Insurance Act § 18: 229 Days Processing Without Notice
9/10Insurance Act § 18: Processing Time (EN)
What Happened
Gjensidige Case 4 (asbestos) was filed on May 21, 2025. Gjensidige did not make a decision until January 5, 2026 — 229 days later. Throughout this entire period, the Claimant received no information about the delay, no status updates, and no explanation.
Timeline
| Date | Event | Days |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Claim filed | Day 0 |
| June 2025 | Sedgwick assessor inspection | ~Day 30 |
| July 2025 | Mandate changed (retroactively) | ~Day 45 |
| Aug–Dec 2025 | No communication | Day 90–220 |
| Jan 5, 2026 | Rejection received | Day 229 |
What the Law Says
The Danish Insurance Contracts Act (FAL) § 18 states that the insurer must respond to a claim "without undue delay." The Danish Insurance Complaints Board and the Financial Supervisory Authority have repeatedly established that this implies an active duty to keep the insured informed about the case progress.
Good insurance practice requires the insurer to: - Promptly acknowledge receipt of a claim - Inform about expected processing time - Provide ongoing status updates during delays - Communicate the reason for any delays
What Gjensidige Did — and Didn't Do
Gjensidige: - Sent no status update for 229 days - Did not inform about the delay - Gave no explanation for the extraordinary processing time - Made a decision without warning it was coming
Perspective
229 days is more than 7 months of silence. During that period, the Claimant did not know whether the case was being processed, forgotten, or actively sabotaged. This uncertainty is itself a burden — and it is imposed deliberately, as Gjensidige has no technical limitation preventing them from sending a status email.
For comparison: The Danish Insurance Complaints Board typically processes complaints within 3-6 months — and that involves a formal hearing of both parties.