European Regulatory Framework of Out-Of-Court Dispute Resolution Arising from the Compulsory Motor Vehicle Third Party Liability Insurance Contract with a Focus on Insurance Practices

Autori u ovom radu prikazuju i analiziraju normativno uređenje izvansudskog rješavanja osigurateljnih sporova kroz institut europskopravne zaštite potrošača prema Direktivi 2013/11/EU. S obzirom na to da Direktiva 2013/11/EU propisuje izvansudsko rješavanje sporova vezano uz ugovorne obveze koje proizlaze iz ugovora o uslugama, očigledna je njezina primjena i na osiguranje kao uslužnu djelatnost. Na ostvarivanje prava iz ugovora o osiguranju kao potrošačkog ugovora imaju značajan pravni učinak i posebni ciljevi osiguravanja više razine zaštite potrošača prema Uredbi (EU) br. 254/2014. Uspoređujući odgovarajuće norme europskih pravnih izvora s rješenjima unutar nacionalnog zakonodavstva, autori u radu prije svega polaze od odredbe čl. 89. Zakona o osiguranju o obvezi osiguratelja (koja prethodi sklapanju ugovora o osiguranju) pružiti informaciju ugovaratelju osiguranja o načinu rješavanja mogućih sporova i uspostavi postupka izvansudskog rješavanja sporova između osiguranika, odnosno ugovaratelja osiguranja, odnosno potrošača i društva za osiguranje, odnosno ponuditelja osiguranja. Zato autori analiziraju kogentne pravne norme Zakona o obveznim osiguranjima u prometu kojima je u čl. 12. propisan rok od 60 dana od dana primitka odštetnog zahtjeva unutar kojeg je odgovorni osiguratelj dužan riješiti odštetni zahtjev predviđajući mirno rješavanje odštetnog zahtjeva u izvansudskom postupku. Jačanje statusa potrošača u ugovornom odnosu s osigurateljem kao pružateljem financijskih usluga posebno je vidljivo poredbenopravnom analizom osigurateljnih uvjeta za obvezno osiguranje od autoodgovornosti, posebice u odnosu na odredbe o izvansudskom rješavanju sporova. Nakon analize predmetnih odredaba uvjeta za obvezno osiguranje od autoodgovornosti većeg broja osiguravajućih društava autori zaključuju kako je jednoobraznošću sadržaja osigurateljnog ugovornog odnosa kroz primjenu mehanizama izvansudskog rješavanja osigurateljnih sporova omogućena zaštita potrošača osigurateljnih usluga. Upućujući na europske pravne zasade i europsku praksu rješavanja najvećeg dijela odštetnih zahtjeva izvansudskim putem, autori ističu važnost izvansudskog rješavanja osigurateljnih sporova zaključujući kako je navedeni postupak u nacionalnim pravnim izvorima usklađen s europskim standardima zaštite potrošača.In this paper, the authors have set forth and analysed the regulatory framework of out-of-court insurance dispute resolution through the European consumer protection regulations under Directive 2013/11/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution. In view of the fact that Directive 2013/11/EU stipulates out-of-court resolution of disputes concerning contractual obligations that stem from service contracts, its application on insurance as a service is evident. The specific objectives that ensure a higher level of consumer protection, pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 254/2014 on multiannual consumer programme, and promote alternative resolution of disputes and better and easier access to simple, efficient and expedient legal protection and out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes have a significant legal effect on the exercise of rights from the insurance contract as a consumer contract. Out-of-court dispute resolution is simple, efficient, expedient and low-cost, and due to its advantages in application and its role of an instrument of consumer protection, it has a positive effect on insurance dispute resolution. In comparing certain regulations that have the foundation in EU legislation with the solutions within the national legislation, the authors primarily refer to the provisions of Article 89 of the Insurance Act on the pre-contractual obligation of the insurer to provide information to the policy-holder on the ways of settling possible disputes and initiate the procedure of out-of-court dispute resolution between the insured, that is, the policyholder/consumer and the insurance company, that is, the insurance provider. The aim of the above mentioned provision is to ensure out-of-court resolution of insurance disputes in a peaceful manner. Due to the overload of the judicial system and lengthy court proceedings as a regular method of legal protection, out-of-court insurance dispute resolution is of special interest for the Republic of Croatia. In fact, the annual intake of damages claims on the grounds of motor vehicle third party liability insurance emphasises all the more the advantages of using the mechanisms of out-of-court resolution of disputes as an optional, flexible and reliable procedure, the cheapest and the quickest settlement of insurance disputes. For that reason, the authors analyse the cogent legal regulations by means of which Article 12 of the Act on Compulsory Traffic Insurance 12 prescribes a 60-day time-limit from the day the damages claim was received, within which the insurer has to settle the damages claim anticipating a peaceful settlement of damages claims in out-of-court resolution of disputes. The strengthening of consumers\u27 position in the contractual relationship with the insurer as a provider of financial services is especially evident in the comparative analysis of the conditions for compulsory motor vehicle third party liability insurance, particularly in relation to the provisions on out-of-court resolution of disputes. Having done the analysis of the aforesaid provisions on the conditions for compulsory motor vehicle third party liability insurance offered by a number of insurance companies, the authors have come to a conclusion that uniform contents of the insurance contractual correlation via an out-of-court resolution of insurance disputes ensure consumer protection in insurance services. By pointing to the European legal principles and practices concerning the settlement of most damages claims by out-of-court dispute resolution, the authors have highlighted the importance of out-of-court insurance dispute resolution, concluding that the aforementioned procedure in the national legal system has been harmonized with the European standards of consumer protection. As a result, consumers as key factors in the national economy have more trust in the insurance market, and at the same time, the creation of a uniform European insurance market has been facilitated