First, ask for the reasons in writing and obtain the surveyor's or adjuster's report if it has not been shared. A declinature should identify the policy terms relied on; many rest on a disputed fact or an arguable reading of an exclusion or warranty. We review the wording, the claims record and the timeline, then prepare a reasoned response. Many disputes settle at this stage once both sides see the evidence. If they do not, the policy may require arbitration on quantum, while coverage may go to court. A complaint to IDRA is separate and does not replace contractual remedies.

There are two separate clocks. The policy itself may set conditions on notice and proof of loss, and sometimes a contractual period after which a claim is treated as abandoned. Separately, the Limitation Act 1908 sets general periods for suits based on contract, and the starting point can be disputed in insurance cases. Arbitration clauses may also carry their own time requirements. Because these rules interact and can be decisive, we review the policy and the correspondence as soon as a dispute emerges and diary every possible deadline. Waiting for the insurer's final position can be risky.

Generally no. In Bangladesh, insurers usually appoint a licensed surveyor or loss assessor whose report informs the insurer's decision, but it is not a binding determination of the claim. Policyholders can challenge the methodology, the valuation basis, the treatment of salvage and underinsurance, and any factual findings on cause. We often recommend an independent valuation or forensic accountant, prepared with dispute resolution in mind, so the evidence can be used in negotiation, arbitration or court. Correspondence disputing a report should be specific and supported, rather than a general objection, as it may later be read by a tribunal.

It can, depending on the reinsurance wording. Many contracts include follow-the-settlements language, which usually obliges reinsurers to follow a settlement made in good faith and within the terms of the reinsurance. Others contain claims cooperation or claims control clauses that require the reinsurer's involvement before a settlement, and failure to comply can defeat or reduce recovery. Questions of aggregation, policy period and exclusions can also differ between the two layers. Where the reinsurance is governed by English law or subject to foreign arbitration, we coordinate with counsel there while handling the Bangladesh side of the insurance claims.

It depends on the policy and the issue. Many commercial property and engineering policies issued in Bangladesh refer disputes about the amount payable to arbitration, while disputes about liability or whether cover exists at all may fall outside that clause and go to court. Some policies are silent, and insurance claims then proceed by money suit. The Commercial Courts Act 2026 may also be relevant to commercial insurance disputes, depending on how jurisdiction is allocated in practice. We read the clause closely before acting, because starting in the wrong forum wastes time and can create avoidable jurisdictional arguments.

Insurance contracts require utmost good faith, and an insurer may seek to avoid a policy or reject a claim if material facts were misstated or not disclosed when cover was placed or renewed. The key questions are what was actually asked or presented, whether the fact was material, whether the insurer was induced by it, and whether the insurer later waived the point by accepting premium or handling the claim. We review the proposal form, broker correspondence and underwriting file, and respond with evidence. Allegations of fraud are serious and need a measured, documented answer rather than an angry one.

Only if the policy includes business interruption or consequential loss cover, and usually only where there has been insured physical damage that caused the interruption. The policy will define the indemnity period, the gross profit or revenue basis, any waiting period and the records required. In Bangladesh, these claims often turn on the quality of the insured's accounts, order books and export records, and on whether lost orders resulted from the damage or from wider market factors. We work with forensic accountants to present the claim properly and to answer the insurer's challenges to the basis of calculation.

Once an insurer indemnifies the insured, it is generally entitled to step into the insured's position and pursue recovery from a third party responsible for the loss, such as a carrier, contractor, supplier or neighbouring occupier. The insured must usually cooperate and must not release the third party in a way that prejudices that right. Recovery may proceed in the insured's name, and time limits run against the underlying claim. We advise insurers on recovery prospects and policyholders on protecting uninsured losses, such as deductibles, so that both interests are pursued efficiently and without conflict between insurer and insured.