Insurance Claim Denied in Sweden: ARN and Konsumenternas Insurance Bureau

Insurance Claim Denied in Sweden: Free Help Is Available

Sweden has one of the world's most consumer-protective regulatory environments, and its insurance sector is no exception. If your insurer has denied your claim — whether for motor, home, health, travel, life, or any other insurance product — you have access to free guidance from the Konsumenternas Försäkringsbyrå (Consumer Insurance Bureau) and a formal complaint mechanism through the Allmänna Reklamationsnämnden (ARN — General Complaints Board).

This guide explains Swedish insurance law, why claims get denied, the free resources available to you, and the step-by-step complaints process.

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Sweden's Insurance Regulatory Framework

Insurance in Sweden is regulated by Finansinspektionen (FI — the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority), which supervises all licensed insurance companies operating in Sweden.

Finansinspektionen Website: https://www.fi.se

FI Consumer Information Line: +46 (0)8-408 980 00

The primary legislation governing Swedish insurance contracts is the Insurance Contract Act (Försäkringsavtalslag 2005:104), which applies to virtually all consumer insurance products sold in Sweden.

Two key free resources are available for Swedish insurance consumers:

1. Konsumenternas Försäkringsbyrå (Consumer Insurance Bureau)

This is a free, independent information and advisory body jointly funded by the Swedish state and the insurance industry. It provides:

• Free guidance on insurance contract terms and consumer rights
• Assessment of whether a claim denial appears to be legally justified
• Assistance in understanding the complaints process

Website: https://www.konsumenternas.se

Phone: 0200-22 58 00 (free, weekdays 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

2. Allmänna Reklamationsnämnden (ARN — General Complaints Board)

ARN is a government body that provides free, impartial dispute resolution for consumer disputes, including insurance claims. ARN's recommendations are not legally binding, but the vast majority of Swedish companies — including insurers — comply with them.

ARN Website: https://www.arn.se

ARN Phone: 08-508 860 00 (weekdays 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

ARN Address: Box 174, 101 23 Stockholm, Sweden

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Why Insurance Claims Get Denied in Sweden

1. Policy exclusions (undantag). Swedish insurance policies contain explicit exclusions. Common exclusions include: intentional damage, criminal acts, professional activity on a private insurance policy, and in health and accident policies, self-inflicted injuries.

2. Pre-existing conditions. For personal accident and health insurance products (not mandatory health coverage, which is handled by Försäkringskassan), pre-existing conditions may be excluded from coverage, particularly within a waiting period.

3. Cause of loss disputes. For property, home, and motor insurance, disputes about whether the cause of damage falls within an insured peril or an excluded event are common. For example, whether water damage was a sudden insured event versus gradual damage excluded under most Swedish home policies.

4. Motor insurance disputes. Sweden has compulsory third-party motor liability insurance (trafikförsäkring). Disputes about fault allocation and the scope of coverage under the Motor Liability Act (Trafikskadelagen 1975:1410) are handled by a specialized mechanism.

5. Non-disclosure. Under the Insurance Contract Act (Försäkringsavtalslag 2005:104), policyholders must disclose material facts relevant to the risk. Insurers may reduce payment or deny claims citing non-disclosure, though the Act limits this right — the insurer must demonstrate that the non-disclosure actually influenced the underwriting decision.

6. Sum insured disputes. Disagreements about the value of property, the sum insured, and underinsurance (underförsäkring) provisions are common in property insurance.

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Your Rights Under the Swedish Insurance Contract Act

The Försäkringsavtalslag (2005:104) is one of Europe's most consumer-protective insurance contract laws. Key provisions:

• Clear policy terms: Insurers must use clear, plain language in policy documents. Terms that are unclear or misleading may be interpreted against the insurer.
• Right to prior information: Before concluding a contract, the insurer must provide the policyholder with all material information about the policy, including key exclusions.
• Non-disclosure proportionality: The insurer's right to reduce or deny a claim for non-disclosure is proportional to the fault of the policyholder. Innocent, inadvertent non-disclosure results only in a proportional reduction of the claim, not full denial.
• Prompt claim settlement: Insurers must handle claims without undue delay. Unjustified delay triggers the right to interest and potentially damages.
• Right to information about claim decisions: Insurers must explain claim decisions in writing.

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Step-by-Step: How to Appeal a Claim Denial in Sweden

Step 1: Contact Konsumenternas Försäkringsbyrå

Your first call should be to the Konsumenternas Försäkringsbyrå at 0200-22 58 00. This free service can:

• Review your denial and give you an initial opinion on whether it appears justified
• Advise you on the relevant law and what arguments to make
• Help you understand what documents to gather

This is a no-cost, expert first step that many Swedish policyholders do not know about.

Step 2: Submit a Formal Written Complaint to Your Insurer

Write a formal complaint (klagomål) to your insurer's customer service (kundservice) or complaints department. Swedish insurers are required by Finansinspektionen regulations to have a formal complaints procedure.

