Insurance Claim Denied in Finland: FINE Insurance Complaints Guide

Insurance Claim Denied in Finland: FINE Is Here to Help

Finland has a comprehensive consumer protection infrastructure for insurance disputes, anchored by FINE — the Financial and Insurance Complaints Bureau (Vakuutus- ja rahoitusneuvonta). FINE provides free, independent advisory and dispute resolution services for consumers involved in financial and insurance disputes, and its decisions carry significant weight with Finnish insurers.

This guide explains Finland's insurance regulatory framework, why claims are commonly denied, your rights under Finnish law, and how to navigate the complaints process through FINE and the Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanssivalvonta, Fiva).

---

Finland's Insurance Regulatory Framework

Insurance in Finland is regulated by Finanssivalvonta (Fiva — the Financial Supervisory Authority), which operates under the Bank of Finland and the Ministry of Finance. Fiva supervises all licensed insurance companies, pension funds, and other financial institutions in Finland.

Fiva Website: https://www.finanssivalvonta.fi

Fiva Consumer Line: +358 9 183 5360 (weekdays 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM)

Address: P.O. Box 103, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland

The central legislation governing insurance contracts in Finland is the Insurance Contracts Act (Vakuutussopimuslaki, 543/1994), which has been updated multiple times and provides strong consumer protections.

For consumer dispute resolution, the dedicated body is:

FINE — Financial and Insurance Complaints Bureau (Vakuutus- ja rahoitusneuvonta)

FINE Website: https://www.fine.fi

FINE Phone: 09 6850 120 (weekdays 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

Address: P.O. Box 425, 00101 Helsinki / visiting address Porkkalankatu 1, 00180 Helsinki, Finland

FINE was established by the Finnish state and financial sector to provide a free, expert, accessible dispute resolution service. FINE operates an Insurance Complaints Board (Vakuutuslautakunta) for insurance-specific disputes, which issues recommendations that Finnish insurers are strongly expected to follow.

---

Why Insurance Claims Get Denied in Finland

1. Policy exclusions. Finnish insurance policies contain specific exclusions. Common ones include: intentional self-harm, acts committed under the influence of alcohol or drugs (in motor and accident insurance), pre-existing conditions in private accident/health insurance, and wear and tear (kuluminen) in property insurance.

2. Non-disclosure disputes. Under the Finnish Insurance Contracts Act (§ 22–24), policyholders have a pre-contractual duty of disclosure. However, Finnish law limits the insurer's remedy — the reduction or denial of a claim must be proportional to the degree of the policyholder's fault. Innocent non-disclosure results only in proportional reduction.

3. Cause of damage disputes. Finnish home and property insurance disputes frequently involve arguments about whether water damage, mold, or structural damage resulted from a sudden, covered event or from gradual deterioration (excluded). These cause-of-damage disputes are among the most common cases before FINE's Insurance Complaints Board.

4. Motor insurance denials. Disputes about the cause of a motor accident, fault allocation, and whether the driver was in breach of conditions (alcohol, licensing) are common in Finnish motor insurance claims.

5. Accident definition disputes. Personal accident insurance (tapaturmavakuutus) requires that the injury be caused by an "accident" — a sudden, external event. Finnish insurers often dispute whether an injury meets this definition, particularly for musculoskeletal injuries.

6. Disability and work incapacity claims. Private income protection and occupational disability insurance disputes frequently involve disagreements about the extent of work incapacity and the applicable disability standard.

7. Travel insurance disputes. Trip cancellation, emergency medical treatment abroad, and baggage disputes are common in Finnish travel insurance claims.

---

Your Rights Under the Finnish Insurance Contracts Act

The Vakuutussopimuslaki (543/1994) gives Finnish policyholders important protections:

• Right to information: Before concluding the contract, the insurer must provide all material information about the policy, including key exclusions (§ 5).
• Duty of disclosure proportionality: The insurer's remedy for non-disclosure must be proportional to the fault involved. Innocent non-disclosure results only in reduction, not full denial (§ 22–24).
• Gross negligence standard: Even where the policyholder's own behavior contributed to the loss (gross negligence — törkeä huolimattomuus), the insurer must reduce the payment proportionally rather than denying the entire claim — except where the policy explicitly provides otherwise.
• Right to written denial: The insurer must provide a written explanation of any claim denial.
• Interest on late payments: Late payment of valid claims attracts statutory interest.
• Right to dispute resolution: FINE and the Insurance Complaints Board provide free dispute resolution.

---

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

Step 1: Request a Written Explanation

If your insurer has denied your claim, request a full written explanation (kirjallinen selvitys) citing the specific policy clause (ehtokohta) and the factual basis for the denial.

Step 2: Submit a Formal Internal Complaint

Write a formal complaint (reklamaatio/valitus) to your insurer's customer service or complaints department. Finnish insurers are required by Fiva's conduct regulations to have internal complaints procedures and to respond within a reasonable time — typically 2–4 weeks.

