How to File Insurance Complaint with Romania ASF
Learn how to file a complaint with Romania's insurance regulator ASF (asf.ro), what ASF can do for you, and how to use mediation and courts to win your appeal.
When a private insurer in Romania denies your claim and your internal complaint goes nowhere, the Autoritatea de Supraveghere Financiară (ASF) is the regulatory body empowered to intervene. Understanding what ASF can and cannot do — and how to maximise the impact of your complaint — is essential for any Romanian policyholder in dispute with a private insurer.
What Is ASF?
The Autoritatea de Supraveghere Financiară (ASF) is Romania's integrated financial supervisory authority, created in 2013. It regulates and supervises:
- Private insurance companies (asigurători)
- Private pension funds
- Capital markets entities
In the insurance sector, ASF oversees all insurers operating in Romania — whether Romanian-registered companies like Allianz-Țiriac and Groupama România, or EU-registered insurers operating via freedom of services into Romania.
Contact:
- Website: asf.ro
- Address: Splaiul Independenței nr. 15, 050092 București, Sector 5
- Telephone: 021 659 6000
- Email: office@asfromania.ro (general); complaints through the online form at asf.ro
What ASF Can and Cannot Do
ASF CAN:
- Investigate whether your insurer violated Romanian insurance law (Legea nr. 237/2015 and related regulations)
- Require the insurer to provide documentation and explanations
- Issue regulatory sanctions against the insurer (fines, warnings, suspension of activities)
- Order the insurer to correct its conduct where systemic violations are found
- Facilitate early resolution through regulatory pressure
ASF CANNOT:
- Award you compensation or order the insurer to pay a specific amount directly to you
- Resolve individual contractual disputes (that is for courts or mediation)
- Handle CNAS (public health insurance) disputes — those go through CNAS/CJAS
This distinction matters: an ASF complaint is most powerful as a regulatory tool that creates pressure on the insurer and may prompt them to settle your claim rather than face formal regulatory scrutiny. For a binding compensation order, you need mediation or court.
Step 1: Exhaust the Insurer's Internal Complaint Process First
Before filing with ASF, submit a formal written reclamație (complaint) to your insurer. Under Romanian insurance law, your insurer must respond to written complaints within 30 days. If they fail to respond or provide an unsatisfactory answer, you are ready to file with ASF.
Keep your reclamație submission proof (registered post tracking, email receipt) and the insurer's response letter.
How to File an ASF Complaint
Option 1: Online Form (Recommended)
- Go to asf.ro and navigate to "Reclamații / Sesizări" (Complaints)
- Complete the online form with your personal details, the insurer's name and policy number, a factual description of the dispute, and the remedy you seek
- Upload copies of: your policy, the denial letter, your reclamație, the insurer's response, and any supporting documents (medical records, invoices, photos, etc.)
- Submit — you will receive a confirmation email with a reference number
Option 2: By Post
Send a written complaint by scrisoare recomandată cu confirmare de primire (registered post with return receipt) to:
Autoritatea de Supraveghere Financiară Splaiul Independenței nr. 15, 050092 București, Sector 5
Include: your name, address, CNP, the insurer's name and address, your policy number, a description of the dispute, all supporting documents (copies).
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Option 3: In Person
Deliver your complaint in person to ASF's Bucharest office. Bring originals and photocopies — ASF will certify copies and return originals.
There is no filing fee for an ASF complaint.
What Happens After You File
- ASF acknowledges your complaint and assigns a reference number
- ASF contacts your insurer, requesting documentation and a response
- The insurer responds to ASF within the deadline set by the regulator
- ASF reviews both sides and:
- May contact you for additional information
- May conduct an on-site inspection of the insurer
- Will issue a written response to you summarising the investigation outcome
- If ASF finds a regulatory violation: it initiates formal regulatory proceedings against the insurer, which may result in sanctions
Timeline: ASF targets responses within 30 to 60 days, but complex regulatory investigations can take longer.
Using the ASF Complaint as Leverage
Even if ASF's formal outcome does not result in direct compensation, the complaint has significant practical value:
- Pressure effect: Insurers regularly settle individual complaints when they become aware of ASF involvement, particularly for smaller amounts where the reputational risk outweighs the payout
- Evidence in subsequent proceedings: An ASF finding that an insurer acted improperly is powerful evidence in mediation or court
- Pattern identification: If ASF receives multiple complaints about the same insurer conduct, it can trigger a systemic investigation with broader consequences for the insurer
Next Steps After ASF: Mediation and Courts
If ASF's involvement does not resolve your dispute, two further options exist:
Mediation (Mediere)
Romania's Law No. 192/2006 on Mediation encourages parties to resolve civil disputes — including insurance contract disputes — through accredited mediators before going to court. Mediation is:
- Faster than litigation (typically weeks to a few months)
- Significantly cheaper
- Confidential
- Binding if a settlement agreement is reached
Find an accredited mediator through the Consiliul de Mediere at cmediere.ro. For insurance disputes, choose a mediator with experience in financial services or civil contract law.
Civil Courts
For a binding judicial decision ordering your insurer to pay:
- Judecătorie: For claims up to 200,000 RON
- Tribunal: For claims above 200,000 RON, or for cases where tribunal jurisdiction is specifically assigned
In civil court proceedings, your ASF complaint record and any ASF findings are admissible and strengthening evidence. Romanian civil procedure follows an adversarial model; legal representation (avocat) is strongly advisable.
Practical Tips
- Be specific: State the exact amount (in RON) you are claiming. Vague claims slow processing.
- Reference the policy clause: In your complaint, cite the specific clause in your polița de asigurare that you believe entitles you to the denied benefit
- Request a written response from ASF: Explicitly ask ASF to provide its written conclusion (răspuns scris) once the review is complete — you will need this for any subsequent mediation or court filing
- Parallel tracks: You can simultaneously file with ASF and pursue mediation — these are not mutually exclusive
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