Insurance Claim Denied? How to Complain — and What Legal Expenses Cover Pays
A rejection from your insurer is not necessarily the final word. This guide covers how to challenge a denied claim, how the complaint route to the Insurance Complaints Board (Ankenævnet for Forsikring) works — and how the legal expenses cover (retshjælpsforsikring) hiding in your existing policies can pay part of a lawyer's bill in entirely different disputes.
Insurers typically reject for one of a few reasons: the damage is not covered, it falls under an exclusion in the terms, it was reported too late, incorrect information was given, or the damage was caused by gross negligence. The first step is always the same: get the rejection in writing, with a precise reference to the terms the company relies on.
Then read the terms yourself — not just the policy summary. Coverage exclusions must in principle be clearly worded, and doubt about what a term means often benefits the consumer. Hold the justification up against what actually happened, and gather your evidence: photos, receipts, reports and correspondence.
Note that a rejection of one part of your claim does not necessarily affect the rest. The insurer may, for example, refuse one item but still be obliged to cover the others.
First step: the insurer's complaints officer (klageansvarlig)
Every insurance company in Denmark must have a complaints-responsible unit (klageansvarlig) that handles complaints about the company's decisions. It is the mandatory first stop on the complaint route — and in practice, a fair share of rejections are overturned already here.
Write briefly and concretely: what happened, what the company decided, why you disagree, and what you want. Attach the rejection, the relevant terms and your evidence. Ask for a written answer, and keep all correspondence.
Contact details for the complaints officer are typically on the insurer's website. If you are not successful — or get no answer within a reasonable time — the road to the complaints board is open.
The Insurance Complaints Board (Ankenævnet for Forsikring)
The Insurance Complaints Board (Ankenævnet for Forsikring) handles complaints from private individuals about almost all types of insurance: contents, house, car, accident, travel and more. Filing costs a small fee, which you typically get back if you win fully or partly — check the current rate on the board's website.
The case is handled in writing: you fill in a complaint form, attach your evidence, and the company then submits its response. You do not need a lawyer. Processing typically takes some months, depending on the case.
If you win, the vast majority of insurers follow the decision. If the company refuses to comply, or you disagree with the outcome, the case can go to court — and that is where legal expenses cover and free legal aid (fri proces) become relevant.
Legal expenses insurance (retshjælpsforsikring): cover you probably already have
Legal expenses insurance is not usually something you buy separately — it typically sits inside your contents, house or car insurance. It can cover lawyer and court costs in many private disputes: housing and tradesman cases, purchases, boundary disputes and more.
The cover is normally triggered once a concrete dispute has arisen — that is, when the other side has rejected your claim. In practice it is often your lawyer who applies for the cover on your behalf with your own insurer.
If you are, say, in a dispute with your landlord that is heading to the housing court, legal expenses cover is often what makes the case financially possible.
What legal expenses cover pays — and what you pay yourself
Legal expenses insurance does not cover everything, and not without limits. There is usually an excess (selvrisiko) calculated as a share of the costs, often with a minimum amount, and a cap on the total cover. The amounts are stated in your policy terms.
Certain case types are typically excluded — among them most cases against employers, family law cases, debt collection and business-related disputes. Read the exclusions in your specific policy before counting on cover.
If you meet the financial conditions for free legal aid (fri proces), the excess can in some cases fall away — one more reason to look into both schemes before paying out of pocket.
Free legal aid (fri proces) means the state covers all or part of the costs of a court case. The scheme is income-dependent: your income must be below limits that are adjusted yearly — check the current amounts with the Civil Affairs Agency (Civilstyrelsen). The case must also have a reasonable prospect of success.
If you have legal expenses insurance that covers the case, it takes priority over fri proces — so the order is always: check your policy first, apply for fri proces after.
Beyond fri proces, Denmark has publicly subsidised legal advice and free services such as legal aid offices (retshjælpskontorer) and the volunteer lawyer service (Advokatvagten), where you can get an initial assessment of your case at no cost.
Frequently asked questions about insurance disputes
Ask for the precise reasons in writing with references to the policy terms, check them against your conditions, and gather evidence. Then complain to the insurer's complaints officer — and if unsuccessful, to the Insurance Complaints Board (Ankenævnet for Forsikring).
A small fee, which you typically get back if you win fully or partly. The current rate is on the board's website. You do not need a lawyer — the case is handled in writing.
Probably yes. Legal expenses cover (retshjælpsforsikring) is typically included in contents, house and car insurance. Check your policy terms under "retshjælp" — or ask your insurer directly whether your policy covers the specific dispute.
Typically some months, depending on the case's scope and the company's response times. The case is written, so a complete complaint with all documentation from the start is the best way to avoid delays.
The vast majority of insurers comply with the board's decisions. If a company chooses not to, it must say so, and the case can then go to court — where the board's decision carries significant weight.
Only to a limited extent. Late reporting generally only justifies rejection if the delay actually mattered — for example by making the damage impossible to assess. Always report as soon as possible, but do not automatically accept a rejection on that ground alone.
Where to complain
The insurer's complaints officer → the Insurance Complaints Board (Ankenævnet for Forsikring)
If the company does not follow the board's decision, or the case continues, the next step is the courts — look into legal expenses cover and free legal aid (fri proces) first.
Ask for the written reasons for the rejection, citing the policy terms
Complain to the insurer's complaints officer with all your evidence
Then complain to the Insurance Complaints Board (small fee, typically refunded if you win)
Going to court? Check legal expenses cover and fri proces before paying yourself