In a legal sense, subrogation occurs anytime one party steps in for another party and assumes their legal rights. Subrogation allows an insurer to step into the shoes of the policyholder and file a claim against a third party who caused the damage.Subrogation is a legal doctrine that enables an insurance company to step into the shoes of its insured party (the policyholder) after settling a claim. Subrogation is a legal right that allows insurers to recover their costs from the at-fault party. Subrogation is the legal process where The Hartford, as your car insurance company, settles a claim on your behalf. Without subrogation, you would have a double recovery, which is not fair to the insurance companies. When an insurance claim is paid, subrogation is a potential avenue for an insurer to recover funds from the third party who caused the loss. Recovery Rate – dollars actually recovered from total paid dollars. Measure this in terms of both gross recovery as well as costs after factoring in expenses. Subrogation is a doctrine of equity.