‘We deal with cases connected with the unscrupulous actions of insurance companies quite often: at least a dozen claims are laid against them every year. Our guild, for instance, has had to tackle cases involving such insurers as Gamma, Rosgosstrakh, and Yugoria,’ Ludmila Mekhontseva of the regional Lawyers’ Guild said to UrBC representative.

‘Most claims have to do with the obligatory car insurance and hull insurance following some car accidents when the insurance companies allegedly do the following: firstly, they reduce the repair expenses figures and the cost of replacing the car parts; secondly, they seem reluctant to pay any more than is stated in the report of a commission of experts, even though the experts always come up with the average figures and not with the precise sum (and one also needs to bear in mind that some hidden faults may only be revealed in the process of repairing); thirdly, no insurance company ever fully makes up for the loss of the commodity value of the car,’ Ms Mekhontseva said.