Most casco cases run smoothly – but wherever money and valuation are involved, disputes arise too. The two classic ones: the extent of depreciation, and the claim value (especially in a total loss). The good news is that a dispute isn't a matter for anger, but for procedure – and in this, the client is not on their own.
- A routine claim is handled through the insurer's own line – an independent insurance broker steps in on a case that is stuck or disputed: that's the division of roles.
- The basis of any dispute is always the written justification plus the itemised calculation – this is the first thing to request.
- The route is orderly: counter-arguments based on the policy terms → negotiation → the complaints procedure – with the consumer-protection route in the background.
The first step: understand what the insurer calculated, and why
You can only argue with something concrete: request the itemised calculation and the written justification for the decision. In a depreciation dispute, we look at which items the deduction was applied to, using what rate, and on the basis of which clause in the terms. In a claim-value dispute, the question is how the market value at the time of loss and the salvage value were derived: what comparable data and what level of equipment the expert used in the calculation.
Building the counter-arguments
A good counter-argument is not emotion but evidence: your own value file (photos, service invoices, declared extras), comparable market listings from the time of the loss, and, if needed, an independent expert opinion. As a broker, my role here is to put the claim into the language of the policy terms: which clause justifies which correction – and to help take it through the proper channels.
If negotiation isn't enough: the complaints route
If negotiation doesn't resolve things, a formal complaint to the insurer follows – in writing, with deadlines. If that doesn't settle it either: the Financial Arbitration Board and the consumer-protection route are open, and ultimately the courts – for traffic-related legal disputes, legal protection insurance can help on the cost side. It's important to be honest about the framework: help from the broker provides an orderly process and professional argument – no one can promise a particular outcome. Experience shows, however, that a significant share of well-documented cases argued on the basis of the policy terms end in a settlement.
Disputing the payout or the depreciation? Send over the justification – let's look at it together. book a free 20-minute consultation →
