Guide · Car claims
Car insurance claim lawyer in Israel
Car claims in Israel can turn on property damage: the repair, a total loss, theft or the other driver's insurer. This guide explains how a car insurance claim works and where disputes tend to form.
Adv. Sassi Lev
Insurance claims and property damage
Two kinds of car insurance in Israel
In Israel, compulsory motor insurance covers bodily injury. Damage to vehicles and other property is covered separately, by comprehensive insurance or by third-party property insurance.
A car insurance claim lawyer in Israel usually deals with that second part: the repair, total loss, theft, diminished value and the deductions made in the assessment. Bodily injury is a separate track with its own rules.
The policy schedule shows the type of cover, the insured sum, the deductible and any restrictions on who may drive.
Before reporting the accident, it helps to know which of these policies the car has and who is listed as a permitted driver. These details shape the claim from the first day.
Claiming from your own insurer
With comprehensive insurance, the claim is made to your own insurer. An insurer may send an assessor (shamai) to examine the damage, and the assessor's report is generally the basis for the payment.
It helps to check with the insurer before completing repairs, because early repairs can make the extent of the damage harder to show.
Some policies direct repairs to garages that work with the insurer. Where that applies, the scope and quality of the repair can still be disputed if the damage was not fully fixed.
Report the accident to your insurer promptly, as the policy may require, and keep a copy of what you sent and when. The dates may matter later.
Claiming from the other driver's insurer
If another driver caused the accident, the damage to your car may be claimed from that driver's insurer as a third-party property claim. You may also be able to claim from your own comprehensive policy, depending on its wording.
Disputes in these claims usually concern liability for the accident, the extent of the damage, or both. Photos from the scene, the other driver's details and any witnesses matter here. Read more about third-party claims.
If the other driver's insurer refuses or offers less than the repair cost, the offer is compared with the assessor's report and the repair quotes, item by item. The same review applies whether the claim is made directly or through your own insurer.
Where car claims stall
Issues that can come up in car property claims include these:
Each of these issues is checked against a different document: the policy schedule for drivers and conditions, the assessor's report for the damage, and the payment notice for the deductions.
- Gaps between the assessor's report and the amount actually paid
- Depreciation deductions and parts price lists
- Disputes over whether the car is a total loss, as defined in the policy
- Diminished value after a significant repair
- Theft claims and the conditions on security systems in the policy
- Restrictions on drivers by age or driving experience
Total loss, theft and diminished value
Whether a car is a total loss is defined by the policy wording, not by a general rule. The valuation of the car and the deductions made from it can be points of disagreement, and both can be checked against the policy and the assessment.
In a theft claim, the policy may set conditions, for example about security systems. A denial based on such a condition is reviewed against the exact wording and the facts. See what to do when an insurance claim is denied.
After a significant repair, the car may lose market value. Whether that loss can be claimed depends on the policy, the circumstances and an assessor's opinion. Read more about diminished value claims.
In a total loss claim, the car's salvage and the way its value was set can be part of the discussion. Both should appear in the assessment in a way that can be checked.
What to send
Send the policy, the assessor's report, the repair quotes and any letter from the insurer on WhatsApp to +972-55-989-3839. For a third-party claim, add the photos from the scene and the other driver's details. We come back with what was checked and the next step.
We work in English or in Hebrew, and remotely if you are abroad. The limitation period for an insurance claim is generally three years from the event, so dates should be checked early. See also car insurance claims and the main guide to property insurance claims.
Questions people ask
Does compulsory insurance cover the damage to my car?
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Not under compulsory insurance. In Israel, compulsory motor insurance covers bodily injury. Damage to the car is covered by comprehensive or third-party property insurance.
The other driver's insurer offered less than the repair cost. What now?
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Compare the offer with the assessor's report and the repair quotes, item by item. A gap can be reviewed against the documents, and the next step depends on what that shows.
Who decides whether my car is a total loss?
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The policy wording defines total loss, and the assessor's report applies it to the car. Both the definition and the valuation can be checked.
Can I claim diminished value?
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In some circumstances. It depends on the policy, whether the claim is against your insurer or the other driver's, and an assessor's opinion on the loss of value.
Have a document from the insurer?
A denial letter, a payment notice or an assessor's report. Send it on WhatsApp and we will come back to you with the next step.
Sending material does not create an attorney–client relationship.