"It depends on your country" is the honest answer to almost every EU consumer question — but the underlying structure is the same everywhere.
Step 1: the internal complaint
Every EU insurer must have a complaints procedure and must reply to every complaint received, under the Insurance Distribution Directive. Put your complaint in writing, reference your policy and claim numbers, and state clearly what outcome you want.
Step 2: the national out-of-court redress body
If the internal complaint doesn't resolve things, EU law requires each member state to provide an independent out-of-court complaint and redress body for insurance disputes. The specific name and structure vary — some countries use a dedicated insurance ombudsman, others a broader financial services mediator, others a section of the national financial regulator. Check your own country's national competent authority for insurance to find the right body.
Step 3: cross-border cases
If your insurer is based in a different EU/EEA country than where you live, FIN-NET — the EU's network of national dispute-resolution bodies — can help identify which country's complaints body should handle your case and put you in contact with it.
Keep the paper trail throughout
Save every communication and reference number from the internal complaint stage — you'll need this full history, not just the final response, if you escalate to the national redress body.
What these bodies can and can't do
National out-of-court redress bodies are generally free to use and independent of the insurer, but their specific powers — whether decisions are binding, and on whom — vary by country. Check the specific body's own rules once you've identified it, rather than assuming the same process applies as in another EU country.
Sources
- EIOPA — Insurance Distribution Directive, Article 15 (out-of-court redress)
- FIN-NET — cross-border financial dispute resolution network
Related Kibbo Tools
- Insurance Claim Follow-Up & Escalation Generator — draft your formal complaint or escalation letter.
- Insurance Claim Follow-Up & Escalation Checklist — track deadlines and references through internal and external stages.