Contracts Act, Chapter 4 Section 7, Chapter 7 Sections 1 to 4 and Chapter 16
- Swedish Consumer Agency: reporting damage or theft
- Swedish Police Authority: police reports, copies and case numbers
- ARN: insurance disputes, value threshold, timing and exclusions