How claims actually work — from report to payout

03 Jul 2026 · 5 min read · Insurina

Step 1 — Report inside the window

Most policies require notification within 24 to 72 hours of the incident. Late notification is one of the few grounds on which an otherwise valid claim can be reduced or declined outright.

Step 2 — Assemble the file

• Police report, for any motor or theft claim
• Photographs taken at the scene, before anything is moved
• The policy schedule and your Emirates ID
• Original invoices and estimates, not photocopies

Step 3 — Assessment

For property and motor claims, a surveyor inspects the damage and reports on cause and cost. For medical claims, the insurer's clinical team reviews the treatment against the policy terms. This stage takes most of the elapsed time.

Step 4 — Settlement

Approved claims are paid either directly to the repairer or hospital, or reimbursed to you. Your excess is deducted first. Where the insurer proposes a lower figure than your estimate, you are entitled to see the assessment on which it is based.

If it stalls

Escalate in writing to the insurer's complaints function first. If that does not resolve it, the Central Bank of the UAE handles insurance complaints, and the file you assembled in step 2 is what carries the case.