Israeli Insurer Must Pay $17,000 After Inspector Measures Wrong Car
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
An Israeli court ordered insurer Shomera and driver Yaniv Ohayon to pay NIS 65,000 in damages to Tomer Revivo for a rear-end collision. Shomera's claim rejection was based on an inspector's report that measured a different car, a Mustang, not the damaged Mercedes. The court deemed the report unreliable and ordered the payment for vehicle damage and appraisal fees, while dismissing Revivo's defamation claim against the insurer.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shomera insurer and driver Yaniv Ohayon ordered to pay NIS 65,000 for a rear-end collision.
- The insurer's rejection of the claim was based on an accident inspector's report of a different vehicle.
- The court found the inspector's report unreliable as she measured a Mustang, not the damaged Mercedes.
- The judge dismissed the car owner's defamation claim against the insurer.
- The driver admitted fault for the December 2024 accident in Kiryat Ata.
A court in Kiryat Ata has ordered the insurer "Shomera" and its client, driver Yaniv Ohayon, to pay NIS 65,000 (approximately $17,000) in damages to Tomer Revivo, the owner of a Mercedes struck from behind by Ohayon's Ford. Ohayon admitted guilt in the December 2024 accident, which occurred when he failed to maintain a safe distance and rear-ended Revivo's car as it stopped for a child crossing the road.
Shomera initially rejected most of Revivo's claim, citing "false information regarding the extent of the damage" based on an accident inspector's report. However, the court found the report unreliable. The inspector, Yiri Schiller, admitted she never examined either of the vehicles involved in the collision. Instead, she took measurements from a friend's son's Mustang, which she acknowledged was not the exact same model and could lead to deviations.
Judge Eloaz Zarura ruled that Schiller's assessment was "laconic and lacking" and conducted without a professional inspection of the vehicles in question. The court also noted that Shomera's investigator, Guy Bloch, who photographed Revivo's Mercedes in February 2025, stated it was not his role to assess damages and that the car was too dirty to clearly identify existing damage.
Revivo, an independent car dealer, had sought NIS 76,532 for direct damage, devaluation, and his appraiser's fees. The court awarded NIS 65,000 for vehicle damage and NIS 3,700 for the appraiser's fees, plus NIS 10,000 for legal costs. Revivo's claim for defamation over the "false information" accusation was dismissed, as the court found Shomera acted in good faith in communicating its position based on its inspector's report.
The court reduced the awarded damages from the initial appraisal partly because Revivo sold the Mercedes four months after the accident without repairing it, and a bank letter indicated the damage cost was NIS 66,481. The judge also noted Revivo did not provide a satisfactory explanation for refusing to allow the defendants' appraiser to inspect the vehicle.
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