Your complaint should:

• Reference the policy number and claim reference
• Explain specifically why the denial is incorrect
• Reference the relevant provision of the Vakuutussopimuslaki if applicable
• Attach all supporting documents: medical certificates (lääkärintodistus), accident reports, police reports (rikosilmoitus/tapahtumaraportti), repair estimates, receipts, photographs
• Request a written final response

Step 3: Contact FINE for Free Advisory Service

Before or alongside the formal complaint process, contact FINE for free advice. FINE's consumer advisors can:

• Review your case and give an initial opinion on whether the denial appears justified
• Explain the relevant provisions of the Vakuutussopimuslaki
• Advise you on what documents to gather and how to frame your complaint

Call FINE at 09 6850 120 or visit fine.fi. This free service is one of Finland's most valuable but underused consumer resources.

Step 4: File a Formal Complaint with FINE's Insurance Complaints Board (Vakuutuslautakunta)

If your insurer upholds the denial after your internal complaint, file a formal complaint with FINE's Insurance Complaints Board (Vakuutuslautakunta).

Eligibility:

• You must have first filed a formal internal complaint with the insurer and received a final response (or 6 weeks must have passed without a substantive response).
• The complaint must relate to a personal (consumer) insurance product.
• Filing must generally be within 3 years of the events giving rise to the dispute.

How to file:

• Online through the FINE website (fine.fi) — available in Finnish and Swedish (Finland is officially bilingual). An English-language overview is also available.
• By post to FINE's Helsinki address.

Your submission should include:

• The insurer's final response
• Your internal complaint to the insurer
• The insurance policy documents
• All supporting evidence

Filing with FINE is completely free.

Step 5: Insurance Complaints Board Process

After filing:

1. FINE's secretariat reviews eligibility and completeness.
2. The insurer is given the opportunity to respond in writing.
3. Both parties may submit additional written arguments.
4. The Vakuutuslautakunta (Insurance Complaints Board) — composed of a legally qualified chair, insurance law experts, and consumer and industry representatives — reviews the case on the papers.
5. The Board issues a written recommendation (lausunto/suositus).

The recommendation is not a binding court judgment, but Finnish insurers are strongly expected to comply. Non-compliance is tracked and reported publicly, and FINE publishes statistics on insurer compliance with recommendations.

Timeline: Typically 6 to 12 months from receipt of a complete complaint.

Step 6: Fiva Complaint (Conduct Issues)

If the insurer has violated Fiva's conduct regulations — for example, by systematically misapplying policy terms, failing to provide required pre-contractual information, or engaging in unfair claims handling — file a complaint with Fiva at finanssivalvonta.fi. Fiva can investigate and impose administrative sanctions.

Step 7: Civil Court

For disputes where the FINE recommendation is not followed, or for disputes outside FINE's scope, the District Court (Käräjäoikeus) has jurisdiction over insurance contract disputes. The small claims procedure (suppea asia) is available for lower-value matters. Legal aid coverage may be included in your home insurance — check your policy.

---

National Social Insurance (Kela) vs. Private Insurance

Finland's Social Insurance Institution (Kela — Kansaneläkelaitos) administers statutory social insurance including sickness benefits (sairauspäiväraha), rehabilitation, and other social benefits. Disputes about Kela decisions follow a separate administrative appeals process through Kela's own appeals procedure and then the Social Security Appeal Board (Sosiaaliturvan muutoksenhakulautakunta). Kela disputes do not go to FINE.

Private supplemental insurance products — income protection, private accident insurance, private health supplements — fall within FINE's jurisdiction.

---

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not contacting FINE for free advice first. FINE's advisory service is free and can quickly clarify whether your case has merit and what arguments to make. Many policyholders skip this and file complaints that are weaker than they could be.

Not checking for legal aid coverage in home insurance. Most Finnish home contents insurance (kotivakuutus) policies include oikeusturvavakuutus (legal expenses coverage). Before engaging a lawyer, check whether this coverage applies to your dispute.

Missing the 3-year limitation period. While 3 years is relatively generous, the clock starts from when you became aware of the denial, not when you finally decided to act. File promptly.

Not submitting documents in Finnish or Swedish. FINE and Finnish courts operate in Finnish or Swedish. Overseas medical records and documents in other languages should be accompanied by certified translations.

---

Drafting Your Appeal Letter

A professional, well-organized complaint to your Finnish insurer is the critical first step. ClaimBack at claimback.app can generate a structured, English-language appeal letter tailored to your specific denial situation, covering the key arguments under the Finnish Insurance Contracts Act. Use this as the foundation for a formal Finnish or Swedish language submission to your insurer and subsequently to FINE.

---

Conclusion

FINE's Insurance Complaints Board is one of Finland's most effective consumer protection tools — free, expert, and highly respected by Finnish insurers. Combined with the strong policyholder protections of the Vakuutussopimuslaki and Fiva's regulatory oversight, Finnish consumers have excellent resources for challenging unfair insurance denials. Contact FINE for free advice, file your internal complaint, and escalate to the Insurance Complaints Board if needed. For a professional appeal letter framework, visit ClaimBack at claimback.app.