Around 100 different insurance companies operate on the Polish market. Although contracts are similar, they may differ in individual provisions. Polish law provides freedom in shaping insurance contracts. – When concluding contracts, attention should be paid to two fundamental things. First, the scope of insurance cover, or, in short: what the insurance company is liable for and when we will receive compensation. Second, we should pay attention to the so-called exclusion of the insurance company’s liability, meaning when the insurer will not pay us. Concluding an insurance contract is in fact buying an insurance product, so we should know what we are paying for and what we will receive in return – explains Zbigniew Zawada. Customers of insurance companies often receive decisions refusing to pay compensation. This is because they previously agreed to such insurance conditions. The insurer follows the terms of the contract and does not pay compensation.
It is worth remembering that after a claim is reported, the insurance company has 30 days to pay an advance, the so-called undisputed portion, or the entire compensation. This is provided for by Article 817 of the Civil Code. Insurance companies often issue decisions stating that the customer has 14 or 30 days to appeal the company’s decision. – This is inconsistent with the Civil Code, whose Article 819 states that claims arising from an insurance contract become time-barred after three years – Zawada emphasizes. – No insurance company is above the law. Every company is subject to supervision and control. The institution that supervises the activities of insurance companies in Poland is the Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego. This institution authorizes insurance companies to operate and also has the right to impose penalties on insurers – he continues. Customers who feel harmed or deceived have the right to submit a complaint against a given insurer to the Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego.
On the commission’s website, it is possible to check how many insurance companies have already been penalized for unlawful practices (www.knf.gov.pl). For merely missing the deadline for paying compensation, the Commission may impose a penalty of PLN 10,000 to PLN 50,000 on an insurance company. A large number of complaints is not good news for an insurer. A complaint against a given company may also be submitted to the Biuro Rzecznika Ubezpieczonych. Last year, more than 16,000 complaints were submitted to the ombudsman’s office.
Attention should also be paid to insurance products offered by banks. It happens that banks offer life insurance when granting loans. In this case, attention should also be paid to the provisions of the contract: “the scope of insurance cover and the exclusion of the insurance company’s liability.” There are extreme situations in which a borrower suddenly dies and the next of kin do not receive compensation because the insurance contract was signed on such unfavorable terms. – Attention must also be paid to insurance for loans, credit cards and other products offered by banks. It is not enough to sign a contract and believe that everything has been properly arranged. With insurance contracts, you need to know how to safeguard your rights – warns Zbigniew Zawada.
For compulsory third-party liability insurance (the popular OC), claims are governed by statute, including compensation payment deadlines, the scope of liability and specific cases in which insurance companies are exempt from liability. It is worth remembering that compensation under OC is due to a person injured in an accident even when the perpetrator fled the scene and was not identified. In such a case, claims are handled by the Ubezpieczeniowy Fundusz Gwarancyjny, which pays compensation for personal injury. The Fund does not pay money for property damage (e.g. a wrecked car).
What is worth knowing before signing an insurance contract?
Before signing a contract, pay attention to: the scope of cover and the insurer’s exclusion of liability:
- if we have any doubts, we can visit or call Biuro Ronin and take advantage of free advice
- if the contract has already been concluded and we have doubts about whether signing it was the right decision, we may terminate it within 30 days of its conclusion. During this period, we may also ask the insurer to change the terms of the contract – the same applies to the company, which may also terminate the contract
- with Auto Casco (AC) contracts, the vehicle’s value should neither be overstated nor understated. Insurance agents, who receive a commission based on the negotiated insurance premium, often encourage customers to overstate the vehicle’s value. The customer learns about the overstated value when receiving compensation (the amount paid corresponds to the vehicle’s actual value)
- for student insurance, Biuro Ronin provides free advisory services, indicating the best product for the school. The office may also undertake negotiations with the insurer to achieve favorable terms for the school, including exemptions for the poorest students.
An accident—what should you do?
In the event of an accident, the injured person does not need to rush to begin the procedure for seeking compensation. According to Article 819 of the Civil Code, the injured person has as many as three years to file claims. In the case of civil liability claims (serious bodily injuries resulting from a crime), they have as many as 20 years to seek compensation. The insurer should be notified of the accident itself as soon as reasonably possible; however, the process of seeking compensation may be started during or after treatment. People injured in accidents may bring one-off or periodic claims.
Claims may be made for compensation for harm suffered, reimbursement of medical expenses and reimbursement of lost income. If the damage is permanent, a claim for an annuity may be made against the insurance company. If, as a result of an accident, a person becomes permanently disabled and has to retrain, they may seek reimbursement of retraining costs. In the event of a fatal accident, the family may seek reimbursement of funeral costs (the funeral allowance from ZUS is also paid in such cases), the costs of the wake, mourning clothes or a monument. The family of the deceased may also seek an alimentary pension.
Seek help and advice from Biuro Ronin
Injured people do not know what benefits they are entitled to. Biuro Ronin helps collect documents and complete them correctly. Complete documentation is needed not only to receive compensation, but also when applying for rehabilitation benefits, sickness benefits or pensions, and even for criminal proceedings if the injured person wants to act as an auxiliary prosecutor.
The fee charged by the office is a maximum of 15% including VAT, depending on the complexity of the case. The compensation money is transferred directly to the injured person’s account, and only then does Biuro Ronin receive the previously agreed fee.
Biuro Ronin Zbigniew Zawada offers:
- comprehensive compensation services
- compensation from OC, NNW and other policies
- compensation for accidents in Poland and abroad
- from Polish and foreign insurance companies
- the Ubezpieczeniowego Funduszu Gwarancyjnego
Only with us:
- commission of up to 15%
- free review of documentation and assessment of the case
- settlement after benefits are received
- experience and proven effectiveness
- service also available at the Client’s home
- drafting claims, appeals and official letters
- insurance advice
- advice on handling insurance claims
- claims under OC policies, even up to 20 years back
Biuro Ronin Zbigniew Zawada
ul. Mickiewicza 6 (2nd floor)
59-700 Bolesławiec
tel./fax 075 732 19 05
open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
www.biuroronin.pl
e-mail: biuro.ronin@vp.pl
(commissioned information)