Your complaint should:

• Identify your policy number and claim reference
• Set out clearly why the denial is wrong, with reference to the specific exclusion or denial reason
• Attach all supporting documents (police reports — polisanmälan, medical records, receipts, photos)
• Request a written response within 30 days (reasonable under Swedish industry standards)

Step 3: Escalate to ARN

If your insurer's response is unsatisfactory, or if you have not received a response within a reasonable time, file a complaint with ARN.

Requirements for ARN eligibility:

• You must have first complained formally to the company and received a "no" or no response.
• There is no formal minimum dispute amount for insurance complaints, but ARN typically handles disputes where the amount in controversy is at least a few thousand SEK.
• Your complaint must be filed within 6 months from the company's final "no" response.

How to file with ARN:

• File online at arn.se using the consumer complaint form (select "Insurance" as the category).
• Include: your complaint to the insurer, the insurer's final response, all relevant policy documents, supporting evidence.
• ARN filing is free.

ARN Process:

1. ARN registers your complaint and requests the insurer's written response.
2. Both parties may submit additional written arguments.
3. An ARN decision panel (comprising a legally qualified chair and lay members) issues a written recommendation.
4. ARN recommendations are not legally binding, but the Swedish insurance industry broadly commits to following them. Non-compliance is publicly noted and damages the insurer's reputation.

Timeline: ARN typically issues recommendations within 6 to 12 months of receiving a complete complaint.

Step 4: Personskadekommittén (for Personal Injury Disputes)

For disputes involving personal injury — including accident insurance, disability insurance, and traffic accident compensation — the Personskadekommittén (Personal Injury Committee) provides specialized dispute resolution within the insurance industry framework. This body can issue binding opinions on personal injury valuation disputes. Contact through your insurer or through the Swedish Insurance Association (Svensk Försäkring).

Step 5: Finansinspektionen Complaint

If the insurer has violated FI's conduct regulations — for example, by systematically misapplying policy exclusions or failing to communicate key terms — file a complaint with Finansinspektionen through their website fi.se. FI can investigate and impose sanctions on non-compliant insurers.

Step 6: Civil Court

For disputes where ARN's recommendation is rejected by the insurer, or for large-value claims, the Swedish District Courts (Tingsrätt) have jurisdiction over insurance contract disputes. For smaller claims, the small claims procedure (Förenklade tvistemål) is available for disputes up to half of the price base amount (around SEK 26,250 in 2025). Legal representation is common but not required.

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Motor Insurance in Sweden: Special Rules

Sweden's mandatory third-party motor liability insurance (trafikförsäkring) is subject to the Motor Liability Act (Trafikskadelagen 1975:1410). Disputes about trafikförsäkring are typically handled through the Trafikförsäkringsföreningen (TFF — Swedish Motor Insurers).

For comprehensive motor insurance (vagnskadeförsäkring and egendomsskadeförsäkring) disputes, the standard ARN complaint process applies.

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Mandatory Work Injury Insurance (TFA) and Social Insurance

Sweden's Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) administers statutory social insurance including sickness benefits, disability allowance, and work injury benefits. Disputes with Försäkringskassan about statutory benefits follow an administrative appeals process separate from private insurance. If Försäkringskassan has denied your claim:

• Request a reconsideration (omprövning) within Försäkringskassan
• Appeal to the Administrative Court (Förvaltningsrätten) if the reconsideration is unsuccessful

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not calling Konsumenternas Försäkringsbyrå first. This free service is one of the best-kept secrets in Swedish consumer protection. A single call can save you months of misdirected effort.

Missing the 6-month ARN filing deadline. After your insurer issues a final "no," you have 6 months to file with ARN. This deadline is strictly observed.

Not submitting in Swedish. ARN proceedings are conducted in Swedish. If you need to submit documents in another language, provide certified Swedish translations.

Assuming ARN's recommendation is unenforceable. While technically a recommendation, Swedish insurers almost universally comply. If they do not, this fact is published by ARN and the insurer faces significant reputational consequences.

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Drafting Your Appeal Letter

A clear, legally-grounded appeal letter to your Swedish insurer is the critical first step. ClaimBack at claimback.app can generate a professional, structured appeal letter in English tailored to your specific insurance denial, covering the key legal arguments under the Swedish Insurance Contract Act. You can then translate and adapt this for formal submission in Swedish.

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Conclusion

Sweden's insurance consumer protection system — combining the expert guidance of Konsumenternas Försäkringsbyrå, the free complaint mechanism of ARN, and the oversight of Finansinspektionen — is one of the most accessible and effective in Europe. Call the Consumer Insurance Bureau first, then file formally with your insurer, and escalate to ARN if needed. For a professional appeal letter to start the process, visit ClaimBack at claimback.app.