ICHEIC claims and appeals processes closed in December 2006. The information on this website regarding the processing of claims provides historical background on the ICHEIC process and has been maintained here as an historical record.

1. If a claimant was able to name a company in his/her claim form which is covered under the ICHEIC process…
2. If a claimant was not able to name any company in his/her claim form…
3. If a claimant is able to name a company but the company is not a participant in the ICHEIC process…

The company named (or the organization responsible) will investigate the claim according to standards agreed and audited by ICHEIC. The company/entity will write to the claimant after receipt of the claim and ICHEIC will receive copies of such letters.

Whether a company makes an offer or declines a claim, the company is responsible for sending an explanation of their decision together with any documents relevant to the claim which have been located while investigating the claim. Letters will also include information on how to appeal the company's decision and relevant forms for filing an appeal. Companies follow ICHEIC's Relaxed Standards of Proof [97Kb] (or Annex B [21Kb] of the German Foundation Agreement for claims covered under ICHEIC's Agreement with the German Foundation/German Insurance Association) when researching a claim.

If the company makes an offer, the offer will be based on the ICHEIC Valuation Guidelines [15Kb] (or Annex D [34Kb] of the German Foundation Agreement for claims covered under ICHEIC's Agreement with the German Foundation/German Insurance Association). All offers should include a valuation sheet showing claimants how the amount was calculated.

Click here for additional information on Appeals.

ICHEIC will send the claim form to all ICHEIC companies or affiliated organizations representing companies that could have sold insurance in the country the claimant believes the policy to have been issued.

Companies will investigate claims using ICHEIC's Relaxed Standards of Proof [97Kb] (or Annex B [21Kb] of the German Foundation Agreement for claims covered under ICHEIC's Agreement with the German Foundation/German Insurance Association).

If any company affiliated with ICHEIC traces a policy matching the claimant's claim and decides either to make an offer or to decline the claim, the company will write to the claimant, attaching:

• Any documents located in their investigations
• Advice on the arrangements for appeal against their decision
• The form for making an appeal

Member companies that find no trace of any policy matching the claimant's claim will inform ICHEIC. Please note that circulating potential claims to several companies takes some time. If no company/entity affiliated with ICHEIC finds any policy matching the claimant's claim, ICHEIC will write to so advise the claimant.

If ICHEIC's research process identifies a possible match between a claimant's claim and a company, ICHEIC will send the claim to the company for further investigation whether or not the company is affiliated with ICHEIC.

If investigations fail to produce further evidence of an insurance policy with a particular insurance company, a claimant may, subject to information provided, be eligible for a payment from a specific humanitarian fund established by ICHEIC. These humanitarian payment decisions are not subject to appeal.

ICHEIC will send a letter to the company named asking that they investigate it fully. While ICHEIC asks that companies which are not affiliated with the Commission process claims according to ICHEIC guidelines, ICHEIC cannot ensure that companies do so. There is a right of appeal only against companies that are members of or affiliated with the Commission.

For additional information on companies that are affiliated with the Commission and those that are not, please download the ICHEIC Processing Guide [1.3Mb].